The Express.
London, England, 1858-01-27 00:00:00

TO OUR READERS.

A DOUBLE NUMBER of the REPRESS will
be published on the FIRST SATURDAY in the
Parliamentary Session, and eontinued on such weeks
at the length of the Parliamentary Debates shall
render desirable.

Ora wan in the East are abundantly amain
at best ; but the ways in which we centavo to
segment the extravagance show an ingenuity which
would be well employed in a different direction. We
hosed a good deal hot Midsummer about oar coaling
entices on the eastern route, and the uncertainty as
to whether their supplies would be equal to a great
and imexpeeted dimmed; and it might perhaps
strike • geed many people that it must be
monsetiely expoutor to supply our steam-trans-
ports, and oar (l squadron with fuel,
all mot out hese Ragland, and deposited
at coaling entities smelt es Aden, the Cape, Singa-
pore, and Hong Bong. It k anormoaaly expensive.
Our Admiral at Canton required eight thousand tons
per month before active operations were reamed;
and 150,000 to. per enema is the quantity lately
seed by 111 iW those seas. All this coal is carried
eat from home; satire then is a fine coal eountry,
actually in British peesession, lying in the very
midst of the scene. Borneo my:striae a central poli-
tico of the utmost importanse to le, in oar tranne-
time in India, China, and Australia. Our eommand
of those seas, our 0001111111011 With the great Archipe-
lago then, our balance of power with the Dutch, the
Spanish, and the Americans, have lam required a
better can of Borneo then has yet been taken :
and now that "applies of coal are urgently required
for our operations in China, it may be hoped that
something will be done. Oovernmest is salkiently
aware of the importance of the cam ; bat till the
public mind is equally informed nothing will be
gone, for Government is always slow and apathetic
about affain and scenes so remote, even whoa there
is es room fa doubt about the facts. In the pre-
sent instance there is no denial of the facts, neither
is there any lack of proclaims. The Minister pro-
mien that application shall be made to the Admi•
rally fur a ship of war to represent British vigi-
knee off the Borneo meet ; and the Admiralty
receives the ingestion ; but year after year poses
on, and no British ship of war arrives. Amid se my
as to every method pointed oat of using the obso-
tags of our footing on the only territory left fir ear
occupation in that rich Archipelago through which
we have to steer on our way to China cm the ono
hand, or to Australia on the other.

As to the coat in the first place. It is no news
that there is plenty of coal at Liman; for the sink-
ing of 100,0004 serves to impress such a fast cm
men's minds : bat it may net be 'totally well knewn
that there is coal at Sarawak, and that the whole
taut between the two settleasests is understood to
be a ncb coal region. At Sarawak the coal working
was undertakes by a Company, who have evidently
net gone to work in the beet way, because their success
is altogether inadequate to the escertained grounds of
srxpeetatioe. Al far as the profit or loss or sagas-
Company is coooerned, they night be
manage their own adairs ; but oar want of
steamers in China converts the banner
public interest. The conditions of the case
be this. A seam has been opened, and to
appearance the coal is very good ; but it is sup-
or found, that the seam is shallow ; while,
there is little or no doubt that a deep and
is at hand. Here the want is of
geological surveying; and the extreor-
thing is, that money should have been spent
steam vessel, and certain other after coo.l
before certainty was obtained se to the
quality and extent of the coal. The next
ais of the labour. The Dyaks take enfticient
their interests and their ooinniodities above-
but they will not go so far under-ground even
1 slam, which is not far from the surface.

_.... merely that the labour does not reit the
Imapenunint of the proud and may-going Dyaks,
• they dare not encounter the subterranean
The regions under-foot swarm with spirits
prevent these aristocrats of the Bast from
becoming colliers. But there are the Chinese.
Chines, labourers rebelled last year, on incite-
home or from Singapore, whim our
quarrel broke out, bat they found themselves
Len in supposing they could drive the British
_ Borneo, and they are not likely to repeat the
experiment. It is only in search of gold that the
spontaneously Sock to any foreign country
y sufficient number an be obtained
little care and pains ; and they do,
II when their ambition and conceit are act
panksately excited. They are welcome at fiatawildt
,e is teal work to be done ; and no appal-
exists in the mind of native or European as
residence there, when they settle down in a
way, to work for au independence. Their
dear in money cost, and it is this which
suggested the idea of importing Chinese convict.
the mines ; but the highest wages

We nave to steer on cm
hand, or to Australia on
As to the cost in thi
that there is plenty Of o
in of 100,0004 serves
men's maids : bat it maj
that awry is coal at 8u
coast between the two so
• be a rich opal region. A
wee undertakes by a Coi
set gone to work in the In
is altogether inadeqnste
tripeetatioe. As far aa
Son of the Company is
left to manage their on
coal for our steamers in
Into • public interest.
appear to be this. A 11111
all appearance the coal i
posed, or found, that tit
again, there is little or
• broad seam is at ham
thoroogh geological se
dinary thing is, that mat
to a steam-vessel, and
togimitis, before non
prune quality and er
question is of the labour.
sun of their interests al
ground; but they will no
as the coal seam, which
It is sot merely that ti
tompiesnist of the pre
bat that they dare not
ghosts The region. uw
so as to prevent these
ever becoming colliers.
The Chinese labourers
avant from home or f
Chinese quarrel broke on
mistaken in supposing t
from Borneo, and they
experiment. It is only
Chinese spontaneously 6
but any sufficient w
by a little care an
my well when their a
passionately excited. 'II
when there is teal work
hewn= exists in the min
to their roideace there,
domestic way, to work fo
labour is dear in money
has suggested the idea of
labour for the mines ;