CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 404

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Effect on the Navigation of the River.

96. In order to ascertain as far as practicable the general opinion of those principally concerned in the improvement of the Wangpoo, Messrs. Wilson and Matthews, when at Shanghai, interviewed several gentlemen interested in the shipping and general trade of the river, who courteously afforded them valuable information.

97. Amongst these gentlemen were Mr. Merrill, Commissioner of Customs, and one of the members of the Wangpoo Conservancy Board; Mr. Landale, chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Council, and local manager of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co.; Mr. Marshall, agent of the P. and O. Company and chairman of the Shipping Conference; Mr. Wright, deputy chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire; M. Michelau, of Messrs. Melchors, agents for the North German Lloyd and Hamburg-America Shipping Companies; M. de Thuy, agent for the Messageries maritimes; and Captain Schellhoss, technical attaché to the German consulates in China.

98. In addition to the gentlemen above named, Messrs. Wilson and Matthews had several interviews with Captain Carlson, the harbour-master, who at all times readily furnished such information as was desired from him, also ship-masters and pilots of the P. and O., Norddeutscher Lloyd, Messageries maritimes, Ocean Steamship, and other companies. It is gratifying that the agents and pilots of the Norddeutscher Lloyd and Messageries maritimes companies were good enough to furnish such information on the spot, seeing that, as already remarked in paragraph 3 we have unfortunately not been successful in meeting the representatives of these companies in London.

99. Although it is not necessary to follow in detail the opinions expressed by these gentlemen, we may state that, with regard to the broad question at issue, they were practically unanimous in the opinion that the Astrea Channel is greatly superior for navigation purposes to the old Ship Channel, both on account of its straighter course and its greater width of dead water. They also earnestly hoped that the works in progress would be fully completed. Whilst putting forward the foregoing views and opinions, we should also remark that M. de Rijke's scheme has on other grounds been the subject of much adverse criticism, to which reference will be made hereafter in section XI.

X. THE COST OF THE UNDERTAKING.

Work Fund.

100. As already described (paragraph 25) the cost of the whole of the works had, by the convention of 1905, to be borne by the Chinese Government, the amount being estimated at twenty annual instalments of 460,000 Haik wan taels, or a total of 9,200,000 Haikwan taels. This sum may therefore be taken here at the work fund.

101. In order to prosecute vigorously the two main portions of the undertaking, viz., the Woosung Jetty Works and the opening of the Junk Channel, it became necessary at the commencement of the undertaking to arrange for a fund of 4,500,000 Haikwan taels for immediate contracts.

102. There was, however, as already pointed out, a reservation in the convention that if a greater sum of 460,000 Haikwan taels was required in any one year, China might obtain a loan for the same, interests being defrayed out of the capital sum of 9,200,000 Haikwan taels. The result thus came about that a loan was obtained for 2,998,235 Haikwan taels, being fixed as representing the total interest to be paid on the same. The effective sum forming the work fund was thus reduced to 6,201,764 Haikwan taels. This last-named amount has, however, since been augmented by the addition of 300,000 Shanghai taels, specially granted last year. This total work fund, therefore, stands as follows:-

Original capital sum

Less interest on loan

Haikwan Taels. Shanghai Tasis.

9,200.000

2,998,285

Total net summ

6,201,764

Special grant

6,908,765 300,000

Total net work fund

7,208,765

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Contract Work.

103. Contract No. 1, for the construction of the Woosung jetty and contingent works, amounted to 1,997,798 Shanghai taels, to which must be added a sum of 23,326 Shanghai taels for extra work, making a total of 2,028,124 Shanghai taels. Contract No. 2, for dredging in the Junk Channel, amounted to 2,000,000 Shanghai taels, to which must be added 7,614 Shanghai taels for extra work, making a total of 2,007,014 Shanghai taels. Contract No. 3, for further dredging in Astræa Channel, amounted to 264,000 Shanghai taels. These three contracts therefore necessitated a total expenditure of 4,292,738 Shanghai taels.

"Own Administration" Work.

104. The sum expended on "own administration" work (ie., work carried out departmentally by the board under M. de Rijke) amounted at the 31st December, 1909, to 2,132,833 Shanghai taels.

Total Expenditure on Works.

105. It will be seen from the foregoing that at the end of last year, including both “contract" and "own administration" works, a total sum of 6,425,571 Shanghai taels has been expended, leaving an available balance of only 783,194 Shanghai taels out of the total net "work fund" of 7,208,765 Shanghai taels referred to in paragraph 102.

106. Our information regarding the financial aspect of the works was obtained through Mr. A. G. H. Carruthers, secretary to the Whangpoo Conservancy.

XI-CRITICISMS OF THE WORKS WHICH HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT,

107. Whilst at Shanghai Messrs. Wilson and Matthews obtained, as far as it was practicable to do so, particulars of the grounds on which the criticisms of M. de Rijke's scheme and the operations in connection therewith were based, and in many cases had the advantage of bearing the objections directly from their originators.

108. They were fortunate in having several interviews with M. Michelan, whose firm, as already mentioned, are agents for the North German Lloyd and Hamburg - Both these America Shipping Companies, and also with Captain Schellhoss. gentlemen courteously received them, and afforded the fullest information as to the objections raised by the German community and the reasons for the same.

109. In the first place, M. de Rijke was severely criticised for having commenced the works in 1907 on lines practically corresponding with those which he had laid down in 1895, notwithstanding that in the meantime great alterations had taken place in the river; this in particular reference to the selection of Junk Channel for improvement rather than Ship Channel.

Memorandum of the "Deutsche Vereinigung."

110. In November 1907, some months after the present works were commenced, we understand, a copy of a memorandum, addressed to the German Imperial consul- general and supported by the German Association ("Deutsche Vereinigung ") of Shanghai, was forwarded by that association to the chairman of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, with a letter dated the 5th November, 1907.

111. The memorandum supported the contention that Ship Channel should be adhered to as the permanent navigation route, and stated that, although at the date of M. de Rijke's report of 1898 the Ship Channel was shoaling, in 1907, when the works were about to be commenced, the same channel was again deepening and the Junk Channel shoaling.

112. In support of the latter statement the memorandum quotes the following from M. de Rijke's quarterly report, dated the 26th January, 1907 :---

"The depth of water in the river generally has greatly increased, owing to the heavy rain

washing out the channel (Ship Channel), and consequently defence work has proved more difficult. Gough Island Reach, where some of the largest works have to be made, has grown inuch deeper, and the shoaling of Ship Channel will be much more expensive than at first estimated."

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