A bust unveiling ceremony was held March 30 at Taipei Water Park to honor British engineer William Burton for his contributions to designing Taiwan’s water-supply systems during the Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945).
Presided over by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, the event was attended by British Office Taipei Representative John Dennis and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chief Representative Hiroyasu Izumi, while Frank Hsieh, Taiwan’s representative to Japan, also took part from Tokyo via video link.
During his opening remarks, Ko said Burton played an immensely important role in the design and construction of Taiwan’s water supply systems. His legacy is particularly appreciated at a time when the country is experiencing one of the most severe droughts in decades, he added.
In response, Dennis said he is pleased to see that the engineering innovation of his country more than a century ago is still benefitting Taiwan to this day. It is hoped that the three sides will continue to engage in technological cooperation and people-to-people exchanges for the prosperity of the future generations, he added.
According to the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame, Burton was born in Edinburgh in 1856. He traveled to Japan in 1887 and became a professor of sanitary engineering at the Imperial University in Tokyo. He was widely hailed as the engineer who saved Japan from cholera in the 19th century and built the country’s first skyscraper.
Burton came to Taiwan in 1896 at the request of the Japanese government. During his three-year stay on the island, Burton conducted comprehensive sanitary surveys and laid the groundwork of Taiwan’s waterway development. (SFC-E)
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