While, on the one hand, we are relieved from the ruinous drain upon our resources, occasioned by our protracted warlike operations in India and China, on the other, a prospect is opened to us, by the immensely important treaty into which the Emperor of China has entered with this country, of very great and permanent commercial advantages, which are already being realized.  Let our manufacturers, however, beware of the danger of forfeiting these advantages, by excessive eagerness to avail themselves of these newly acquired markets.  Twelve-months ago, we earnestly warned them on this score,[21] and we now as earnestly repeat that warning; “Notwithstanding,” observed an able French journalist, a few weeks ago, upon this subject, “the opening of five ports to European commerce, China will for many years preserve her internal laws, her eccentric tastes, her inveterate habits.  China is the country of routine and immovability.  The treaty with Great Britain cannot modify the nature of China in a few months. If the English are not prudent in their exports, if they overload the newly opened ports with foreign produce, they will injure themselves more than they were injured by the war just concluded.” In every word of this we concur:  but alas! what weight will such considerations have with the agitating manufacturers in the north of England?  Their fierce but short-sighted anxiety to make rapid fortunes, will make most of them, in a very few years, melancholy evidences of the justness of our observations!  We cannot pass from the East without noticing the sound statesmanship which is regulating all Lord Ellenborough’s leading movements in India—­a matter now universally admitted.  How unspeakably contemptible and ridiculous has the lapse of a few months rendered the petty clamours against him, with which the ex-ministerial party commenced their last year’s campaign!  Without, however, travelling round the entire circle of our foreign connexions and operations—­there are one or two points to which we will briefly refer, as striking instances of the vigilant and indefatigable energy, and the powerful diplomatic influence of Lord Aberdeen, especially with reference to the securing commercial advantages to this country—­and which has extorted the following testimony, during the present month (December,) from another French journal, by no means favourably disposed to this country:—­“The English Government is incontestably the best served of all Governments in the means of obtaining new, and extending old markets, and in the rapid and complete knowledge of the course to be adopted to ensure the sale of the immense products of Great Britain in different parts of the globe.”  Take for instance the case of Russia.  We have actually succeeded in wringing from the tenacious and inflexible Cabinet of St Petersburg an important commercial advantage!  On Lord Aberdeen’s accession to office, he found Russia in the act of aiming a fatal blow at a very important branch of our shipping trade, by levying