9
the Whangpoo Conservancy, the Committee of this Association have been asked to support the letter, and have decided to reply that in their opinion the evidence adduced is not sufficient to warrant any interference with the working of M. de Rijke's scheme at the present time.
The opinion amongst the British shipping firms and others appears to be that the state of the river is at the present time very satisfactory and that it would be extremely unfair and injudicious, without the most positive expert evidence to justify it, to allow any obstacles to be placed in the way of M. de Rijke's working out his original scheme to its fulfilment.
For thirty years the Chinese Government have been urged to undertake this important work, and now that they have done so at their own expense it would be, in the opinion of this Committee, a fatal mistake to allow them an excuse for withdrawing or delaying the work except for most urgent reasons.
M. de Rijke is the chosen expert of the Chinese Government, and this Committee are not aware of any other in Shanghae whose opinion may be considered of greater value and importance.
In conclusion, this Committee would see no objection to M. de Rijke being asked by the Conservancy Commissioners his views on the subject, and as to whether the present condition of the river is, in his opinion, such as to justify any alteration in his original scheme.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
E. B. SKOTTOWE, Chairman,
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
American Association of China to Mr. Denby.
My dear Mr. Denby,
Shanghae, November 18, 1907. I AM requested by the President of the Association to hand you the inclosed matter relative to the Conservancy of the Whangpoo, viz., letter of German Association and printed inclosure, and our reply thereto.
Dear Sir,
Faithfully yours, (Signed) C. M. LACEY SITES.
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
German Association of Shanghae to American Association of China.
WE have the honour to inclose copy of a Memorandum re Whangpoo Conservancy addressed to the Imperial German Consulate-General, and supported by this Association.
Shanghae, November 5, 1907.
As the subject mentioned in the Memorandum is not only of great interest to the various Shipping Companies, but is of essential importance for the development of the Port of Shanghae, and involves thus vital interests of the whole community, we should thank you to draw the attention of your Committee to the matter, and we should be glad if your Committee would see its way to support the representations and suggestions made.
We remain, &c. (Signed)
A. ZICKERMANN, President.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
American Association of China to German Association of Shanghae.
Shanghae, November 15, 1907.
Dear Sir,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 5th instant, on the subject of the Whangpoo Conservancy, which has been considered by the Committee of this Association.
Our Committee is of opinion that the most important facts to be borne in mind in connection with the Whangpoo Conservancy are that it is a question which has seriously concerned the Shanghae community for forty years; that for over thirty years constant efforts have been made to induce the Chinese Government to take action; that dredging operations were actually undertaken eighteen years ago, but not on a sufficiently large scale; that China undertook six years ago to introduce proper remedial measures; but that the necessary organization was provided only two years ago. With such a history of effort, fruitful only after many years, the Committee thinks that nothing but the most clearly proved necessity should be allowed to interpose any obstacle to the progress of the work, which has been urgently demanded by the community for so long.
The tide records of the years 1902-6 will be found in the Shanghae Trade Report of the Imperial Maritime Customs for 1906; and from them and the records of previous years it is obvious that ordinarily there is a rise of the river bottom, with a reduction in the depth of water at the end of the summer of every year.
The inference from this would seem to be that conservancy measures should be based on the observations of a series of years, and not on what appear to be the exceptional conditions of the present year.
Hydraulic engineering, especially in alluvial soil and more especially on an inner tidal river emptying into an outer tidal river, is a science which demands expert knowledge of the highest order; and this Association knows of no one who possesses for this present work in this river the qualifications possessed by M. de Rijke.
We think, therefore, that it would be well if the protest of your Association should take this form; that the Consular Body be requested to ask M. de Rijke if, in his opinion, the conditions of the past year necessitate any change in his plans.
Another question which should perhaps be considered is whether the Chinese Government, having provided at its own expense for an improvement in the special interest of the Shanghae community, should not receive an indemnification for any expense to which it might be put for a failure to carry out a contract, the execution of which is about to be begun, should the work undertaken be now abandoned.
Sir,
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. F. SEAMAN, Vice-President.
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Shanghae General Chamber of Commerce to M. Siffert.
Shanghae, November 25, 1907. I HAVE the honour to inform you that at a meeting of the Committee of this Chamber, held on the 18th instant, the Memorandum relating to the Huangpu River Conservancy scheme, addressed by the German shipping firms of Shanghae to the Imperial German Consulate-General was discussed.
My Committee as a whole does not support the Memorandum, and it deprecates sending to the Conservancy Board any communication which might prove to be an unjust criticism of M. de Rijke's judgment.
The majority of the Committee, however, support the idea that, in view of the anxiety in the minds of some parties with large shipping interests, M. de Rijke shall be asked to state clearly, for the information of all, if in his opinion the present condition of the Huangpu River is such as to justify alteration in this outlined scheme upon which the present work is being prosecuted.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
WILLIAM D. LITTLE, Chairman,
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
M. Siffert to Huangpu Conservancy Board.
I AM directed by the Consular Body to forward to the Conservancy Board a Memorandum addressed by the German shipping firms of Shanghae to His Imperial German Majesty's Consul-General regarding the Whangpoo Conservancy. As, according to the Memorandum, the shipping of Shanghae will be exposed to the greatest dangers if certain measures of the Engineer-in-chief should be carried out, the Consular Body, considering that vital interests of Shanghae are at stake, request that M. de Rijke be asked to favour the Consular Body with a detailed statement concerning the different points dealt with in the Memorandum.
