No. 57.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking
,
June 2, 1886.
(Received July 26.)
No. 142.]
Sir: This legation has, during the past few years,
addressed several dispatches to the Department on the question of dredging
the Woo-Sung Bar in the Huang p’u River, near Shanghai, the importance of
which [Page 92] operation is well known to the
Department. On January 21, 1882, the chargé d’affaires ad
interim in China, wrote to the Department announcing that steps had
been taken by the Chinese authorities to dredge the bar and deepen the
channel of water communication between Shanghai and the sea. A dredge was
purchased and work actually commenced, but the outbreak of troubles with
France shortly after arrested the work, which has not since been
resumed.
On the 16th of April last the diplomatic corps at Peking decided to address
the Yamên on the subject.
I inclose herewith the note which I sent the Yamên. The answer which I
received under date May 31 appears satisfactory, and we have every reason to
believe that work on the bar will be resumed at an early date, especially as
the request of the foreign representatives is backed by one which the
Shanghai taotai has recently made to the Tsung-li Yamên begging that the
dredging might be recommenced at once.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1, in No. 142.]
Mr. Denby to the
Foreign Office
.
May 21,
1886.
(Informal.)
Your Imperial Highness and Your
Excellencies:
This legation, in common with the representatives of the other treaty
powers, has had occasion in past years to address you on the subject of
the bar which exists in the Huang Pú River and which constitutes such a
grave obstacle in the way of vessels desiring to reach Shanghai.
The Chinese Government, well aware of the importance of removing this
barrier to trade, had commenced this work several years ago. Political
complications came and arrested the execution of this most essential
undertaking, but now, that these have happily been removed, nothing can
be in the way of the Government carrying out, what we know, from the
assurances it has formerly given this legation, to be its steadfast
purpose, the removal of a serious obstruction in the way of trade and a
source of additional expense to the owners of ships entering
Shanghai.
I therefore beg to call the early attention of your imperial highness and
your excellencies to the advisability of recommencing the work of
dredging the bar in the Huang Pú (the Woosung Bar) and of completing a
great work of general usefulness which has only been arrested in its
execution by unforeseen circumstances.
I avail myself, &c.,
[Inclosure 2, in No. 142.]
The Foreign Office to Mr.
Denby
.
May 31,
1886.
(Informal.)
In reply to your excellency’s note of May 21, in which, referring to the
Woosung bar in the Huang Pú River, you request that the work of dredging
may be resumed, as it is, difficult for foreign shipping to reach
Shanghai and increases greatly their expenses, this Yamên has to state
that the question of dredging the Woosung bar has already been the
subject of dispatches and notes similar to the above from the ministers
of Russia, England, and Germany. This Yamên has already written to the
southern superintendent of trade asking him to direct the Shanghai
customs taotai to inquire into the subject and ascertain whether the now
unused dredge, which had been formerly bought for the purpose, has at
present its machinery in good working order, and if it be in condition
to commence work at once. The question has not yet been decided, and
when the reply of the southern superintendent of trade comes to hand and
the plans submitted have been examined, we will address you further on
the subject.
We avail ourselves, &c.
