To the Editor of the "Norru-Curna Dairy News."
Sin,—A great many letters have been placed before the public during the Jast two seasons regarding the decline of Mokanshan. In former Years complaints. were very few and the time has come to look for 1¢- medies since the Shanghai public has commenced to realize that Mokanshan is the summer resort of Shanghai. It is more, it is the only convenient health resort for the sick and the convalescents of the neighbourhood.
Years ago the S. M. Health de. partment saw the benefit of Mokanshan and opened a sanatorium for the Municipal employees. This is open from March to November and so crowded that a large 20-room building is now contemplated. The Chinese Maritime Customs has also had a sanatorium there for the last two years, one foreign bank thas acquired a house for its staff and another is contemplating building.
The complaints were princi; against the transportation service by motor boat and the roads on the mountain.
The transportation is, and has been for the last two years, in the hands of the Shanghai-Hangchow-Ningpo Railway; they also own the Mokanshan Hotel. The latter, formerly a private enterprise and full of guests, was this season practically empty. The former, previously run by a missionary's cook, without a hitch, has under the railway been an absolute failure, the motor boat frequently breaking down or failing to run for other reasons.
The roads on the mountain are in the hands of the Mokanshan Association, ruled by the junior American missionary element, through their 70 per cent. majority. Somebody rudely classified them as having little knowledge and less manners, It serves no purpose to trace the blame or find excuses for the failures; the fact is that both managements have failed dismally and proved their complete incapability. Fortunately for the future of Mokanshan, neither is indispens sible and remedies are available.
Mokanshan not being a treaty port, foreigners reside there only by the goodwill of the Chinese Government, but their position is very strong by years of precedent and by the fact that they spend there every year some $50,000, which otherwise would go to Japan or elsewhere. With an able official like General Lu at the head of the provincial government it should not cfBoule to get at least co-opera (1). Transportation. The failuiz of this was caused by the breakdown of the Railway Co.'s motor boats or by the violent obstruction of the farmers when, as happens every year, the country is flooded by heavy rains and the wash of the boat's propeller threatens the flimsy cana] banks.
Efficient management should easily eliminate breakdowns; it. might
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.