"The China Express publishes the following letter in reply to a contribution which appeared in its columns. It is written by out of the prominent city fathers of Yokohama, and has been endorsed by a number of Associations and Clubs, which practically comprise the whole foreign community, and must therefore be taken as a' true indication of the effort put forth to restore Yokohama to the position it occupied prior to the great earthquake, and in many respects to improve it:—To the Editor, "China Express and Telegraph."
Dear Sir—In your issue of April 30 is" an editorial note headed "Future of Yokohama" in which reference is made to the letter of a correspondent deseribing his impressions formed visit to Yokohama. These impressions are so misleading that the undersigned feel it their duty to place the position more fairly' before your readers.
Your correspondent does scant Justice to a community who are making systematic and praiseworthy effort to restore foreign interests and the amenities of existence in the foreign quarter stricken city. He says any are very enthi and think that they are assisting at the building of another Rome, and imagine it ix all coming to pass in no time." Most of the men who are slightingly described have spent years in Yokohama and other ports in Japan; they are in position to know the conditions and to gauge the prospects of They have visie laying foundations for the future, They fare fully competent to realize that Rome was not built in a day, nor will the new Yokohama arise like a phoenix fully fledged from her ashes, but they also that if the foreign community sit over those ashes with folded hands, they will be betraying the trust bequeathed to them by those who went before and by those who fell victims in the days of September, 1923.
is unfortunate that the destruction of Yokohama coincided with a period of world-wide trade depression, which has been felt acutely in Japan. Consequently the foreign community of Yokohama are not making money, and capital for rebuilding is hard to come by. But the cycle of depression will pass, as have other such cycles, and in the meantime the way is being prepared for permanent rebuilding and resters tion. Your correspondent woul appear to have confined investiga tions to a cursory survey of the foreign Settlement and of the Bluff, and to have arrived at the conclusion that because these are not already covered with permanent buildings, a year and a half after their entire demolition, there is no future for foreigners: in Yokohama, and that ite old attractions will never exist again Had he made more searching he would have learnt'
foreign perpetual leaseholders have been earnestly engaged for months in the pre-jon of plans for the widen ing and reconstruction of the streets of he foreign Settlement plans which have now been submitted to the Japanese authorities for approval, and which, while involving considerable sacrifice of land, will give to that quarter wide and modern streets in place of the narrow and crooked lanes fisted. Until permanent building in the foreign Settlement is impossible, and the erection of many such buildings is only awaiting the announce-mant of these plans.
Had he visited the Country and Athletic Club and the Golf Club hho would have found these attractive resorts in better condition and even more beautiful than formerly, with, in the former case, new and charming club house. Had he inquired further he would jove learnt that a foreign hospital will be built and opened by August; that a school for foreign children is already fanctioni that the members of the Yokohama United Glub, now in temporary premises, are hoping - to build a new club on the former site in the near future.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.