2
By the 28th June the work of widening the channel across this barrier to 400 tent, was accomplished. The channel has now 12 fect of water in its northern side and 10 feet in its southern side at low water. The reason for not dredging to a uniform depth is that it was considered best that the depth in the channel across the barrier should conform with the contour of the river bed above and below it.
Attached are two plans; the one marked (A) shows the condition of affairs before the barrier was dredged, and that marked (B) shows the channel as it is at present.
It may be interesting to place on record that 11,600 tons of stone were removed from the Taishek Barrier.
Cambridge Barrier-The channel through the Taishek Barrier having been dredged so successfully by the "Canton River," it was decided to utilize her for the work of widening the channel through the Cambridge Barrier, and, as preliminary negotiations were settled before work at Taishek had been quite completed, the dredger was able to start work at Cambridge on the day after finishing Taishek-i.e., on the 29th June.
At the Cambridge Barrier conditions were somewhat uncertain. The heaps of stone forming the barrier were held up by means of sunken junks and heavy wooden piles, and it was a question whether the dredger could lift the stone without first blowing the junks up.
13
It was a great relief, therefore, to find that the "Canton River was able to break up the junks with her buckets and draw the piles with great ease.
The work of widening the channel was completed on the 7th July, and we now have a channel of 450 feet in with, with a least depth of 16 feet in it at low
water.
The plan marked (C) shows the barrier before the channel was widened, while tracing marked (D) shows the present conditions,
T. J. ELDRIDGE,
Deputy Coast Inspector.
(Signed)
Coast Inspector's Sub-Office, Canton, July 8, 1905.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majestys Government.]
HINA TRADE,
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
229
[August 15.]
SECTION 1.
The Incorporated Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool to the Marquess of Lansdowne.→→ (Received August 15.)
Liverpool, August 14, 1905. My Lord,
REFERRING to my letter dated the 11th ultimo on the subject of the uniform national coinage in China, and to your Lordship's reply saying that the matter was under consideration in consultation with the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, I am further to inform your Lordship that this Chamber has had another communication on a branch of the same subject from the China Association.
It would appear from the communication referred to that the Government of China are permitting the issue in the provinces of large quantities of copper coins, varying in value, and containing alloy ranging from 5 per cent. to 20 per cent. The circulation of such coinage of irregular value is represented as necessarily adding to the confusion which previously existed, and likely to bring about shortly an unfavour- able financial crisis.
The Committee of the East India and China Trade Section of this Chamber share the opinion of the China Association that the tolerance of this step by the Central Government of China is a practical breach of the promise that the national currency of China should be improved and made uniform, and I am therefore to suggest on the Committee's behalf that His Majesty's Government should at once make a representa- tion to the Government of China to this effect, and advise action calculated to put monetary affairs in that country on a better and more stable footing.
I have, &c.
THOMAS H. BARKER, Secretary.
(Signed)
[2140 p-1]