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In order that the purpose
of my proposed trip around the world may he better understood, I will
relate briefly my reasons for making it.
Many matters in
connection with our business had been developing in the Far East that
could only be properly settled at close range, so that I decided to
visit all of our offices; and accompanied by Mrs. Dollar, left San
Francisco on April 2, 1921, for Seattle.
I had planned to sail on
one of the Dollar Company-steamers from Vancouver to Japan; but received
so many requests from various quarters to accompany the Commercial
Commission from the Pacific Northwest on the Shipping Board steamer
Wenatchce, that I finally decided to go with the Commission as far as
Shanghai, and from there continue my journey on the Robert Dollar II.
On returning to the
United States the Commission made its formal report, a part of which
covered that portion of the trip on which I accompanied them and from
which the following is an extract:
"Captain Robert Dollar,
as a member of the visiting delegation and yet as a leader and pioneer
in the development of American business at Shanghai and throughout
China, spoke as one at home and at the same time a guest. He reviewed
what has been done in a few years, and urged the earnest effort of all
to develop the full possibilities of trade between China and America,
based on fair dealing and mutual respect.
"Captain Dollar extended
an invitation to all those at the luncheon who cared to do so, to join
the Pacific Northwest delegation on a trip on one of the Dollar Company
boats along the entire Shanghai waterfront, leaving the customs jetty at
2:30. Among those who accompanied the party on this river trip were
Captain Dollar and his son, J. Harold Dollar, in charge of the
MRS. ROBERT DOLLAR Helpmate and adviser of Captain Dollar
business in the Orient;
Julean Arnold, American commercial attache; Captain W. T. Eisler,
representative of the United States Shipping Board; Dr. Frederic Lee,
American economist consul; W. A. Chapman, secretary of the American
Chamber of Commerce; Paul P. Whitman, and others.
"The river trip was one
of the most interesting; experiences at Shanghai, and in China. The boat
went up the Whangpoo River skirting the shore, passing innumerable river
craft at landings and in the stream, and running close to the Government
shipyards at Kiangnan, where four freight vessels for the United States
Shipping Board were turned out. Two of them were about completed.
"Vessels of various
types, including large river steamers, one of them for the Dollar
Company, were under construction along the river front. When the
terminal of the Robert Dollar Company, including wharves, godowns and
storage yards, was reached, across the river from the main city, the
boat landed and the excursionists went ashore. They inspected with keen
interest this substantial plant, representing more than three-quarters
of a million dollars investment already. It is the only elaborate
American-owned shipping terminal in the Far East, outside of the
Standard Oil plants and possibly the terminal in Manila, although there
is nothing like it developed by private American capital even in the
Philippines.
"Here two United States
Shipping Board freighters, operated by the Admiral Line, were
discharging cargo. One was the Edmore, which had towed the Wenatcliee
into Yokohama, and the other was the Abercos from the Columbia River,
built at Vancouver, Washington. The visitors watched the Chinese coolies
moving, entirely by hand, the cargo from the ship across the wharves to
the warehouse and storage yards. They congratulated Captain Dollar and
Harold Dollar on the substantial and permanent character of the
development. Mr. Singelow, the photographer, took moving pictures of the
cargo handling, the plant, and Captain Dollar. Lumber from the Pacific
Northwest and steel from America were being discharged from the ships,
700 Chinese laborers being employed at this work.
"At Shanghai Captain and
Mrs. Dollar bade farewell to the crowd, as they were to remain in China
for some time. Some other members of the delegation arranged for trips
to Peking and the interior of China."
Two hundred miles before
we reached the mouth of the Yangtse River, some 1600 miles of which I
shall attempt to describe, the color of the water of the China or Yellow
Sea begins to change to yellow and nearing the mouth it is a dirty
brown, appearing to be almost the consistency of gruel. The Saddles,
small rock islands, are sentinels located a few miles from its entrance.
The river enters the sea in two channels, the southern one being used by
large vessels. The distance across the entrance is about 20 miles. Only
a few miles up the river is Fairy Flats, where it shoals up so that
ocean steamers can cross only at high tide. This is a great obstruction
to navigation and must be remedied, and can be remedied effectually by
levees confining the water, The enormous amount of silt that the river
carries into the ocean every day in the year will require the confining
of the channel so that it will scour itself out. Four distinguished
engineers from as many nations are soon to meet in Shanghai and decide
on the best plan to adopt. Colonel Goethals is the American
representative selected. The great commerce of this river will be
explained and the importance of this great work show in, which will make
it possible for ships of any size to go to Shanghai, which is destined
to be one of the great seaports of the world. When I state that fully
one-eighth of all the inhabitants of the world live on the banks of this
river and its tributaries, it should convey some idea of its importance.
Shanghai is situated on a
tributary of the Yangtse, the Whangpoo, which enters the river at
Woosung, the center of the city being about twelve miles up. The city is
solidly built along the river front for eight miles on each side. On the
left side going in is Pootung, which at present is occupied chiefly by
warehouses, shipyards and factories. On the right side is Shanghai
proper, which is divided into districts; first. Hong Kew, which was to
have been the American Concession but was refused by the United States,
and is now part of the International Concession, is separated by Soochow
Creek from the British Concession; then, what was the Yang King Pang
Creek is filled in, and is now Edward the Seventh street and separates
the British from the French Concession. Following is the "Old" Chinese
city which was formerly walled in. Along the upper waterfront is Nantou,
usually crowded with native boats and junks of every description, a very
unique sight. The vessels are anchored in rows and perfect order is
kept, otherwise river passage would be obstructed by them.
