representative gathering of eral bor aroma id foreigners and in weather that hai in this respect.one of the tons, la re ing Shang-should certainly be a good augury principal ports. in the world! For the future prosperity of the Needs of the Harbour building, the foundation stone of new Customs House was well This striking development would into Chu Yucchi, the Superin: troduction of important conservancy truly laid" on Tuesday mornit not have been possible without the in. by Mr Chtoastoms, In' a casket Works, and the activities of the henenth the were deposited Whangpoo Conservancy Board Pontes of all Shanghai papers of during the past 20 years have the day, coins of the period and resulted in improving the channel tabanetes from practically all the|on the bar and in the river and banks of Shanghai. have enabled the port to meet to "The guests included members of some extent the growing demands of trade and shipping. The minimum the Consular Body and the leading Ghinote Offciato, sew the legal pro- "avleable depth at low water, fession and the Church, Chairmen hoo, forreend Pay Prigo§ 4 of the various Chambers of Com-|¢o Chief of the Whangpoo Conservancy of, the various Chambers of cerin: t0 26 feet to-day. But much remains Bento Navel Omcers [eRe @raft and of the various Powers. The Statis-Heal Secretary, the Ningpo, Hangchow and Soochow Commissioners of Customs, and members of the focal Revenue, Marine and Works Departments of the Customs were algo present. are becoming. larger and if Shanghai is to maintain its present pos! tion as the Commercial The Commissioner's Speech In opening the proceedings Mr. Maze spoke. as follows:— and Industrial Metropolis of Ladies and Gentlemen:
T''wish In the first instance to xpress my regret that their Excellencies, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of the Shui Wu Gh'u, and Sir Francis Aglen are Unable fo be. present today, but Unfortunately they could not leave Peking at this juncture, I should mention that. the Superintendent en instructed by tive {overn: tment to represent the Minister of ance and Admiral Tsai Ting-kan snd T should also like to say that Cave received a telegram from Sir Francia conveying his felicitations fon -this historic and auspicious ocasian and at the same time express ing the hope that the new founda~ tion may be an emblem "of the foundation of & new era of pros: perity for Chins.
The new building under construction here will be the third home St the Maritime Customs in Shang: hai—the first was in an adopted Chinese compound, which served its "purpose well for about four decades. when "expansion of trad: tendered" larger accommodation heerssary and a new Custom House was opened in 1893, In course of time thia building, in turn, proved too. small. for present-day requirements and some time back, the reinment decided that the tine Fad. come to provide a modern establishment large enough to meet tthe needs of the Customs and the of the existing berthing accommoda. tion-for steamers, and the reserva-fon of m suitable aren for the fruit in some form or other and that the future interests of trade safeguarded. and shipping here will be adequately,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.