HANKOW
Hankow is situated on the river Han at the point where it enters the Yangtsze, and is in lat. 30 deg. 32 min. 51 sec. N., and long. 114 deg. 19 min. 55 sec. E. It was formerly regarded as only a suburb of Hanyang, which it immediately adjoins, and which is a district city of the province of Hupeh, but has outstripped the older city in wealth and importance. These two towns lie immediately facing the city of Wuchang-fu, the capital of the province, which is built upon the south bank of the Yangtsze. Hankow is distant from Shanghai about 600 miles.
Attention was first drawn to Hankow as a place of trade by Huc, a French missionary. Captain Blakiston, in his work "The Yangtsze," gives the following correct description of the place and its surrounding:-"Hankow is situated just where an irregular range of semi-detached low hills crosses a particularly level country on both sides of the main river in an east and west direction. Stationed on Pagoda Hill, Hanyang, a spectator looks down on almost as much water as land even when the rivers are low. At his feet sweeps the magnificent Yangtsze, nearly a mile in width; from the west and skirting the northern edge of the range of hills already mentioned, comes the river Han, narrow and canal like, to add its quota, and serving as one of the highways of the country; and to the north-west and north is an extensive treeless flat, so little elevated above the river that the scattered hamlets which dot its surface are without exception raised on mounds, probably artificial works of a now distant age. A stream or two traverses its farther part and How into the main river. Carrying his eye to the right bank of the Yangtsze one sees enormous lakes and lagoons both to the north-west and south-east sides of the hills beyond the provincial city.
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The port was opened to foreign trade in 1881. The British Settlement is located the east end of the city, which joins, and is, together with the Race Course, included within the city walls, which are quite modern, having been built at the time of the Taiping Rebellion. It is well laid out, the roads being broad and all lined with well grown trees. The Bund, which is exactly half a mile in length, affords a very fine and pleasant promenade, and has an imposing appearance from the river. There are a large Roman Catholic and small Protestant and Greek churches, the latter a rather handsome structure built by the Russian residents. Several Brick Tea factories owned by Russians are located in the Settlement. A capital club, with tennis and racquet courts, bowling alley, billiard and reading rooms, library, &c. is kept up. A French Settlement was also fixed upon, but it has never been occupied. The river steamers go alongside hulks moored close to the shore; ocean steamers anchor in mid stream. The current is very strong in the river. The native city of Hankow presents no distinctive feature. Like all Chinese cities it is a crowded agglomeration of narrow lanes. The population of Hankow is estimated at 800,000.
Great expectations as regards trade were entertained respecting the opening of Hankow. Foreign commerce would, it was thought, be brought into immediate contact with the large internal population of China, and a port be established in the locality of the great tea producing districts. These expectations, however, have been but partially realised. Tea is, of course, the staple export, and it is at Hankow that the first steamers for home take in their cargoes. This trade, however, is now declining owing to the competition of Indian and Ceylon Teas. The total export of Tea from Hankow (including re-exports of Kiukiang tea) amounted in 1890 to 510,518 piculs, as compared with 560,108 piculs shipped in 1889. In 1890 Opium was imported to the extent of 738 piculs as against 937 piculs in 1889. It is computed that 70 per cent. of the opium used at this port is native grown drug; the import of the foreign article declines yearly. Tho trade under the transit pass system is larger at Hankow than at any other port; its value in 1890 was Tls. 5,913,159 as compared with Tls. 4,607,485 in 1889. The net value of the trade of the port in 1890 amounted to Tls. 36,405,599, and in 1889 to Tls. 37,610,898.
和協 Hip-wo
DIRECTORY
ANDERSON & Co., ROBT., Merchants
J. H. Anderson (absent)
F. W. Styan
C. Schlee
Agency
China Shippers' Mutual S. N. Co.
ARNHOLD KARBERG & Co., Merchants
M. Niclassen, signs per pro
W. L. Davies
Agencies
Deutsch Asiatische Rank
Hamburg-Magdeburg Fire Insce. Co. China Traders Insurance Co.
South British Marine and Fire Insce.