The most important part
of the waterfront is called the Bund, fronting the British Concession, a
fine street over 100 feet in width. Broad pontoon landing stages occupy
the entire front, which are lined with launches and ferry boats,
generally three or four tiers deep. This section is rapidly becoming far
too crowded for the large population of the city and suburbs, as the
original plan did not taken into consideration the probability of its
expansion. There is a population of over one and one-half million in
this locality, of which about 11,000 are Europeans, 2,200 Americans,
10,000 Japanese, and the remainder Chinese.
The great cotton
manufacturing district is on the Shanghai river front, in Hongken and
along Soochow Creek for some miles, factories of various kinds occupying
the entire distance. The growth of this district almost surpasses the
imagination. Ten or twelve years ago it was all cultivated fields while
now it is a sight worth seeing, with its varied fleet of boats and
launches passing in an endless procession. On two different occasions I
counted them passing at the rate of sixty an hour. This continues
twenty-four hours a day. The development on the river side is blocked by
the Government Arsenal Dock Yard and Shipbuilding plant. They are just
completing four 10.000-ton steamers for the American Government, and are
fully occupied with both government and commercial work of every
description.
A little further down the
river and on the opposite side we have just completed a wharf over 1300
feet long, with three large two-story warehouses, houses for employees,
and a complete outfit for the rapid handling of our ships. These
improvements cost over three quarters of a million dollars, and furnish
at times employment to over 700 men.
As to the city, I find it
difficult to describe the improvements of the last twenty years. As
opposed to present conditions there was very little manufacturing being
done two decades ago, and the city has more than doubled its population
since that date. Up to the formation of the Republic, ten years ago.
Very slight advancement had been made; but since that time the progress
has been rapid, the greatest strides having been made in the past two
years. I think I am safe in saying that in no city in the world has so
much building been done, and the end is not yet, as in every section,
especially in the residential part, new buildings are being erected.
This is especially true of the French Concession. Along the Band and in
the business section many very large, modern buildings have been erected
and many are in course of construction, notably, the Jardine Matheson's
Office Building, The Glen Steamship Company Building, Hong Kong-Shanghai
Bank, The Chartered Bank, Nisshen Kissen Kaisha, and the large, modern
office building of the Robert Dollar Company.
It is in manufacturing
plants, however, that the greatest strides have been made, as over a
dozen very large cotton mills, each employing from two to four thousand
men and women, several flour mills, large electric light plants, tobacco
factories, oil mills, etc., having been erected.
There is now no question
but that Shanghai is by all odds the greatest industrial and commercial
city of China, and that it will continue its growth. Its commercial
future looks particularly bright, situated as it is at the mouth of this
great river where the development of the natural resources have hardly
begun, and with over two hundred millions of population backing it up.
When developments are finally made, many known commercial minerals will
be produced in large quantities; such as, coal, iron ore, manganese,
lead, silver and copper. No doubt oil will also be found, as it was
discovered in Szechuan many years ago. German experts sent by the
emperor some years ago, made an exhaustive examination for coal and
reported there was as much coal in China as in all the rest of the
world, and a very large proportion of both coal and iron ore was in the
Yangtse Valley. I emphasize coal and iron, since the future of any
country or place that has plenty of coal and iron ore of good quality is
assured. The ore that is now exported from this river runs as high as
60% of metallic iron. Ordinarily 50% is considered good.
As to agriculture, the
country produces plenty to feed its population of nearly five hundred
million, besides producing some for export. Production is varied,
ranging from tropical to products of the temperate zones; the northern
provinces having a cold winter produce the best wheat, beans and like
foodstuffs. Continuing up the river from Shanghai we find great level
plains of alluvial soil formed from the sediment of the river, as, like
the Nile, it overflows its banks and deposits a sediment that keeps the
land as rich as any in the world. The high water reaches its greatest
height in July of each year. At this writing (the middle of June) the
water has almost reached the top of the bank, and the farmers are out in
great numbers harvesting the crops that are now ripe; that is the first
crop. When the water recedes the last of July or August, they will put
in another crop. This valley is one of the most productive farming
countries in the world. The lower part of the valley is made-land from
silt deposited by the river. Probably no river carriers as much silt to
the ocean as the Yangtse.
The land during the last
two thousand or three thousand years, in the vicinity of Shanghai, has
all been made. Shanghai translated, reads, "A place by the Sea." No
doubt when the city was first established it was on the ocean shore and
the silt has gradually made the land until now the city is sixty miles
from the ocean. It is so level that at very high tides when a typhoon 's
raging, the whole country is flooded, and many of the streets are
covered with water to the depth of from one to two feet until the tide
recedes. The difference between low and high water is about eight feet.
The effects of ordinary tides are felt as far up the river as Wuliu 330
miles from the ocean. |
