Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 601

My

499

KO MING DISTRICT.

SIZE OF BREACH.

REMARKS.

Sam Chau Wai (三洲圍)

Pak Hok Wai (白鶴圍)

·Chan Ting Wai (陳等圍)

TarinSha Wai(大沙圍

Over 300 feet

Over 200 feet

Over 100 feet

Over 100 feet

Over 500 feet

At Tai Wui Kok Ki. (★

At Sheung KaiTau Ki. (RA) At Sheung Tui Kong Keug Ki

(雙對网脚基).

At Tai Sha Tau Ki. (大沙竇基)

No. 100.

H.B.M. CONSULATE GENERAL. CANTON, July 6th, 1908.

Sir, I have the honour to enclose for Your Excellency's information copy of a report from His Majesty's Acting Consul at Wuchow on the subject of the recent floods in the West River Valley.

His Excellency

Sir F. D. LUGARD, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

·(Copy.)

I have, &c.,

HARRY H. FOX,

Acting Consul-General.

H.B.M. CONSUlate, WUCHOW, July 2nd, 1908,

SIR,-In reply to your telegram of yesterday's date I have the honour to inform you that I do not consider it likely that there will be a famine or even any great scarcity in this Province, except in the event of the failure of the autumn rice crop. The export of rice, which was the principal cause of the great famine nine years ago, is prohibited and in view of the damage which the crops of the Province have suffered there is no probability of this prohibition being removed, though the Canton Viceroy has telegraphed asking that this

should be done.

In the neighbourhood of Wuchow and all the way up the Fu River great damage has been done; some eight-tenths of the rice has been ruined and much hardship is ensuing. In many other parts, however, the damage suffered seems to have been small; for instance at Nanning at the height of the flood the fields were still some 25 to 30 feet above the water. The crops in that region do not appear to have suffered at all.

The whole city of Wuchow was under water, but except in a few cases the houses have not suffered. Considerable quantities of piece goods and other merchandise have been ruined, but the principal damage has been suffered by the pais and junks in the Fu Ho. Two big pais were sunk and a number of cargo boats mostly loaded with firewood; also flower boats and sampans.

I should think the total number of lives lost must be somewhere between twelve and twenty. It was first reported that a considerable part of the city of Kueilin had been carried away but this was much exaggerated. I understand, however, from a Catholic missionary of that city that there are suburbs and villages in the neighbourhood which must have suffered severely.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) H. I. HARDING.