ily 10.
When a very eminent British engineer visited China a few hi years ago in a consultative capacity on conservancy work he went the length of expressing the opinion that only through the operation of cooperative work between the foreign and Chinese communities here could Shanghai possibly attain to its real greatness—its size of Population, importance as a financial centre, and the pre-eminence as a warld port which its hinterland seemed to have marked out for it. This opinion comes to mind upon a perusal of the latest report of Mr. Justice Feetham—that dealing with the outside roads—which has been issued to-day and of which a comprehensive summary is contained in these columns. Again it is 4 report of remarkable value to Shanghai, and in every respect calls for the closest _attentior The historical portions a admirable in their lucidity, and bear just as much upon the greatness of Shanghai as in the view of the engineer just quoted Gonservancy operations on the Whangpoo do. The roads outside the Settlement have increased the prosperity of the afore-time villagers and agriculturists to an extent probably not dreamt of in the days before such enterprise was thought of, in the district. Such enterprise was due to foreign energy, and it has only been subs.queotly that Chinese effort has been active in supplementing it. How to. secure a working system between the two road-builders has been the task which Mr. Justice Feetham has essayed. All such work is essential to the future prosperity and greatness of. the port: the business community with its activities and i demand for amenities must'e: pand fat beyond the present bounds; and it is obvious that the only solution lies in a comprehensive system of cooperation as is now outlined by Mr. Justice Feetham. Emphasis should b placed on the point that Chinese just as much as foreigners require these roads. so that there can be no racial bias in this matter.
Mr. Justice Feetham aims -at the creation of a new authority for the control of these outside roads, but this would be extrem: ly difficult to bring about at a moment's notice, and pending this, a sort of inter-reg num is} suggested. There is no doubt, with reference to the temporary scheme, that on the part of the Greater Shanghai authorities a very. slight concession would bring about a thoroughly _sati factory situation whereby the outside roads would continue to be policed and maintained by the: Muricipal Couneil,- and it iM_be seen that under this suggestion in Mr. Justice Feetham's report it would be incumbent on the Council to pay. to the Muni of Greater Shanghai a percentage of the revenue collected, this as a contribution to the administra. tion of the adjoining azoos, Here would be concessions by" bottt parties, and furthermore the deadlock as regards these roads which has so long unfortunately existed would be removed, while there would be instituted a scheme with reference to the undeveloped areas adjoining by the construction of roads, the provision of drainage, ete, accordance with town planning schemes, to be prepared so fat as possible by the two. authorities acting in consultation, for the ultimate development of the areas as a whole, There is absolute reasonableness in this as a preliminary measure against the time when the second scheme outlined by the report can come into force. Naturally, however, such a temporary measure will depend upon how satisfactory the full scheme appears to the people most concerned—the residents on the outside roads and the municipal authorities, The suggestion is that a new body should be set up consisting of the nominees of the Mayor of Greater Shanghai, nominees of the Council of the Settlement, and representatives of residents "and property owners; foreign and Chin the areas concerned, who control an excellent working arrangement, As a general rule relations between foreign, and Chinese residents of these districts are of a very friendly character, and were it left to them to work out a scheme comprising the repairing of roads, sanitation, policing and so forth, there is no doubt that it could be done entirely satisfactorily.
The question is how much can be hoped for from these schemes 80 admirably outlined in the r port under review. The experience with reference to the outside roads, has not been happy for many weeks now, but that subject must in the present case be subordinated to the hope of obtaining a better situation bas-od on the recommendations of the Feetham Report for. cooperation' la" tasisGiny emphasized, but it is pertinent to inquire where cooperation has not been forthcoming in the past, In this respect the Municipal Council cannot be held to blame, but on the contrary has shown the keenest endeavour to assist all other bodies in Shanghai in the promotion of the greatness: of the port and city, I Mr. Ji tham's report, 4 system which can be held to meet the requirements of the under an administs should prove sat parties concerned. it may be noted that, because of the absence of roads, Chinese business men in Shanghai have in many cases themselves established suburban areas reached principally by railway, and it can be seen what an advantage it would have been to them had there been a still further extension of the road system, as in-lated under foreign auspices, bringing them within comparatively close touch with their businesses, yet possessing what Mr, Justice Feetham describes in his report as the amenities of garden suburbs. It has alread been pointed out in these col-urnns with reference to matters other than roads that without predisposing conditions, foreign efforts and later Sino-foreign cooperation have established in China a" workable political system—this also in connection with one of Mr, Justice Feetham's recommendations—and_it will not be specially creditable if at this late stage of the day an equally workable scheme, much for the advantage of the Chinese as of the foreign community, cannot be evolved from his proposals regarding outside roads.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.