CAPTAIN OSBORN IN THE PRIUO.
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The meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on Monday, Sir II'
derick Murchison in the chair, was extremely well attended, e filSt and most interesting paper was captain lierard Osborn's notes on the Gulf of Pecheli and the Peiled'Ri4er. - The first portion of the paper bore reference chiefly to the geographical and commercial aspects of the countries passed in the journey from jeangluii to the Gulf of Peoheli, Her Majesty.'s Blip Furious having been tin of the ships that accompanied Lord. Elgin en his journey, up the Great one to Tien-sin, where the late treaty was signed. The author dwells_ lion the rapid strides Shanghai has made during the last sixteen years, U'e its favourable position and climate, and its extensive import and ex- port trade amounting. to nearly 27,000,000/. Various causes have com- bined to force the old canal traffic between Northern and Southern China iato a coasting trade,--such as the rebellion in the valley of the Yang- _Keeng, the occupation of Telling-Kering-too, and the change in the course of the Yellow River. After describing the shoals which run out from the Shantung coast, Captain Osborn urges the necessity of an active nautical survey, which he considers ought not to be confined to British surveyors, and remarks that all the many millions worth of property carried to and fro on the coasts and on the rivers are indebted for safety to the charts of English officers. The second portion of the paper referred to the Gulf of Peeheli and the Peiho River. The author remarked upon the secure anchorage in the Min- tao Straits, affording a general rendezvous for the trading junks, and fur- nished a description of the anchorage off the Peilio River. The Peillo has its source in the highlands not far Vora Pekin, and runs for the greater portion of its tortuous course through a level country, the velocity of its stream rather than the volume of its waters having scoured out a narrow bed in the stiff clay which forms the substratum of the plain Chi-k. This scouring forte, however, becomes so weakened as it approaches the sea,
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swine to the low level of shores allowing a eonstatit overflow, that, in- stead of cutting a twelve feet channel straight out into the Gulf of Pecheli, the depth of the river suddenly decreases, and the river discharges itself over an area several miles in extent. Tile enthor notices particularly the altered course of the Yellow River, whieh empties itself in the gulf 200 miles north of its original mouth e arid the mud banks that were forming there threatening to block up the navigation of the river to Pekin. The paper contained some observations upon the directicin of the tides, the character of the country in ascending the Peiho, with a description of the towns, the customs of the inhabitants, and on various other subjects. A paper on the search after Leichardt led to ate animated discussion on Australia. Sir Roderick Murchison said. that with regard to North Australia, he entirely concerted - with Sir Charles Nicholson and Cap- tain Drury on the necessity of establishing a settlement on some spot in that locality—a point that he had ceaselessly advocated, and con- sidered that, since the French had taken possession of some of the is lands adjacent, it became an absolute necessity for Great Britain to have a station for the protectibn of its commerce.
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