THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[July 9, 1898
Tther amusing to note Mir. Osborne's | Customs, but if they goʻinland they must re- unable to speak with any show of definiteness.
ignorance of the local Ordinances. He refers to section 66 of Ordinance 24 of 1887 and en. deavours to prove that the regulations laid down in that Ordinance are really the "recommenda- tions of the Sanitary Board," when as a matter of fact the Sanitary Board was not in existence at the time, this Ordinance 24 of 1887 being the Ordinance constituting the Sanitary Board.
Mr. Osborne is correct in stating that had not the plans for these houses on marine lot No. 13 been in accordance with the law, and passed and approved of by the Public Works Depart ment and the Sanitary Board, we should not have had permission from H. E. the Governor to erect either the verandahs or iron balconies, which we have done.
In reference to the letter of the Hon. F. H. May, I have nothing to alter or withdraw from my letter to you of the 2nd instant. Mr. May evidently does not know the meaning or defini- tion of "back to back houses. Paragraph 6 of the report of the Commission ou Insanitary Properties does not refer in any way to such houses as are erected on this marine lot No. 13. A "back to back house," both here and in all other cities and towns throughout the civilized world, is a house that has only one true "front" pierced by openings by which light and air can be admitted to the interior, and the side and
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back walls of which house have no windows or doors, so that the only light and air to the house must, as far as it possibly can, outer by the one front wall of the house. In such houses there is no through current of air, and assuming these back to back houses bare, we will say, two windows ou the single front wall of such honse, snch air as can enter will enter by one window and make its exit by the adjoining window on the same front wall, but never circulating through the whole length of the house. My houses on marine let No. 13 have two" fronts on opposite sides, as already described, and permit of through ventilation by means of the two windows and doors at each end of each room. This could not possibly have been done had a lane, whether the same was 6 feet or 15 feet wide, been left at the back. The poor occupants of such dwelling and sleeping rooms would have had to live and sleep in au atmosphere diluted with the organic effiuria not only given off by the occupants themselves, but also the organic and far more offensive matters from the kitchens abutting on to the said rooms and the offensive receptacles kept in those places. The state of things in such houses immediately after a typhoon or strong gale, when the scavenging contractor is not able to carry out his duties, can be better imagined
than described,
With all respect to Mr. May (than whom the colony has no better officer, and whom every one is proud of) I do not agree with his would be type of Chinese houses and his description of back to back "houses.
WM. DANBY,
Hongkong, 5th July, 1898.
THE NAVIGATION OF THE INLAND WATERS OF CHINA.
The following are the provisional rules agreed to by Sir Claude Macdonald, as published in the Shanghai papers, for the navigation of the inland waters of China. It is possible that some modifications n'ay be introduced into them on further consideration:
I. REGISTRATION. 1-The inland waters of the Treaty port provinces are hereby opened to small steamers, native or foreign, plying from Treaty ports.
2.--Small steamers at Treaty ports, whether plying only in the waters of the port or going thence inlaud, are to be reported at the Cus. toms and take ont papers at the Customs con- taining owner's name and residence, name and type of steamer, number of crew, etc., etc., iu addition to whatever national papers they are allowed or required by law to carry. Such Customs papers are to be renewed annually and are to be surrendered on change of ownership or when the vessel ceases to ply. The fee for the first issue of Customs papers will be Taels 10 and for each renewal Tuels 2.
3.- Small stenuers thus registered at the Customs may ply freely in the waters of the port without reporting their movements at the
port both departure and return. No un- registered steamer will be allowed to proceed inland.
4. As regards exhibition of lights, pre- vention of collisions, shipping of crews, aud inspection of machinery, etc., ail such steamers are to observe the rules in force at the port they belong to.
II. REVENUE,
5.-Cargo shipped at Treaty ports is to be rported to the Customs and is to pay such duties as the Customs decide to be leviable. Cargo brought to a Treaty port from inland is to be similarly dealt with."
6.-Cargo landed or shipped inland is to pay at the place of landing or shipment whatever dues or duties the local regulations call for.
7. If such steamers have vessels in tow they must bring to at whatever stations the vessels towed are required to stop at for their own car. goes, and the cargoes of boats towed (are) to be dealt with as local rules prescribe. Such steamers are not to tow on the Yangtze.
