CO129-302 - Public Offices - 1900 — Page 484

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Composition of the Board.

That the Board should consist of--

Two representatives selected by the Consular Body from among the resident foreign merchants of Shanghae.

The Commissioner of Customs or his nominee.

Two representatives of the Chamber of Commerce to be nominated by the Com- mittee.

Two representatives of the shipping interests to be nominated by firms or persons whose entrances and clearances exceed 50,000 tons per annum.

If considered desirable, the Board might still further be increased by a representa- tive of the Municipal Council and a representative of the French Municipal Council.

The Board to elect their own Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

A paid Secretary to be appointed.

The Harbour-master and a body of water police and watchmen to be servants of the Conservancy Board.

In the event of the river being conserved a competent engineer should be appointed, who will have supreme control (under the Board) of the entire work.

Duties of the Board.

1. Regulation of Traffic.-To issue such Regulations as may be found necessary for the regulation of the traffic between the upper limit of the foreign Settlements to the red buoy in the Yang-tsze and over all waterways (such as the Soochow and other creeks) within the area of the foreign Settlements at Shanghae and the Settlement at Woosung.

2. Dredging and Bunding-No dredging or bunding works to be carried out in this section of the river, or in the above-mentioned creeks, without the permission of the

Board.

3. Removal of Obstacles.-To have full power to remove all obstacles in the river or creeks, and, where necessary (as in the case of wrecks, for example), to recover the cost of so doing from those responsible.

4. Control of Lights.-To have complete control of all floating lights, buoys, &c., in this section of the river, and of such marks on shore as may be necessary for the safe navigation of the river, with the exception of lighthouses, which will remain as provided for in clause 32 of the Treaty of 1858 between Great Britain and China.

5. To receive proportion of Tonnage Dues.-The Board to receive a proportion of the tonnage pues paid to the Imperial Maritime Customs at Shanghae, Woosung, and any other port on the Whangpoo, sufficient to cover cost of such work or duties as would be carried out by the harbour authorities were the Board not in existence.

6. Control of Conservancy Works. In the event of its being decided (by the Board) to carry out the conservancy of the river, the whole work of so doing to be under the control of the Board, even although this may entail work outside the proposed limit of their jurisdiction.

7. Collection and expenditure of Funds.-The Board to have the collection and expenditure of all funds which may be raised for such works, and to have the power to enforce payment, once the levying of the tax has been agreed to, by the Joint

Powers.

8. Police and Watchmen.-The Board to have power to organize police and (or) watchmen to carry out their orders.

9. Control of Pilot Service.The Board to control the Shanghae pilot service. No licences to be issued except by the Board, who will have power to deal with these licences.

10. Enforcement of Regulations.---With regard to enforcing observance of their Regulations, the Conservancy Board being constituted in concert between the Treaty Powers and the Chinese Government, will have the power to sue those who disregard the Regulations before their Consuls, and in the case of Chinese, before the Mixed Court Magistrate, in the presence of a foreign assessor. All suits against the Board shall be brought before the Court of Consuls in the name of the Secretary of the Board

Sources of Revenue.

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1. A special annual charge on the assessed value of the property in the foreign settlements, which, even at one-tenth of 1 per cent., would produce some 33,000 taels

per annum.

2. A similar charge on the property, with water frontage on both sides of the river outside the foreign Settlements, but between them and the Yang-tsze.

3. A tax on all shipping entering or leaving the port of Shanghae, Woosung, or any other port on the Whangpoo, in the shape of a surtax on tonnage dues, to be collected at the same time as tonnage dues and by the same methods. This, at 5 candies per ton, making the total charge 45 candies instead of 40 candies, as fixed by Article XXIX of the Treaty between Great Britain and China of 1858, would give an income of 52,500 taels per annum.

4. A charge on all merchandize passed through the Customs at Shanghae, Woosung, and any other port on the Whangpoo in a similar manner to the present wharfage charges, giving at one-tenth of 1 per cent., say, 55,000 taels per annum.

5. An Imperial contribution from the Chinese Government, equal to three-tenths of the tonnage dues collected in Shanghae, would result in some 120,000 tacls; it being understood that this proportion of the tonnage dues has for many years past, and still is, A similar diverted from the purpose implied by the Treaties, into alien channels. contribution to be made on all tonnage dues which may be collected at Woosung or any other port on the Whangpoo.

6. The aggregate of these annual receipts would probably be sufficient to enable a constituted authority to raise the necessary capital.

7. As already stated (Article II, section 7), this constituted authority would be the Conservancy Board. Should the annual revenue not be sufficient to provide interest and amortisation for the capital raised for the Conservancy works, the Board to have power to make such increase in the tax on shipping, property, and trade as may be necessary to produce the funds required. Three months notice of such increase to be given to the Consular Body, who, in their turn, shall publicly notify this increase at least one month before it comes into operation.

The Board shall, within six months of the close of their yearly accounts, furnish the Consular Body with a detailed statement giving full particulars of their management, receipts, and expenditure during the past twelve months. This Report to be subsequently published for general information.

The Committee of this Chamber trust that the above-suggested Regulations for the constitution of a Conservancy Board will so far meet with the approval of the Consular Body, that they may be able to transmit them to Peking for the consideration of the foreign Representatives, with a strong recommendation for their adoption.

'I have, &c. (Signed) WM. D. LITTLE, Acting Chairman.

J. M. T. Valdez, Esq.,

Consul-General for Portugal and Senior Consul.