The Central China Famine Relief Committee held its last meeting and closed its work on January 21, 1913. At that time an unexpended balance of approximately $75,000 (gold) remained in the treasury, but the committee disposed of the greater part of it by a series of resolutions, which were in effect as follows:
The sum of $11,250 was placed in the hands of a special committee for the purpose of carrying on “a campaign covering three years or more, to draw attention of officials and people to the seriousness of famines which are occurring with such frequency in different parts of China; to educate public opinion upon the subject of famine prevention and to show how the condition of the people in the famine area can be permanently improved.” The treasurer of this educational fund is the treasurer of the National Committee of the Young Men’s Christian Association of China.
The sum of $2,500 was set aside to assist in the care of “famine children” in the orphanages of the Catholic missions in the famine areas.
The sum of $5,500 was appropriated to be applied to the carrying out of a plan already begun for colonizing destitute Chinese upon unoccupied lands under instruction and supervision.
The sum of $22,500 was set aside to be used in the repair of dykes in the neighborhood of Wuhu on condition that the Chinese of Anhwei Province raise the sum of $45,000 to be applied to the same work.
The sum of $7,500 was voted to be used in the education of Chinese young men in forestry, with special reference to conservation against drought and flood. The purpose is to select a few especially promising Chinese students from the institutions of higher education in China and send them to the American School of Forestry at Manila, P. I., or possibly in some instances to the United States. These young men, after receiving their education, will be expected to return to their native country and enter actively into efforts toward that reforestation which is regarded as essential to any great reduction in the number and severity of floods and droughts.
After making the allotments above mentioned there remained a balance in the committee’s hands of about $22,500, which was transferred to a permanent committee of trustees, consisting of the following: The General Consular Officer of the United States at Shanghai, the Commissioner of Customs, the Manager of the International Banking Corporation, the Honorable Wu Ting Fang, Ch’on Jen Fu, Esq., and the Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. This committee will hold the balance of the relief funds for use in future relief work which may be necessary in China as the result of famines.
[A part of this article was published in a recent issue of the Survey.]
HOUSEBOAT USED BY MR. C. D. JAMESON, AMERICAN RED CROSS CIVIL ENGINEER, EMPLOYED IN CHINA.