Permanent Cure For Disastrous Chihli Floods Believed to Be Found Peking, Oct. 9—!
[At last there seem to be excellent prospects of removing Tientsin and the surrounding farming districts permanently beyond the danger of Serious flood. According to a scheme worked out by the China International Famine Relief Com, mission a flood channel is to be constructed from a point south of Tientsin to the sea, a distance of about 45 miles, to supplement the Hai Ho, which is' now the only outlet to the ocean, This will not only. remove Mientsin beyond the menace of inundation, but will serve to drain ar. immense territory in Chihli Province which is in danger of flood whenever unusual rains occur.
At present, the whole scheme depends upon whether adequate funds are placed at the disposal of the Commission as, for the instance, proposed Maritime As all China would contribute to such a surtax, it is only just that the finds expended in Chi a a Toan repaid they may similar enterprises in 8 of China, wherever, the need is greatest. The policy of the Commission is, as far as poxsible, to do all such work on a loan The Commission announced at its ead ofice this morning that after detailed investigation a decision had een reached that the most serious distress will occur in the district to the southwest of Tientsin, which meant that an almost ideal situation obtains for effecting a permanent cure to the Chibli flood menace. The policy of the Commission which provides that. relief shall be given so far as possible return for labour will make it poxrible to utilize the able-bodied flood sufferers in the construction of a Permanent flood prevention project.
This scheme has long been advocated by leading engineers in China and it is particularly. ft that the present distress makes the opportunity to provide a permanent solution to the problem.
Cost Less than $6,000,000
The cost of this work has been variously estimated, but due to the Tow overhead expenses of the Comand the possibility of ploying famine labour, which. means the elimination of high wages and contractors' profits, the entire cost of the earthwork will probably be ess than six million dollars. The scheme provides that the land through which the channel will run shall be made available by -the government officials concerned. It is anticipated that as this channel will only be used in flood in order not to deprive the Hai Ho of suficient water for navigation the land will not be taken out of cultivate and that a spring wheat crop be harvested before the summer rains, Except in water the channel will probably be dried out in time for the planting of winter wheat.
From the information at present in the Commission's hands it appears that payment of necessary labour to carry through this scheme will provide adequate relief for nil the needy in this district. The workmen would beeseoruited in the badly affected hsiens and: taken to the works, which in most cases is, not a long distance. One ration would be provided on the job and the dependents of the workmen would be fed at their homes.
It is particularly fortunate that tone of the industries of the area now under water is mat, basket, and rope-making. Willow from which carrying poles can be made is also abundant. It is therefore possible to, provide equipment in the form of carrying poles, baskets, rope and mat sheds for' shelters from the worst affected districts and utilize the Inbor in their mana-facture from the families of the flood sufferers. themselves—China International Famine Relief Commission.
Keepers fear they cannot obtain hostility more goods when present stocks are exhausted. Shanghai ought to get Business is recovering steadily, orders, more orders and big orders og soon as war is over and communications are restored.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.