Finding a New Mouth for Itself:
Grave Warning by Commissioner of Customs The Maritime Customs report for Chinkiang during the year 1920 -is specially interesting because of the remarks made upon the condition of the Yangtze by the Commissioner, Mr. F. J. Mayers. In dealing with the subject he says Though it was hoped that some attention would be paid to the deterioration of the Yangtze River generally, and particularly to the present condition of this port—which, at the moment. is probably the worst sufferer from years of neglect—it is recorded, with re-"gret, that nothing has been done to improve matters. The mudbank, known as the Chengjenchow Spit SA), continues to grow in extent and solidity; and the attached chart, showing its pyogressive development during the past 16 years, and the naturally simultaneous erosion of the north bank of the river, indicates clearly that, unless some measures are immediately taken to stabilize the river, there is a serious probability of the Yangtze doing what the Yellow River did between 1854 and 1856, and finding a new mouth for itself far to the northeast of the present channel. A glance at a would mean.
The present northern limit of the GChenjenchow bank practically coincides with the line of the north bank of the river in 1905, and is now ever a mile away' from the Bund-line of the British Concession. The deterioration of the harbour has necessitated the removal of the last of the hulks which used to lie off the British Bund, and' great inconvenience 1s now experienced in communicating with river steamers; the landing and shipment of heavy postal mails is attended with great difficulty—in bad weather conditions the risk is sometimes so great that delays atte inevitable. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.'s hulk is now moored below the Concession, just above the oil installations, but has no shore connexion, which is an additional inconvenience; whilst Messrs. Mutterfield & Swire's hulk lies in mid-stream, below the Spit Light-boat.
A Carasrropae ws Sicar.
It may be remembered that the condition of the river and the urgent necessity of taking steps to prevent its further deterioration formed the subject of resolutions passed by the conferences of British Chambers of Commerce, in China and Hongkong, held at Shanghai in 1919 and 1920; but these sound recommendations have apparently "been overlooked. This is most unfortunate in view of the immense volume of trade in the Yangtze Valley, and the enormous losses in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.