No. 73.
Mr. Holcombe to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Peking, February 2, 1882. (Received April 15.)
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 54, in regard to the dredging of the Woosung bar, I have the honor to inform you that I mentioned the matter to the ministers of the foreign office to-day. They requested [Page 123] me, informally,.to say to the Department that the scheme as given in the newspaper extract is correct; that work is to be begun within the current year; that the water on the bar is to be deepened by about ten feet (which will give, I believe, an average depth of about 26 feet at high water), and that the entire expense is to be borne by the Chinese Government, no tax for it being laid upon the commerce of Shanghai.
I thanked the ministers for this information, and congratulated them on behalf of the Government of the United States upon their decision to undertake this much needed improvement.
I have, &c.,