The Shanghai Power Company's surcharge, which fluctuates with the dollar rate, came into effect on September i last. The French Company's surcharge, which amounts to 15 per cent on lighting and 25 per cent. on heating and power, was enforced as from March 6 last. Even now, however, there is no great difference between the French Company's all-in rates and the Power Company's. This is because some of the French rates were higher than the Power Company's before the surcharges were imposed (for many years their rates were substantially higher than those of the Power Company's rates) while the Power Company's rates for large consumption, even with the existing surcharge, a more favourable to the customers than French Company's.
The French Company's capital is in francs and it is probable that the majority of shareholders are resident in France. If this is so, it is practically certain that they have not suffered the slightest financial inconvenience from the troubles through which Shanghai has passed, or from the depreciation in the dollar.
These facts seem to us very significant and we throw them into the common stock, not because we think that they will influence those orators who merely wish to declaim (too great insistence on facts cramps the oratorical style), but because we feel it to be advantageous that the business public should thoroughly understand the position, and have their minds disabused of any loose ideas there may be that surcharges and allowances are granted to Shanghai utilities in any light-hearted, irresponsible manner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.