Wuy should not the Harbour-master's {Department of the Customs, whose business we take it to be to look after the river approach to Shanghai, spend two or three hundred taels or even five hundred, if necessary, in makin; a survey of the Junk Channel, and placing some buoys in it, that light-draught steamers might make use of it? "There is no late survey of the channel, but it is confidently stated that there is at least two feet more [water in it than there was when the latest, which is to be seen' at the Harbour-master's Office, was: made. Not only would the passage of light-draught steamers very probably improve the small bar at this end of the: chaniiel, by stirring up the mud, but it would leave more room on the Woosung Bar for ocean steamers. It is not to be expected that Captains of light-draught steamers will ran the risk of trying a new, channel until they have some authority to back them up, and that authority—in' the shape of an assurance of what water is to be found' in the channel; and- where the' channel is—the Harbour-master can give them at a moderate expense: of time and money, ° We appear to be always waiting for some final decision as to what should be done with the Bar, and there' is every appearance of our having to go on waiting for another twenty years; but meanwhile the course we suggest would add another piece of information to the mass to be'some-day laid before the final arbiter, whoever he may be. If something is not done, we shall'in time see Shanghai deserted for some new port, and the new Custom House tunyed into an asylum for Dest-tute Old Residents, who will creep out on fine days to play golf on the Bund.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.