Great Need for Handling Minerals in China by Machinery: Quicker Work at Lower Cost On Tuesday at the Royal Asiatic Society's Hall Mr. H. J. Smith, M.1. MECH. E., read a paper before the Engineering Society of China dealing with "The Design and Erection of Mineral Transporters.' Mr. Smith introduced his subject with the following statement:
The sittings of the International Commission of Engineers under the auspices of the Whangpoo Conser-fancy have undoubtedly brought the day nearer when Shanghai—as a port—will do justice to itself as the gateway to the Yangtze Valley and Central China.
When that day comes thr mechanical handling of materials and merchandise will receive widespread attention. Consider, for instance, the amount of coal unloaded and reloaded in Shanghai every year; and then look for the mechanical appliances installed for this purpose.
Only the Shanghai Municipal Council at their Riverside Power Station seems to understand that the transport of coal should handled in a scientific manner.
In Tine or War.
When the great' war laid stress on the exertions of manual labour to the utmost, the ery went forth for mechanical relief. Great transporters were built with al) possible speed at Cherbourg, Rouen, Woolwich and many other places. Day and night, men worked at important points like Calcutta and Durban to complete loading appliances so that shipping might get quicker despateh.- Much as men were needed in the fighting line, yet the work mentioned was considered of more importance. At Cherbourg the enemy made every effort, by means of long range artillery, to knock the transporters down as fast as the engineers could build them.
If such mechanical connecting links between land transport and shipping, or shipping and railways, are so indispensable.in times ut great; national danger, who wu) decry their usefulness in times of peace The first electrically driven bridge transporter was built only 20 years ago. Six years later the speaker erected the first coal shipping belt conveyer plant in England. Yet. in less than two decades the use) of similar machinery has become almost universal. Even such remote places as Christmas Island new loads its wealth of phosphates into steamers at Flying Fish Cove by mechanical means.
Tar Neep is CHina.
C¥ina must, sooner or later, come into line..A start has been made in Shanghai, ae previously stated, and 700 miles up the Yangtze River the Han-Yeh-Ping Iron & Coal Ca.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.