have been written on what the us most aptly call the "cnssedness" of things, and the way inanimate objects which one ordinarily imagines are not gifted with volition disappoint a man when he relies upon their assistance; while the way things constantly refuse to fit when one wants to combine them is a constant annoyance. But sometimes they do unexpectedly come rig and astonish us by acting as if with intentional benevolence. These beneficent combinations are merely coineidences to the commonplace man; but the deeper thinkers pnt them into a category with a log name, and declare that these seeming coincidences are really the result of immaterial influences not even dreamt of in our everyday philosophy. In writing during last year's sickly season of some of the measures that should be taken for the improvement of the sanitary condition of the settlements, we mentioned as among the tasks that should be undertaken with as little delay Roses We were just about to broach possible the provision of proper washing
the subject again, that it might be in the minds of ratepayers when they go to the forthcoming meeting, when we received from a consular officer, whose Jong residence and popularity here justify us in considering him a Shanghailander, but who is now banished, we suppose in expiation of some undiscovered shortcomings, to an outport, a letter in which he says:—"I was very glad to see some time since reference made in the Duily News to the desirability of washermen using clean water. It has always seemed to me that the Municipal Council might make arrangements by which stands on a public washing-ground, fed by the water from the water-works, might be let out at cost price to the washermen. It is a matter which concerns public health every bit as much as the supply of good water." The writer's reference is to our remarks of 26th August last "The provision of a public wash-house properly supplied with clean water, and with drying-rooms, ete., is a most important precaution. This, too, should be practically self-supporting, nor need it interfere, except beneficially, with the present washermen, to whom stalls would be assigned at a moderate rental in which they would carry on their present business."
It does not seem necessary to dwell again on the evils of the present system, evils that increase year by year. The ponds in Hongkew in which our clothes are mostly washed are being rapidly filled up as building operations are extended; and as the washing places get fewer and smaller, they get more and more foul. Nor are these ponds and ditches used exclusively for washing clothes. There is no effective supervision over the washmeu, and when we read, as we do now and then, of a washman being brought up by the police for j Wearing clothes entrusted to him to wash, we know that for one case which is made the subject of a charge there must be fifty that go undetected. The results to the health of the foreign owners of the clothes are constantly observed, A small immediate outlay on the part of the Guuncil would do away with this. Who provision of a public wash-house would not cost much.
Some years ago it was proposed to build such an establishment on the north side of the Soochow Creek just above the Garden Bridge. The building was to be of woof on piles on the foreshore, something in the style of the boathouse, but more ornamental. It would be low enough not to interfere with the comfort of the houses on the other side of the road, and high enough for the floor to be just above the level of high water. "this floor would be partially open so that all waste water, etc., would go directly into the creek, and be carried away by the tide twice a day, and the building would be filled with "stationary wash-tubs," supplied with clean water from the waterworks, a rental being charged according to the amount of room occupied, or per basket of clothes washed. Such a building would not cost, all complete, more than from eight to ten thousand taels, and the rentals that would have to be exacted to pay interest on cost and expenses would be so light, that it would be no hardship to the washermen to prohibit their washing clothes anywhere else. Not only would all the clothes be washed in clean water, and in water that would be thrown away directly the clothes were washed, but it would be difficult for the washermen to wear their customers' clothes, as they now do.
There might be a difficulty now in obtaining the use of the foreshore of the Soochow Creek, and it is not necessary that such an establishment if properly drained, should be on the creek. Ihe Council have an unoceupied piece of ground on the Hongkew Creek, which will shortly be perfectly accessible, a: portion or the whole of which could well be used for this. We do not know if the Council are making any preparation in the Budget that will be presented at the forthcoming meeting for this most necessary work. We all have a tendency to forget in the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.