Dee. 6.
The days are past when Shanghai could think that it had some little cause to be proud of itself as the "Model Settlement." It has learnt that it is a community of die-hards, imperialists and "running dogs", possessing no rights and less respectability, And now comes Mr. Asa Phillips, a consulting engineer from Washington, D.C, to inform us that our city is""arehaic, uneconomical, non-descript, haphazard and completely inadequate in planning as a nucleus for a great modern port and city." Exports holding positions such as Mr. Phillips appears occupy in America are usually tolerant in their criticisms of the puny, if well meant, efforts of mere' amateurs. But Mr.
Phillips has been called in to advise Mr. Day Doon, advisor to the Great Shanghai City Planning Commission, which is about to build a really model city in the Kiangwan area, and he evidently has no belief in sparing the rod. Shipping facilities, harbour, warehousing, railways, streets, transport, all are utterly to be banned. He lumps both Chinese city and "its economical zones of Concession"—an impo: ing phrase but rather obscure-{in like condemnation; and, that nothing may escape, he kindly adds "On the municipal side, mila conditions also exist."
The only thing, apparently, that Mr. Asa E. Phillips can find to praise is the genius of Mr. Dayu Doon in hitting upon an entirely blank piece of country, within spitting distance," as Lancashire says, of the river, on which to erect his model And in this respect Mr. Phillips's enthusiasm is boundless:
Your plans for Greater Shanghai (he writes) are broad in scope, and comprehend the needs of your sitiation in a masterly manner. The design developed for the new city fs at once bold, and, as well, unique in the annals of city planning. The extensive area chosen appears to be marvellously adapted to your pur-ose, Thus there is a real chance of Shanghai's fulfilling Mr. Phi lips's prophecy of becoming of the world's greatest ports. Some people thought it was that already, but comparative state istles of trade and shipping are rarely to be trusted.. However, the future is bright enough. Continuing his letter to Mr. Dayw Doon, Mr. Phillips say:
No other city in the world has been confronted. by so difficult and unique a problem, of which the plans you are developing present a larly hoppy solution.
Precisians may object that thers are no degrees in uniqueness. But what matters a little loose grammar compared with the civie symmetry and social convenience that await us when Mz, Phillips gets to work?
Hitherto we have' only been favoured with an advance sketch of Mr, Phillips's ideas, a letter perhaps dashed off inthe irrepressible enthusiasm with which 1 trip to the scene @f the future Shanghai had filled him, The full report is to be written when he gets back to Washington. How eagerly it will be awaited! There is but one cause for regret. Why was Mr, Phillips ever allowed to return to Washington? Why did not the Council secure him at any cost to prepare the way for Judge Feetham's future work?' If, as his letter may suggest to the in ferent, Mr. Phillips knows nothing of the history of Shanghi and as little of what its "mu surely have proved priceless in every direction,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.