A distinguished gathering attended the launching ceremony of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board's new bucket "dredger Hui-lung at the Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works on December 22, the christening ceremony being perform by Miss Myers, daughter of Mx. W. R. Myers, Commissioner of Customs.
Following the launching, x reception was held in the offices of the Kiangnan Dock, when Admiral Chen, in making' a presentation to 'Mian' Myers, sald:—Speaking on behalf of the Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works, T wish to express our keen appre! tion for your presence, which has helped greatly to make this ace success, It is questionable ther the launching of a bucket dred~ gov warrants your presence and justifies the invitation we have ex-ended to you but the occasion hi special significance, "In the frst place, in spite of the lo record and history of this
10 be Dut by us and the ft anight be said that it fs the first dig dredger, certainly it is the Iargest one, of its king to be constructed in China, "In the second place, dredging is tone of the foremost pre-requisites in Building and maintaining a harbour. Ax we have always been hoping to make Shanghai one of the greatest jerts in the world, we cannot but happy to sce that the Whangpoo Conservancy Board has been taking such aggressive steps toward the work of dredging, a clear indicaation of our hope being gradually consummated, The Conservancy. Board has achieved marvellous work in the past and Tam sure that Will continue, with its usual ciency, to improve and deepen the channel not only for the benefit of China but for world—shipping. Dredging is not only part of the programme of the Conservancy. Bourd but it is in line ith the schemes of our late party Dr. Sun Yat-sen, to develop harbour for shipping and industry.
"Pastly, thin occasion is, memo! table from the Dock's point of views Since this is the first bucket dredger this capacity to be built in China, we respectfully submit that this Dock is capable of building ships of any Kind or description. The fact that the Conservancy Board has entrusted us with this work not only inves ux much encouragement but it gives us confidence in our standing as shipbuilders. For this encourage we are deeply grateful. At the same time, I Tope that other Government institutions will give us similar encouragement and cooperation, since it is only appropriate that all of us should encourage Womestic industries and helping to make the revolutionary movement a success, "On behale of the Dock, I wish to. thank Miss Myers for launching the Aredger to-lay and, as a token of our deep appreciation and an ex. pression of our indebtedness, should like you, Miss Myers, to faceept this small souvenir."
The souvenir referred to was in the form of a bouquet of red roses fand a writing set combined with dlinry and clock.
Replying in the absence of Mr. Soong Tsze-liang, who had to leave early, Mr, W. R. Myers expressed this thanks to Admiral Chen and sai that it was the desire of the Ca servancy Board to improve the river to the best of its ability in order to allow the biggest vessels to enter Shanghai and to make Shanghai a port even greater than she was at present. Shanghai was at present the world's fifth largest port and the hoped the day would come when St would he the largest. The Whangpoo Conservancy Board were fortunate in getting the Dock to contract the now dredger as everybody was aware of the excellent work done at this famous dock. Dv. Chatley was Yooking after the work and al! could yest assured that, while he was in charge, everything would be perfect.
The new dredger, which was de-sigmad by the Whangpoo Conser-vane Board in cooperation with the Dock authorities and which is classi-fled HOOAI, the highest classifica by Licsds, was supervised by ~'B. G, Brooke-Smith, Lloyd's surveyor, her dredging machinery
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.