The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-05
A BUSINESS OPENING.

Some Of the shipping and boat builders
Of San Francisco may find 1t advantageous
to respond to suggestion which United
States Consul Fowler Of Ningpo, province
of Chekiang, China. has made to the Gov
eminent at Washington. The district in
which the Consul has jurisdiction en-
braces about 10000 square miles and is
intersected by thousands of miles of canals
and rivers, which are the only means of
communication for long distances. Not
single steam vessel is in use in the interior,
but a few which come from Shanghai are
seen at Hanchow. another town of the
province northwest of Ningpo. The diff
culties of working the native boats through
the canals. under the bridges, low and
narrow, and over the portage places from
one level to another are considerable. Mr..
Fowler brought the facilities of steam
power under the notice of the Taotai, or
local ruler, and the subject fascinated him
so much. especially 10 the light of his own
convenience in moving about the country,
that he has auth orZed the Consul 10 write
to the United States for particulars as to
the design and cost Of propeller launches,
using steam, oil or electricity, suitable for
canal traffic. The Consul is of opinion that
if the Taotai can be induced to travel in
steam launch, with house accommodation.
many others will initiate his example who
would nos take the initiative themselves,
and that an inviting opening in business
might thus be effected. AS a rule the
Chinese are slow to move in innovations,
but there is a chance of success when the
administrators themselves make progress.
Poll Of for or6
it was supposed they would when ground
was broken, but it may be otherwise with
boats, because they are not positively new.
1t is only the mode of propulsion which Is
a novelty, and otherwise Mr.. Fowler sug-
gests that the designs be conservatively
compliant with Chinese whims and re-
quirements.
Surely this is a venture which the San
Francisco builder of schooners and boats
may well undertake. The San Francisco
builder has the advantage of being 5000
miles nearer China than his competitor in
PHILADELPHIA. Mr.. Fowler says the cost OF
transportation should be included in the
estimate sent in with the designs. The Ill
mansions suggested are: Length, So feet;
breadth, feet 10 inches; height from keel
to rail, 8 feet; height from rail TO TOP OF
house, 2 feet 9 inches. a fla. bottom is
preferable, this being the usual Chinese
style. The Households of the natives are
often expensive, but not so comfortable as
those used by foreigners, which over the
native hull have a small house fitted with
windows. berths and closets. The width
is restricted because Of the narrow bridges.
and also the height of the house must be
IL, N dor hri
might be possible to arrange the house so
that it could be telescoped up or down
when necessary, and it would also be re-
quisite to put hinge on the smokestack,
or cOntrive some other mode of lowering.
The propeller should be capable Of being
removed or protected when the boat is be-
ing hauled or lowered over bank. An
other suggestion by the Consul is that en-
gineers may supply engines fer the boats
already in uSe-some light form of engine
easily adjusted in position on boat Of
shallow draught.
The canals are the real highways of the
country, and as there Is a population of
about 100000, the traffic is enormous.
Steam, oil or electrical engine power would
work revolution In business affairs, and
similar changes might soon be operative in
other parts of the Chinese EN- ire. The
awakening Of China is tardy. but it will
assuredly come. Our own advances in
mach merry and many other forms of mate
rial progress are quite modern, and if
China lags it is not quite excluded from
the race of development. especially with
Japan forging ahead and Russia closing in
on her northern frontier and intent upon
absorbing Corea.