Every afternoon before dusk a strange flotilla appears at the Customs jetty and disembarks some hundreds of Chinese workers who stream out of the jetty exits in all directions. It comprises a large flat barge and three Jaunches, tone ahead and, one port and starboard of the barge, which as it proceeds upstream, is one packed mass of blue-clad' humanity: As a transportation feat it is unusually good,' but possesses a greater significance for it indicates Felurning confidence in Shanghai industrial activities and illustrates the great progress made in the last week or two by local firms to staff and operate their Yangtszepoo works. "The Particular "flotilla mentioned belongs to the 'Shanghai Dockyards, Ltd, which is now operating with approximately' 30° per cent. of its normal Chinese staff and every day 600 workmen are towed by the three launches from the Customs Jetty in the morning at 7 o'clock and Back again from "Yangtszepoo at 4.30 pin. Although situated in the heart of the occupied area, with the attendant diMeulties of shelling and bombing, the management has been able to "carry on" since the beginning of the fighting and the call of maritime Shanghai for the dock services has resulted in an increasing degree of activity. A tanker, a tug and a coastal steamer have been drydocked this week and the necessary cleaning and painting of hulls and repairs carried out. Despite the unusual conditions, the tanker Fu Kwang was drydocked and repaired in record. time. 'The Shanghai Dockyards also undertook the making and fitting of machinery fittings for the tus Minnie Moller which was used for repairing the broken cables off Woosung recently. 'This is tone instance of enterprises which either' by transporting labour to Yangtszepoo dally or accommodating labour on the premises, have succeeded in ensuring the continuance Shanghai's industrial life from the beginning of the trouble.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.