Dec. 10.
A period of three years has now elapsed since the Committee of Consulting Engineers on the Shanghai Harbour Investigation concluded their. conference and presented their report and still nothing has been, settled as to the adoption of their recommendations. The works they proposed would take geverai years, from the time of commencement to produce useful results and, owing to the delay in starting, there is every possibility that a highly critical state of congestion may arise soon after. the present: political turmoil has. sufficiently subsided to encourage trade. Even in 1923 the increased volume of shipping entered had already greatly exceeded the conservative estimate of. increase made by the Committee.
The immense losses during the first year of the new cycle by floods and civil war should influence the officials to promote all and any endeavour to increase the prosperity of the country. China has now a large export business and is a large consumer of foreign imports and the Shanghai harbour scheme will aid the transport of both upstart, whom, moreover, theyg@xports and imports. The. short-distrust. Nor is it possible to see how Marshal Tuan could ce-operate with Feng on any terms which would leave him the freedom of action which his present position is supposed to carry. The conclusion of the. interview! quoted above— have given him (Feng) leave of absence as "he, Says thit. he is at! present! cuffering from sieknés." sighted policy, which is allowing. the-harbour at Tsingtao to remain undredged and the harbour Chefoo to be encroached upon, if applied to Shanghai - would inflict great losses upon thousands of Chinese consumers, producer's and merchants.
'The bogey of "sovereign rights" which is always' invoked © whort ver expansion -of foreign: inter
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