The Shanghai Waterworks has kept a continuous, normal supply throughout the hostilities. The emergency scheme put into operation at the outset worked smoothly, the 8th, (Waterworks), Division of special police supervising the working of the plant, with their guns close at hand ready for emergencies. The police number 35, all foreigners, and have been on duty both at the plant and on Settlement roads.
The Waterworks has been, for he most part, isolated, except for communication by launch with the area south of the creek.—Regular launches, their crews often running the gauntlet of shellfire, have been plying up and down the river, carrying personnel and stores to and from the plant.
A foreign staff of 24 has been living at the plant since the beginning of hostilities, and under them are 300 or more Chinese. A guard for the plant was originally provided by H. M, Navy, but subsequently two platoons from the British military forces took over this duty. Snipers from Pootung have occasionally sent bullets whist]ing over the plant, and metal from shells bursting overhead has frequently landed in the compound. Fortunately, however, there have been no casualties.
The Chinese staff, inspired by the example of their foreign supervisors, have stood fast, in spite of the activities of snipers in an adjoining mill, and accidental firing upon Waterworks employees during clearing out operations by the Japanese,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.