Minutes of a Consuls' meeting held at 27th Februaiy, 1871.
Her Majesty's Consulate at Shanghai, the
Present:—Messienrs Mojan, Medhurst, Redding, Schlik, Kroes, and Seward. The Commissioner of Customs and Harbor-master were also present, by invitation. The inability of the Consul for North-Germany to attend the meeting was stated.
'A letter from the Commissioner of Customs (A), covering one which the Harbor-master had addressed to him (B), was read and considered, It was resolved: That the Consular Body accept with thanks the exertions of the Harbor-master in sketching out a survey of the best channel across the Woosung bar; that they consider, with him, that a verification of the survey will be 2 desideratum in the in~ terests of all concerned; and that if the Alarbor-master will name a day and hour when he will be in readiness, the Consuls will invite the Commanders of vessels-of-var in port to verify the survey, and to consult with him pea the best method of marking the channel, The charts of the Yang-tse from River Point to Woosung, from the recent survey by the United States ship Alaska, were laid before the meeting. It was resolved: That the survey of the Yang-tse-kiang from River Point to Woosung, by Commander H. C. Blake, U. S. N., be laid on the table; and that the hearty acknowledgments of the Consular Body, on behalf of their respective tings, be presented to Captain Blake, Lieutenant Commander Chester, and the officers of the -Alaska, for their energetic and useful services in the cause of navigation and commerce in these waters.
A sketch chart of the new or northern channel between Woosung and the Sea was lid on the table, and the general question of a resurvey of the approaches to the Port was considered. It was resolved: That a resurvey of the approaches to the port of Shanghai is very much needed; and that a survey of the northern channel, between Woostng and the sea, is to be desired.
The Senior Consul was requested to convey the resolution touching the examination of the bar at Woosung to the respective Naval officers, and the resolution tendering, the thanks of the Consuls to Captain Blake and his oflicors, to those gentlemen. It was agreed that the resolution touching the resurvey of the approaches to the Port should be communicated by the several Consuls to the respective Naval Commanders-in-chief on the Station.
In response to questions put to them, the Commissioner of Customs and Harbor Master stated that the lightship and buoys on the Confucius and Long-shan crossings will be placed as recommended by Captain Blake, 30 soon as the changes needed at Woosung can be effected.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.