Shanghai pilots, interviewed, stated that there had been no mishaps. 50) far, and they were bringing heavy: draught ships up the river without any diNieulis, "There is, of course.
risk Involved", they stated, "but then there was also a Fiske before the Toeal hostilities putan end to con servancy work', The deepest draught ship. brought up. river since the hostilities drew SLY feet, one she was taken into port without mishap.
plain, however, that although there ly always a 1 bringing a Aeep-draught ship Whangpoo, this rissle is being unnecessarily creased by the entire Tae servaniey Wi here have mishaps as yel, but with continual sliting going on ull the time unichock= ed. the possibilities are increasing every month.
the altitude of the shipping panies seems tobe that the chances Such as they are must be taken. The Lloyd Triestino Line, for instance, when questioned o the subject, said "There have been no accidents One result of the lack of dredging in the Whangpoo is that closer atten lon has (o be paid to the tides than formerly, Even light-draught costal hips find themselves perilously close fo the river bed when passing over the Faity Flats at Tow water, while some deep-dra hips, stich there of the Canadian Pacific have 10 use two tides for xetth of the river, instead of one as formerly. two Tides The explanation for this follows, To pass safely, over the Woosung Bar, deep-draught vessels have to east oft al low tide in order to catch the high water as they reach the Bar. Very low water is experlenced during the Spring tides, with the result that there is not suiicient depth ut low water to cast off. Wail ting for higher water means that there will not be sufficient depth the Fairy Plats to make safe clearance. Deep-draught. ships, therefore, are forced to pass over the Woowunis Bar, anchor outside Woosun the next high tide, and then make for the Fairy. Plats.
This causes a delay of apr ten hairs, with a conse expense 10 the shipping companies. Some companies, such, for instance. ts the N.D.L, ling, find that their fast Vessels can" sull cross both bars Eafely on one tid, but their slower ships have to utilize two. It is some~ what ironical for local representatives these shipping companies to lance Out of their ofice windows, on 'The Bund, and. glimpse Shanghai's largest rodger lying idly off the Pootwng Point while their ships are being delayed down at' Woostng owing 10 nek of dredging.
We wt to be done with regard to dredging as soon fas possible", was the statement mide the "Norili-China Daily" News" by fu official of the CPR. "Difficulties alrendy being experienced as a ing: tides, ann if the tion ed late steps taken for a thorough dredging river as soon as possible". In addition, the oficial stated that some of the wharves were already. silting up. causing a distinct shortage in berthing accommodation, Wharves Seized In this respect, It may here be men toned that the investigation revealed that a number of small Chinese wharves around The Point have been seized by the Japanese authorities and handed over to the Mitsubishi Steamship Company for their own exclusive use. These wharves, it was learned, are not Chinese Government property, and therefore the Japanese are not entitled to seize them. -The Chinese owners of the wharves, in most eases "small men" with but tittle capital, have received no compensa~ tion whatsoever for the seizure of their "property. Foreign shipping companies formerly using the wharves have been considerably inconveni: enced by being arbitrarily shut out from this berthing accommodation, which had proved useful in view of the serious shortage of such accom~ modation at the present moment.
The question of wharves seems to be more serious than that of the condition of the river as regards navigation. The A.P.C. affords a good example of the serious Inconvenienee which foreign shipping companies are experiencing through the utter lack Of dredging facilities. At both the Gough Island Wharf and the Upper Wharf of the A.P.C., no Tess than four foet of silling his been recorded during the last eight months, This, according to an APE. official, "is a most serious position The natural result ix that APE. are. precluded from bring cep-draught ships into these wharves. The instructions received by the A.C. Shanghaj offices are that depth of 27 fect must be maintained at lowest low water at all times, These instructions, at the moment are well-nigh impossible to carry out, owing to lack of dredging faclliies, In their ships by ullliing the tides, riving alongside just before high water, "We ought to be able to bring our ships alongside at any ime." the offieiat emphasized, "and ullliing the tides handicaps us 10 considerable extent." tu addition, it as been found necessary 10 extra pontoon alongside the Needless to say, the situation causing the company iderable anxiety, not to say expense, The company is only able to in 24 feet instead of the specific On application to the Conservancy Board, local shipping companies are informed that it Is Impossible to carry out dredging. as the apparatus Is in Wie hands of the Japanese. One such otter was shown to the "North-China Daily News" in reply to a request a local shipping company for the Jdredging of their wharves, Dredging at a complete standstill While the "natural bed" of the of Whangpoo fs more or less normal, those wharves situated out of the j"natural bed of the river are being placed in a serious position through silting, Wharves both on the Pootung and Hongkaw sides which are not Adjacent to the "natural bed are silting up, and the position Jespecially serious around The Point. [The whart manager of Holt's Wharf Stated that whereas that wharf had Met been seriously affected. owing to the fact that private dredging apparatus was used, and that the whart was adjoining the "natural bed" the river, other wharves not fortunately placed we far less happy position ALE. tneonventenced wntao oom ie eau lo damage on. both the river: it was ascertained. While the Pootung side, heavy scouring is taking place, affecting. several foreign. wharves the Shanghai" side place onan ala French Bund particularly
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.