COPY.
71
1.
31.
MEMORANDUM ON THE JAPANESE PROPOSAL IN MACAO.
The proposals transmitted through shinga Wada to the
Governor of Macao are
2.
(a) Definite offer to take over present Waterworks and
complete a new Vaterworks scheme, the total cost of
which is estimated at g1,500,000.
(b) The establishment of various industries - an alcohol
plant and sugar refinery have been specifically
mentioned.
(c) The establishment of new lines of steamers from Kacao
to Hongkong, Canton, Timor and Portuguese India.
It is difficult to see how control of the Vaterworks
alone could benefit the Japanese to any great extent but it
The seeus plain that this offer has ulterior motives.
construction of the new faterworks would give every excuse
for the presence of Japanese engineers etc. and it seems most
likely that the development of the port of Macao including
the establishment of some industries and shipping lines
would follow.
3.
The new harbour at Maoao could at present take
ships up to 20 ft. draft and could easily be dredged to
take ships of deeper draft, 1.e. up to about 5,000 tons.
The entrance channel would also have to be dredged.
A
rough estimate is that the continuous employment of a dredger for 3 months would open the port to ships of about 5,000 tons. The avera,e China Coast vessel is about
2,500 tons.
Prom this it is to be inferred that the port might be developed for coastal traffic and traffic to and from Formosa, which island is rapidly being developed, and I
I Delieve this to be a partial object of the scheme.
have