Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-24 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

A communication from St. Petersburg says:—
" The canal of Ladoga, which was constructed in
1731, has scarcely ever been repaired since that
period, and you may readily conceive into what
a dilapidated state it must have fallen. As this
is a most important artery for the supply of the
capital, upwards of 50 millions' worth of produce
of different kinds being conveyed on it during
the navigable season, it became indispensable
either to thoroughly repair the old canal or to
cut a new one. The latter course has been
decided on, and the plans which had been sent
in by the government engineers have been ar-
proved. The new canal, which will run along
between the old one and the lake, will be 102
versts (five-eighths of a mile each) in length.
The construction of it will be finished in five
.years, and will cost 4,000,000 silver roubles
(16,000,000 francs). In order to cover this out-
: lay, 41 per cent. will be levied on the value of the
merchandise carried. All these great undertak-
ingS attract a number of workmen of all kinds
from the country to the capital, and as many can-
not find immediate employment, there is a diffi-
culty for them to find cheap and healthy residences.
A joint stock company, with a capital of 3;500,000
roubles is, it.is said, about to be founded; in order
to obviate this inconvenience, and improve the
condition of this class of people. The company
in question will commence by building 'large
houses, in which as many as 3,000 workmen can
be accommodated at moderate prices. There will
be in each house an office of addresses, where each
pew comer may obtain information of the works
In course of execution and the proposed condi-
tions. The contractors for works will aloo be able
vivre readily to obtain the workmen they stand in

need of The company will also :end its lodgers
small s,i7ilns of money, to be afterwards repaid from
the—wages they receive."

THE CHINESE DIFFICULTY.

From the journal des Debats we perceive that
the dispute with the- Chinese Government is
likely to be of a more ObStinate and protracted
character than has been supposed. The journal
'in question says Our last accounts from
Cochiia China announce that Vice -Admiral Rigault
de Genouilly and the troops under his command,
exhausted by disease and fatigue of everydescrip-
Con, which incapacitated them from pursuing their
operations, were preparing to abandon Tourane
and return to China. The Admiral proposed
to:retain the position he occupies at Saigon, and
which combines the best conditions of defence and
salubrity., Rear-Admiral Page had not yet
arrived."
The Pairie has the folloWing, from. the same
quarter :—" Advice's from Cochin China, which
come down to the middle of August, do not hold
out any great hopes of a. treaty of peace being
speedily signed by the Anamite Government.
The Court of Hue adopts every means of causing
delays, and cannot be brought to give a cate-
gorical answer to the demands made by Admiral
Rigault de Genouilly. The late events in China
will not, however, allow the Admiral to remain
any longer at Tourane, and when the last accounts
left preparations were being made, for evacuating
that town, and proceeding, with the whole of the
disposable French, force, to Canton. The only
point which the Admiral will not abandon is Sal-
gon, the defence of which, should the Cochin
Chinese again assume the offensive, wlll bu much
more easy than that of Tourane. Extensive for-
tifications have been raised at Saigon by the allied
troops, and every means have been adopted to
render them impregnable. A garrison more than
sufficient will be left there, and provisions are
abundant. The sanitary state of the 'expedition
had much improved, when these accounts left, and
the weather had become more favourable."

As a matter clearly or course, we do not impli-
cate ourselves in the position and difficulties
assumed by our allied friends; but we all know
that where friends are puzzled, the English go-
vernment or English men do not long hesitate.