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the Whangpoo Conservancy, the Committee of this Association have been asked to support the letter, and have decided to reply that in their opinion the evidence adduced is not sufficient to warrant any interference with the working of M. de Rijke's scheme at the present time.
The opinion amongst the British shipping firms and others appears to be that the state of the river is at the present time very satisfactory and that it would be extremely unfair and injudicious, without the most positive expert evidence to justify it, to allow any obstacles to be placed in the way of M. de Rijke's working out his original scheme to its fulfilment.
For thirty years the Chinese Government have been urged to undertake this important work, and now that they have done so at their own expense it would be, in the opinion of this Committee, a fatal mistake to allow them an excuse for withdrawing or delaying the work except for most urgent reasons.
M. de Rijke is the chosen expert of the Chinese Government, and this Committee are not aware of any other in Shanghae whose opinion may be considered of greater value and importance.
In conclusion, this Committee would see no objection to M. de Rijke being asked by the Conservancy Commissioners his views on the subject, and as to whether the present condition of the river is, in his opinion, such as to justify any alteration in his original scheme.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
E. B. SKOTTOWE, Chairman,
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
American Association of China to Mr. Denby.
My dear Mr. Denby,
Shanghae, November 18, 1907. I AM requested by the President of the Association to hand you the inclosed matter relative to the Conservancy of the Whangpoo, viz., letter of German Association and printed inclosure, and our reply thereto.
Dear Sir,
Faithfully yours, (Signed) C. M. LACEY SITES.
Inclosure & in No. 1.
German Association of Shanghae to American Association of China.
WE have the honour to inclose copy of a Memorandum re Whangpoo Con-
Shanghae, November 5, 1907. servancy addressed to the Imperial German Consulate-General, and supported by this Association.
As the subject mentioned in the Memorandum is not only of great interest to the various Shipping Companies, but is of essential importance for the development of the Port of Shanghae, and involves thus vital interests of the whole community, we should thank you to draw the attention of your Committee to the matter, and we should be glad if your Committee would see its way to support the representations and suggestions made.
We remain, &c. (Signed)
A. ZICKERMANN, President.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
American Association of China to German Association of Shanghae.
Shanghae, November 15, 1907.
Dear Sir,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 5th instant, on the subject of the Whangpoo Conservancy, which has been considered by the Committee of this Association.
Our Committee is of opinion that the most important facts to be borne in mind in connection with the Whangpoo Conservancy are that it is a question which has seriously concerned the Shangbae community for forty years; that for over thirty years constant efforts have been made to induce the Chinese Government to take action; that dredging operations were actually undertaken eighteen years ago, but not on a sufficiently large scale; that China undertook six years ago to introduce
proper remedial measures; but that the necessary organization was provided only two years ago. With such a history of effort, fruitful only after many years, the Committee thinks that nothing but the most clearly proved necessity should be allowed to interpose any obstacle to the progress of the work, which has been urgently demanded by the community for so long.
The tide records of the years 1902-6 will be found in the Shanghae Trade Report of the Imperial Maritime Customs for 1906; and from them and the records of previous years it is obvious that ordinarily there is a rise of the river bottom, with a reduction in the depth of water at the end of the summer of every year.
The inference from this would seem to be that conservancy measures should be based on the observations of a series of years, and not on what appear to be the exceptional conditions of the present year.
Hydraulic engineering, especially in alluvial soil and more especially on an inner tidal river emptying into an outer tidal river, is a science which demands expert kuowledge of the highest order; and this Association knows of no one who possesses for this present work in this river the qualifications possessed by M. de Rijke.
We think, therefore, that it would be well if the protest of your Association should take this form; that the Consular Body be requested to ask M. de Rijke if, in his opinion, the conditions of the past year necessitate any change in his plans.
Another question which should perhaps be considered is whether the Chinese Government, having provided at its own expense for an improvement in the special interest of the Shanghae community, should not receive an indemnification for any expense to which it might be put for a failure to carry out a contract, the execution of which is about to be begun, should the work undertaken be now abandonod
Sir,
I have, &e.
(Signed)
J. F. SEAMAN, Vice-President.
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Shanghae General Chamber of Commerce to M. Siffert.
Shanghae, November 25, 1907. I HAVE the honour to inform you that at a meeting of the Committee of this Chamber, held on the 18th instant, the Memorandum relating to the Huangpu River Conservancy scheme, addressed by the German shipping firms of Shanghae to the Imperial German Consulate-General was discussed.
My Committee as a whole does not support the Memorandum, and it deprecates sending to the Conservancy Board any communication which might prove to be an unjust criticism of M. de Rijke's judgment.
The majority of the Committee, however, support the idea that, in view of the anxiety in the minds of some parties with large shipping interests, M. de Rijke shall be asked to state clearly, for the information of all, if in his opinion the present con- dition of the Huangpu River is such as to justify alteration in this outlined scheme upon which the present work is being prosecuted.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
WILLIAM D. LITTLE, Chairman,
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
M. Siffert to Huangpu Conservancy Board.
I AM directed by the Consular Body to forward to the Conservancy Board a Memorandum addressed by the German shipping firms of Shanghae to His Imperial German Majesty's Consul-General regarding the Whangpoo Conservancy. As, according to the Memorandum, the shipping of Shanghae will be exposed to the greatest dangers if certain measures of the Engineer-in-chief should be carried out, the Consular Body, considering that vital interests of Shanghae are at stake, request that M. de Rijke be asked to favour the Consular Body with a detailed statement concerning the different points dealt with in the Memorandum.
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