}
desire on the part of my committee that the action they are about to take should be made a pretext in any way to hamper or to delay M. de Rijke in carrying out his plan to completion.
My committee as a whole would like to place on record their appreciation of the work already done, and of their confident hope that M. de Rijke will bring his work to a successful conclusion.
Sir,
I have, &c.
WILLIAM D. LITTLE, Chairman,
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
China Association, Shanghae Branch, to Sir P. Warren.
Shanghae, May 22, 1909. THE committee of this association learns from the minutes of the Chamber of Commerce, published on the 27th April last, that it has been decided to approach the Institution of Civil Engineers in London with regard to the selection and appointment of an engineer to proceed to Shanghae and investigate the present condition of the river approaches thereto, and the likelihood of the conservancy scheme, which is now being carried out under M. de Rijke's supervision, being brought to a successful conclusion.
My committee feels sure that the Chamber of Commerce, in coming to the above decision, had no intention of delaying M. de Rijke in his work of carrying out such scheme, its only desire being to devise some means wherewith to reassure those, to whom the recent agitation raised in connection with M. de Rijke's work might possibly have appealed, that no anxiety need be felt as regards the ultimate success of such work.
My committee, recognising that such was the object of the Chamber of Commerce, and that the decision come to by it was a fit and proper one under the circumstances, at the same time desire to place on record their very high appreciation of the work and results already achieved by M. de Rijke, and their confident expectation that he will bring such work to a successful conclusion. Bearing in mind that M. de Rijke's scheme was not accepted until it had been very carefully considered and approved, my committee is confident of its soundness, and being assured by those responsible for carrying it out that the work is being well done, have no reason to doubt that is so, and that M. de Rijke will successfully carry it through if he is not interfered with.
I have, &c.
W. A. C. PLATT, Chairman.
3
soit joint à notre délibération pour être soumis, le tout ensemble, au Conservancy Board et à l'appréciation du corps diplomatique à Pékin.”
La responsabilité du corps consulaire est trop gravement engagée dans cette affaire pour que nous puissions refuser de nous entourer de toutes les opinions ayant un intérêt majeur à se faire entendre dans une question aussi importante pour le monde commercial de Shanghaï.
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
M. Müller to M. Siffert.
Veuillez, &c.
J. RATARD.
Sir and dear Colleague,
Shanghae, May 16, 1909. I HAVE the honour to refer to the first part (a.) of the resolution concerning the Whangpoo Conservancy Scheme and Estimates, adopted in the consular body's last meeting, being worded as follows:-
"To write to the diplomatic body in Peking suggesting that the Chinese Govern- ment be approached to devise means and ways to raise the funds necessary for the completion of the Whangpoo Conservancy." (See No. 285.)
The wording being such, firmly established and adopted, I beg to draw your attention to the fact that the letter to the doyen of the diplomatic body, draft of which you kindly circulated for the approval of your colleagues, will need a slight alteration, before being dispatched to its address, to be made as closely as possible conform to the above resolution. Instead of the words-
40
pour se procurer les ressources requises pour l'exécution de tous travaux prévus actuellement dans le dit rapport ou qui seraient ultérieurement reconnus nécessaires à l'amélioration définitive du cours du fleuve,"
the following words would have to be inserted, which, I might rightly suggest, reproduce exactly part (a.) of the resolution-
46
pour se procurer les ressources requises pour accomplir tous travaux nécessaires à l'amélioration définitive du cours du fleuve,"
Trusting that you will find the suggestion only in accordance with a principle quite usually adhered to, I beg to thank you in anticipation for your kindly causing this necessary alteration to be made in the wording of the letter in order to avoid an inaccuracy which certainly has escaped your notice.
I have, &c.
M. MÜLLER.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
M. Rutard to M. Siffert.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
M. le Doyen et cher Collègue,
Shanghai, le 15 mai, 1909. J'AI sous les yeux votre projet de lettre au Conservancy Board concernant "the dumping of dredging matter in the ship channel."
La décision du corps consulaire de demander au Conservancy Board d'interdire à me paraît son ingénieur de continuer son travail de fermeture du "ship channel"
la outrepasser d'une façon très grave les pouvoirs qui nous sont conférés par convention de 1905; d'un autre côté, les conséquences de l'arrêt des travaux imposé par une assemblée de gens qui, comme nous, sont absolument dénués de toutes les connaissances et études techniques et de toutes les qualifications nécessaires pour pouvoir prendre une telle décision en parfaite et pleine connaissance de cause, me paraissent constituer un grand danger pour l'avenir maritime du port de Shanghai.
Guidé par ces considérations, j'ai l'honneur de vous prier de bien vouloir soumettre, en mon nom, à mes collègues à notre plus prochaine séance la proposition de M Ratard:-
"Que la Chambre générale de Commerce, représentant plus particulièrement les intérêts économiques généraux du port de Shanghai, soit consultée pour émettre son opinion touchant la décision ci-dessus prise par le corps consulaire, et que son avis
Sir and dear Colleague,
M. Müller to M. Siffert.
Shanghae, May 18, 1909, WITH reference to our colleague M. Ratard's motion, circulated by you under 328 VI, dated the 15th instant, I have the honour to put the following on record :----
The consular body's decision concerning the dumping of dredging matter in the ship-channel is based upon the fact :—
(a.) That after the moment, which is now quite imminent, when the funds put aside for the Whangpoo Conservancy work will be exhausted, there is no guarantee, and no certainty at all, that the further funds for the continuation and completion of the work will be at disposal, or, at least, if such funds should be forthcoming, that this will not be the case but after a long delay;
(b.) That if and as long as the necessary fun is will not be secured, a permanent opening of the junk-channel is impossible, as is clearly evidenced from the engineer-in- chief's statements in his own reports and also from the additional statement enclosed herewith, because in this eventuality there will be no funds ready, neither for further
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