164 DAVIS ON THE YANG-TSE-KEANG. [March 28, 1859: 



Shanghae, and it remains to be seen whether or no the inexpensive 

 but slow Chinese junk will hold its own in competition against 

 river steamers. No chart will supply the requirements of a navi- 

 gation of the river, for the remarkable and rapid changes in its bed 

 defy all such facilities. It is only by a succession of native pilots 

 — one for every 80 or 90 miles— that it is ever likely to be ascended 

 with speed and safety. When the expeditionary squadron returned 

 great changes in the hydrography of the river had already become 

 apparent. All the vessels had safely arrived in the neighbourhood 

 of Shanghae by the middle of January, 1859. 



The President. — In asking you, gentlemen, to return thanks to Mr. 

 Oliphant, Captain Sherard Osborn, and the officers of Lord Elgin's expedition, 

 who prepared the excellent chart now before us, I may state that this valuable 

 communication contains a variety of illustrations of the state of the country 

 since the rebels have taken possession of large portions of it, which the Secre- 

 tar}-- has not had time to read. I am jjersuaded that when you peruse this 

 memoir in our Journal you will render every justice to Mr. Oliphant, not 

 merely for his description of the physical geography of the country, but also for 

 giving you an exact picture of the impoverished condition of very large tracts 

 which were formerly in a very flourishing state. Fortunately, on this occa- 

 sion a gentleman is present who has known the river and has visited the differ- 

 ent stations on it when the whole population was in a most prosperous con- 

 dition. This is Sir John Davis, whose paper is announced as second upon the 

 list. He will give you a description of the interior of China as it was before 

 the rebellion, as contrasted with the present miserable state of every tract 

 which has been invaded by the rebels. 



The Second Paper read was — 



2. View of the Great Valley of the Yang-tse-Keang before arid since its 

 occupation h/ the Rebels, By Sir J. F. Davis, Bart., k.c.b., f.r.g.s. 



Sir John Davis observed that, had not the recent expedition of 

 Lord Elgin up the great river of China rendered such farther 

 details superfluous, he might have occupied the time of the meeting 

 with more of his own personal experiences on that river, as high as 

 the Poyang Lake, within no great distance of Han-Kow, the present 

 ultima Thule of English investigation. But, after the interesting 

 memoir just read, he should confine himself to a brief view of the 

 high state of prosperity, population, and trade existing at the time 

 of his own visit as contrasted with the utter desolation since 

 perpetrated by the rebels ; and the abundant depth of w^ater 

 in 1816 as compared vrith the low ebb of the river, which 

 had formed the chief impediment to the progress of our steamers 

 in 1858. They had been about eleven days from Golden Island 

 to the Poyang Lake, and this, for them, was justly considered 



