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2
extenso and concurs in the views expressed. He also
gives as his personal opinion (which is important) that "whatever may be the prospects of this development of Whampoa.... there is of course no possible ground on which the Colonial Government could lodge objections
or make representations.
3.
Subsequent correspondence is summarised in this
and the following paragraphs for convenience of reference. Canton des patch No. 54 of April 19th 1937 to His Majesty's Ambassador, Peking, reported that contracts had been placed with the Netherlands Harbour Works (a) for the
construction of wharves totalling about one mile in length at Whampoa at a cost of HK$1,050,000 and (b) for the
dredging of the first and second bars in the Pearl River
to the depth of 27'6" and a width of 130 metres at a total estimated cost of from HK$1,700,000 to HK$1,950,000.
4.
Up to August 1938, the following work had been
completed:-
(a) One wharf 400 metres long; depth of water at low tide 30 feet; no railway lines or port equipment.
(b) Work on second bar channel was 40% completed. This work was stopped in December 1937 on the completion by the Chinese of the barrier across the Pearl River at the second bar. The first bar channel was 90% completed. About six months work remained at that time before both
channels could be completed. There then remained the
Lintin Mud Flats to be removed.
The working agreement with the Netherlands larbour Works was suspended in August 1938 for the duration of Sino-Japanese hostilities. No further work was to have been carried out by the Netherlands Harbour Works, and all their material, except for the buildings at Whampoa itself, were removed to Hongkong or Macao.