“(4) The joint purchase with the firm of Carlowitz and Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg and Co. of a large site outside Shanghai harbour intended for the building of docks and quays, and the lease of the so-called Eastern Wharf, both these undertakings to be managed by a specially created joint-stock company.
“(5) The establishment of temporary offices at Shanghai.
“(6) In Japan discussions are still proceeding concerning the running of a line from the Far East to the American Pacific coast.
“(7) In New York negotiations with the representative of the firm of Forwood are under way regarding the purchase of the Atlas Line.”
This list summarizes the contents of a long series of letters from all parts of the world where Ballin’s keen insight, long foresight, and business acumen suggested to his alert mind possibilities of extending Packetfahrt shipping interests. Time translated many of his suggestions into flourishing actualities, some of which survived the 1914-18 years; others disappeared in the cataclysm; others, again, by the lapse of time have not the keen general interest that appertained to the ideas when they fell fresh-minted from his pen. The following, however, in regard to China and Japan, are worthy of record:
“Shanghai.
March 4th, 1901.
“I am not quite satisfied with the course which the negotiations concerning the possible inauguration of a Yangtse line have taken so far.
“The vessels employed are of the flat-bottomed kind, some being paddle boats, others twin-screw steamers. In their outward appearance the Yangtse steamers, owing to their high erections on deck, greatly resemble the saloon steamers plying on the Hudson. Their draught rarely exceeds 12 feet, and those which occasionally go higher up the river than Hankau draw even less. Most of the money earned by these boats is derived from the immense Chinese passenger traffic they carry.... The chief difficulty we have experienced in our preparations for the opening of a Yangtse line of our own consists in the absence of suitable pier accommodation....”
“On board the s.s. Sibiria on the Yangtse.
March 10th, 1901.
“ ... After what I have seen of Nanking, I am afraid that the development of that place which is being looked forward to will not be realized for a fairly long time to come. Matters are quite different with respect to Chin-kiang where we are stopping now, a port which is even now carrying on a thriving trade with the interior parts of the country. It can scarcely be doubted that, if the Celestial Empire is thrown open to the Western nations still more than has been done up to now, the commerce of the Yangtse ports is bound to assume large proportions. During the summer months, i.e. for practically two-thirds of the year, the Yangtse is navigable for ocean-going steamers of deep draught, even more so than the Mississippi. At that time of the year the volume of water carried by the river increases enormously in certain reaches. This increase has been found to amount to as much as 38 feet, and some of the steamers of the Russian Volunteer Fleet going up to Hankau possess a draught which exceeds 25 feet....”