What the result of the question at issue between the merchants and the local steamer companies will be is not yet known, Large interests are xt stake, anid the final decision will greatly influence the prosperity of this settlement. It is believed by some that the steamer companies have much more in view than simply receiving and discharging cargo at Tangku rather than at Tientsin, viz, the m: king of Tangku the actual port of Tiealsin, instead of having the steamers come up' to the Settlement bund; that whether or not the present work on the river sues in restoring the old conditions so as to allow steamers to come up as of old, this move contemplates their discharging at Tangku only and always. Ever since the river trouble became acute, pawengers have to debark at Tangku under conditions that were most trying to them, and which the steamer camps no way tried to modify or ameliorate for their coinfer convenience. At a time when the n conservation scheme has advanced so far, with every prospect of success and the restoration of the old conditions which will enable steamers to come up, it is most unfortunate that the companies should endeavour to place an added burden-on the shippers' shoulders, which from the sbippers' point of view seems so unreasonable and to involve other important questions, instead of joining heart and soul in furthering the river works and awaiting results. This would have been wise and couciliatory, and would have avoided the friction which has now been created. A Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce is called for next Wednesday, the 12th, to consider the reply of the steamer companies, which it is hoped will be conciliatory, meet the approval of the shippers, and restore the good feeling which, as a rule, has existed heretofore.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.