is a great satisfaction to those in and out of the Chamber of Commerce who have been hammering away at this question for over a quarter ofa century to find it seriously taken up at Peking at last. Ten years ago_a subscription was raised by the Chamber of Commerce for preliminary expenses, and five years ago after attempts to secure a leading English engineer, M. de Rijke, than whom no-one has a better knowledge of the subject, made another survey and report, his fee being Gold $10,000, for Which the Chamber made the necessary arrangements. Three years ago the Chamber submitted to Pekin, a scheme for the rectification and ney of the river and its es y and now the Committ vs is taking the matter s ously in hand: and it is with great satisfaction that we learn that E. A. Hewett is returning to Po carly next week to discuss the qu tion with the Counnittce. We hope that the Chamber will succeed in their contention should be put in th international board.
Strong efforts are being made to have it put altogether in the hands of the Foreign Customs; but there is a preponderance of reasons in favour of entrusting the work to an International Conservancy Board.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.