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Captain S. C. Plant, at present employed as pilot of the French gun-boat "Olry," at Chungking, will become marine superintendent for the Company as soon as his services are available. In the meantime, he has drawn up plans and specifications of a shallow-draft tug-boat and flat which have been submitted to the Viceroy of Szechuan and received his approval.
I have been requested by Chou Taotai, Director of the Provincial Bureau of Commerce, acting on behalf of the new Company, to forward copies of these plans to you for your inspection, and to ask you the following questions:
1. Are you willing to construct a tug-boat and flat in accordance with Captain Plant's plans and specifications?
2. What will be the price delivered on board ready for shipment to Shanghae of (a) tug-boat (b) flat?
The Taotai also wishes to know the cost of freight to Shanghae and the cost of putting together, but as I do not suppose you will be able to give definite replies on these points, I do not include them in the question.
3. Will you undertake to ship tug and flat to Shanghae and superintend putting together, sending out an engineer for the purpose?
I have explained to the Chinese that shipbuilders do not usually undertake to deliver vessels abroad, but they seem to attach much importance to this point, and think it will go far to securing the order if you can see your way to meeting their wishes in this respect. Their idea is that you should hand over the vessels to them in Shanghae, "in the water," as they phrase it, ready to start on their journey up river. They will, of course, pay all expenses incurred on account of freight, putting together, and engineer's passage and salary.
4. How long, approximately, will you take to construct vessels, counting from date order is put in hand to date vessels are ready for shipment to Shanghae?
5. Will you appoint an agent at Chungking, say Captain Plant, with whom Company can draw up a contract, arrange for payment, &c.?
I have explained to the Chinese that it is usual for payments to be made in instalments, and I do not think this point will present any difficulty.
As it takes at least four months to receive a reply to a letter from England, Chou Taotai is anxious to have telegraphic replies to the above-mentioned questions. If satisfactory, he will confirm the order by wire. I suggest that, as we have no commercial codes here, you should ask the Foreign Office in London to telegraph your reply to me in cypher. I am sending them, through His Majesty's Minister in Peking, a copy of this letter.
The present order is, I am aware, a small one, and the terms proposed are possibly somewhat unusual, but if the matter can be arranged, it will undoubtedly be the fore-runner of others, not only for tugs and lighters, but also for gun-boats, which the Provincial Government contemplate placing on the Upper Yang-tsze. The French and German Consular and naval authorities in Szechuan have done their best to induce the Chinese to place this order in their hands, and I am sure you will agree with me that it will be a splendid thing if the vexed question of regular and remunerative steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tsze can at last be solved by means of British-built vessels under British superintendence.
I am sending this letter under flying seal to Captain Plant in Chungking, in order that he may make any additional observations that his knowledge and experience of the matter in question may suggest. I need hardly say that your interests will, in my opinion, be quite safe in his hands. Indeed, his long and successful experience of steam navigation on shallow waters makes his co-operation in the present scheme not only most valuable but, I venture to say, indispensable.
I inclose the plans and specifications above referred to, and a Memorandum by Captain Plant on steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tsze.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
HARRY H. FOX.
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Euphrates, Karun, and Yang-tsze. Pioneering work has occupied at least half of this time, during which I have handled many different types of river steamers. I merely mention this to show that I am qualified to discuss the question of steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tsze from a practical point of view.
Much has been said and written on this subject by people absolutely unqualified to express a practical opinion. I have made a study of this part of the Yang-tsze ever since I came here first in 1899, and I find the problem is not an easy one by any manner of means, principally on account of the different phases the river presents to the navigator at different periods, which may roughly be divided into three: low, middle, and high-level.
During the low-level season, the majority of the rapids are at their worst; three of them are infranchisable to any ordinary type of river steamer.
During the middle level, many of the low-level rapids have disappeared, but others have formed, also infranchisable.
During the high-level season, the same thing occurs again, but the high-level rapids form no insuperable barrier to a fast steamer; it is the gorges, which now present grave dangers on account of the violent swirls which gyrate viciously in each one of them.
A careful survey of the river between Ichang and Chungking at different levels has led me to the conclusion that navigation on this part of the Yang-tsze with steam-ships of sufficient carrying capacity to enable them to pay is quite impracticable, and that from a commercial point of view, the only feasible method is by means of shallow-draft tug-boats, especially constructed to tow shallow-draft flats.
On a river such as I have described, the great point to aim at in any navigation scheme is the smallest outlay of capital possible at the beginning, and with this end in view, I would propose to start operations with one tug-boat and one flat only, commencing to run through to Chungking at the most favourable season, and then to extend the flotilla as the necessary experience is gained.
The feasibility of towing in these waters I have proved by experiments conducted with an ordinary steam launch and cargo junk. The tug-boat would be fitted with special appliances for hauling over such rapids as she, with her tow, could not steam.
At the expiration of the first year, if the tug-boat had demonstrated the feasibility of keeping up a more or less regular service between Ichang and Chungking, the flotilla might be increased, working on the experience gained until it was sufficiently large to cope with the traffic.
The tug and flat system for these particular waters has much to recommend it. To begin with, safety in this case means handiness, and for that quality, the tug and flat system is the best. It is also the most economical system that I know, costing less for upkeep and running expenses than any other. The risks attending it would, moreover, not be more than in the case of the ordinary junk navigation—probably much less. It is lack of motive power which accounts for most of the accidents to native vessels on the Upper River, and by adopting this system, we practically have the junk with the motive power attached.
A capital of about 10,000l would be required to float a Company for this purpose and purchase the two vessels. I would recommend that the tug-boat and flat be built in England by Messrs. Yarrow and Co., who are experts in the art of building shallow-draft vessels for river service. Such craft could not be built either in Shanghae or in Japan.
The cost of the tug-boat as per specifications attached would be approximately 5,750l, and that of the flat 2,500l. Working expenses I estimate at from 800 taels to 1,000 taels per month, and the earnings at from 2,000 taels to 2,500 taels per month.
(Signed) S. C. PLANT,
(Note. This Memorandum was written by Captain Plant for presentation to the Chinese authorities.—H. H. F.)
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
A Practical Scheme for Steam Navigation on the Upper Yang-tsze, proposed by S. C. Plant, of Chungking.
IN the first place, I consider it is necessary to state that my experience with rivers and river navigation extends over a period of nearly twenty years, on the Tigris,