To the Editor of the "NorTH-CHINA Datnv News."
Sir,—I do not think there is any doubt but that there is a strom demand for organisation and heartily agree with "Trois" in all he writes.
The position at present is most unsatisfactory and appears. to be shrouded in so much mystery. That there are houseboats galore both private and public, cannot be gain-said but, where does one get them?—what do they cost?—is it safe?—where to go?—these are points on which the average person can get but scant information. When the Rowing Club held their regatta at Minghong recently I thought of hiring a houseboat and, having failed to locate anybody who knew anything about the matter, despatched my office boy to the Soochow Creek to see if he could nail down a laodah; one such ambitious individual duly appeared complete with card on which was his name and a smudge which he declared to be a photograph of his houseboat. The following terms were laid upon my desk for consideration:—Hire $15 per day; Towage, each way, $15; tip $5. For three days therefore, my initial outlay, before I had even thought of food, water and sundry other incidentals, would have amounted to about $80—payable in advance, except the tip which he thought he might be able to do without until the end of the journey. As regards towage, if he did not use a tow that was his "chance." Needless to say I remained in Shanghai.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.