THE SHANGHAI-WOOS UNG RAILWAY,
Just now, when speculation is rife as to the opening of the Shanghai-Woosung Railway, it is well to give a few details concerning its posi- tion and progress and it was with that object that one of our representatives sought out and had a pleasant chat yesterday with one of the principal officials of the Imperial Chinese Rail- way Administration. As we announced gome three months ago, it was intended to open the line for all kinds of traffic at the com- mencement of this month and the fact that the undertaking will not be completed for six weeks or so is due entirely to breach of contract on the part of the Belgian firm entrusted with the manufacture and delivery of the rails and sleepers. Messrs. Cockerill, the contractors in question, undertook to deliver the whole of the rails, sleepers, fastenings, etc., not later than March last, but as a matter of fact they only arrived some three weeks ago. Hence the delay. The permanent way, stations and necessary appurtenances have been finished long ago, locomotives and freight cars have been in readiness and everything awaiting the arrival of the rails. It will thus be seen what an ex. pence, and an nunecessary expense, has been in- carred in consequence. The work, however, is now being pushed on rapidly and large gangs of coolies under the supervision of skilled Euro- peans are working from early morn to dewy eve constructing the road. Commencing at the Woosung eud, something like two English miles bas been laid and it is contidofitly expected that the line will be ready for traffic towards the end of August. Considerable difficulty is occasioned through the entire ignorance of the native workmen in the matter of plate-laying. In fact, hardly one in a thousand has ever seen a railway and everything has to be shown them. Then again numbers of them after working a few days discharge themselves, with the result that fresh labourers have to be employed and the work of instruction begun over again. Our readers will thus see what a contract for rail- way building means in this darksome land. When it is finished, however, there can be no doubt that it will be a great factor in the pro- motion of local commerce, in that a ranning plan has been mapped out showing ten passen. ger trains per day, either way, in addition to luggage trains. The locomotives are of the heavy American tank-tpye, manufactured by Messrs. Brooks, of Dunkirk, N.Y., whilst the cars and tracks, the former well fitted up and upholstered, hare been made at the Railway Works in Tientsin, where the much-talked-of “Royal train of the irrepres-
:
A
sible Empress Dowager was conceived. responsible staff has been engaged, the locomo- tive department being under the control of Herr Richter, who has secured the services of native engine-drivers formerly employed on the diminutive Tayê Railway near Hankow. As all new ventures, and especially now in this case, generally involve heary outlays through lack of knowledge of the local conditions, our representative endeavoured to elicit what would be the cost per mile as compared with European lines of a like character; but our informant was
The cost of the land in the first place he was uuaware of, but speaking generally he thought it would prove to be much cheaper than any home undertaking of the kind, owing to the fact that labour and such native materiala as have been used are very much cheaper here. He was also unable to express an opinion as to the working cost per mile as compared with published statistics, but anticipated highly sat- would naturally take time to dislodge the goods isfactory returns from the passenger traffic. It traffic from the river, but in the end he thought they might safely count upon a big revenue under this head, owing to the rates being lower than lighterage dnes and the delivery more ex- peditious. No effort is to be spared to make the line a success and we might add that plans have already been drawn up for comprehensive extensions. There is undoubtedly plenty of scope for railway enterprise in China and now that it has found favour in the eyes of the strange country should be a thing of the com- Government the entire opening up of this
paratively near future.-N. C. Daily News.
THE BENNERTZ STEAMERS.
PURCHASE BY M. MARTY.
MORE DISPUTES,
We translate the following article from L'Echo de Chine (Shanghai)
The Bennertz flotilla again? Yes, so it is. I understand that people may be tired of always hearing of this affair, but it is necessary to refer to it again, since Messieurs the Mandarins re- fuse to understand that the Europeans in- terested in the question are firmly resolved not to let them suck all the juice of the orange, of which they jappear unwilling to abandon even the riad.
Every one knows that M. Marty bought the Ningehow, the Wooning, and the Sinfokin. It is also known that the Chinese have done their test to evade part of their engagements and wanted to deliver only the two last named steamers. M. de Bezaure (the French Consul at Shanghai), who cannot be
too highly praised for the energetic manner in which he represented to the Taotai that he would never consent to allow himself to be thus played with, succeeded after much negotiation in securing the delivery of the steamer at Hong- kong, where it went into dock. The steamers at
Shanghai also went into dock. M. Marty had bought, but wished to examine the goods before taking delivery. Nothing more just. He under- took the expense of docking the steamers, which was nearly $1,200 for the three. He also assumed responsibility for the cost of the repairs_neces- sary to secure a Lloyd's certificate.
It was well understood that the Chinese would deliver the vessels with the furniture and the engines mentioned in the inventory. It was on this point that the difficulties commenced. The Taotai said that there were no inventories. No inventories? That appeared a little too thin! M. Marty was not discouraged and set bimself to look for the old inventories, and found them, not only the latest, but also those which accompanied the vessels on their arrival from England.
M. Marty then claimed from the Chinese authorities, not the production of the articles mentioned in the original inventories, but those borne on the inventory at the time of the sale. Passing in review what was missing the follow- ing nice result was arrived at
Ningchow.
Missing, on deck.....
TIs. 2,874.00 in engine room...
500.00 Wooning.
Missing, on deck
in engine room...
Sinfokin. Missing, ou deok....
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in engine room.......
Total..
2,719.66 512.98
1,929.78 218.19
Tls. 8,754.61 But that was not all. The Chinese said nothing about an accident which they had brought on the vessel near the Pescadores and which had placed the vessel in such a condition that the surveyor at Hongkong certified that it was necessary to replace sixteen plates and