To what stage the negotiations for the opening up of the ports of the West River to foreign trade have reached no one probably outside the diplomatic circle can tell. It is reported among the Chinese in Canton, however, that the prospects of this concession being obtained are now less fa able. Whether there is any genuine ground for this opinion Iam unable to say, but T imagine it is mere surmise founded on the difficulties in which Great Britain appears to Chinese to be involved and their own knowledge of the disposition of their own Government. Certain it is that the Peking authorities will not yield if they think that the British Goverament is elsewhere embarrassed. The pany hich recently left Canton for Wuchoufu has returned, having accomplished the journey in a native boat in a fortnight, The main difficulties and delays were encountered in the shallow channels of the delta between Canton and Samshiu, the place where the North and West Rivers meet and the head of the delta they then form,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.