he following is the Report of the Board of charter from the Taontai for. bridging the Oreck, which they obtained somewhere about' 1863;.at any rate, I am willing, subject to. proof, to discuss the matter on such a basis.
In discussing this subject,- I regret that it is necessary to cast some blame upon the Bridge. proprietors. for it cannot be Gisallowed by any: impartial person. that a special treaty with a supposed authority to obtain a grant of this description would' not hold good in any civilized country, and it. must be patent to every one that the proprietors themselves had' the gravest doubts as to the validity of the document in question. It is easy to imagine that it is more difficult at the expiration of nine years to sift the matter of the grant than it would have been had the documents in question been brought. before. the public when the Consul who obtained it, the Taoutae who granted it, and the parties to whom it was granted, were all in Shang-
Allowing that the proprietors of the idge have a.charter from the Taoutae which nominally confers upon them @mo-nopely fo bridging the Creek, itis neces.
to examine -not only the validity of Defence'Creek at the north Directors of the. and. Whampoa ssu Dock Company, Limit Tmited tobe aid before acharrer, but the manner in which it was obtained; and on these points I propose to be held at the Offices of the Company, on ordinary half-yearly meeting of Shareholders, to make some observations, leaving for a future letter the subject of the remunera-the 20th August rs have again the pleasure to Bee fon the tay b before you their Report for the last hal tion which may fairly be offered to them to give up their alleged rights sziall Crook near the Rifle Butte, Jeading into Year, ending 30th Jane, 1872.
Ist.—There can hardly be a doubt that The Docks have been well employed durin the Taoutai has not the power to grant the the Hongkew Creek, has been repaired. the six months under review. The sum of charter, for he has no atithority over the Repair are being made to the {$25,000.00 has been written off, as recom-Cemeteri mended in last Report. The Gross Earnings Foreign Settlements and to build a Bri the approachments aust come on to the of the Company for for the six months amount to roads, which are entirely under Municipal $334,278.79, on which there is a Net Profit of
is fe at the en 345, afford" landing pry nona i '000.00 has control, and at any time the Council might $20,715.78." The Debt, duo to the Estate of rt Pate at veto any such obstruction. Not to repu-
ff, (including th for passengers by $330,000.00 mentioned' be ea (sai diate such an infringement of the powers of the Council, would be to allow that it would
The Directors frommnend 2 that a Dividend lat Report), thus have been competent for the projectors of ""Latrines and Urinale.—A public latrine Teaving the debt at $25,000, the Tramway Scheme to have obtained a charter from the Taoutae and have put the erected in the Chekiang road near Mixed 'Court, to endeavour to lessen the uss 5 She sere of 8 per cent for the half-year be Council and Ratepayers at defiance. moe Coe 'Shanse' road from Hankow to paid together with $6,000.00 to cobtetbating 2nd.—As an old resident, it is not dificult for me to surmise how this Bridge The amount available for distribution, in-matter, which was first a public one, was Nankin road, and the Foochow road between cluding $1,680,32 brought forward from last allowed to drift into a private one. The and Shantung roads have been half-30,000.90 3_To buting Shareholders, thus: nate Cc for the half-year, -year, is $61,396.07, which is distributed first Bridge scheme was originally started 4 this coating of broken brick erosed. with by Br, Wills, and on reference to. the archives of the Company I think it will oad mom iba to Dow's $6,000.00; Directors' Fe 500.00; Audi-sore Rees, $38, 760.0, arm 322,646.07. be found thatthe other shnivholdery, in the off: a dey a on—$5,000.00 And the Direct also recommend to write the. ylisghong t ata (He ener, bet between the B; molt the adjoining Proprietors, [ope first place, were at those who were partners in houses which had opium vessels zat and the Bund, being widened at Woorung, and who were induced to Lamont's join in the scheme, vith' a view of makin Tot, i feet. greater facilities of communication wit 00 that place.
Tt may be necessary to in-lanted the None tne at, the carriage turn near the new bridge at drains &o., have been "made and as required.
Tam, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, Engineer.
Ferties.—Sitce the above was written, arrangements have been made for constructing free ferry across the Soochow Creek, in accordance with resolution passed at special meeting of Ratepayers on 12th instant. To"'R. 1. Fearon, Esq.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.