216
AMOY
which define it, surmounted by pagodas or temples, and partly by the high barren hills behind the city. There is an outer and an inner city, as one approaches it seaward, divided by a high ridge of rocky hills having a fortified wall running along the top. A paved road connects the two. The entire circuit of the city and suburbs is about eight miles, containing a population of 300,000, while that of the island is estimated at 100,000 more. The harbour is one of the best on the coast; there is good holding ground in the outer harbour, and vessels can anchor in the inner, within a short distance of the beach, and be perfectly secure; the tide rises and falls from fourteen to sixteen feet. The western side of the harbour, here from six hundred and seventy-five to eight hundred and forty yards wide, is formed by the island of Kulangsu. It is a picturesque little spot and maintains a rural population of 3,500 people. Eastward of Amoy is the island of Quemoy or Kinmun (Golden Harbour), presenting a striking contrast in the low foreground on its south shore to the high land on Amoy." The population of the city is, however, now estimated at 96,000.
Amoy ranks as a third class city. It is considered, even for China, to be very dirty, and its inhabitants are unusually squalid in their habits. There are several places of interest to foreigners in the vicinity, and excursions can be made to Chang- chow-fu, the chief city of the department of that name, and situated about 35 miles from Amoy. The island of Kulangsu is about a third of a mile from Amoy, and the residences of nearly all the foreigners are to be found there, although most of the foreign business is transacted on the Amoy side. There is a good Club in the settlement, adjoining which is the cricket ground. A neat little Anglican Church has also been erected. There are three granite docks at Amoy, the largest being 310 feet by 60feet; they are owned and managed by foreigners. A small shipping sheet called the Amoy Gazette is published daily. The foreign residents number about 280.
There has always been a comparatively good trade done at Amoy. There is frequent and pretty regular steamer communication with Hongkong, Swatow, and Foochow Direct communication with Manila and the Straits Settlements is also maintained. The total export of Ten for 1896 was 213,017 pieuls (including 180,416 piculs re-exported) as against 137,213 piculs in 1895. The export of Sugar for 1896 was 234,161 piculs, compared with 124,707 piculs in 1895. The net importation of Opium for 1896 was 3,818 piculs as compared with 2,427 piculs in 1895. The net value of the foreign trade of the port for 1896 was Tls. 13,012,017, for 1895 Tls. 13,466,892, and for 1894 Tls. 12,693,148.
Il fu Ho-kee
DIRECTORY
BOYD & Co., Merchants and Com. Agents
W. Suell Orr
T. M. Boyd
A. F. Gardiner
E. Thomas W. E. Keay
W. Winmill
Agencies
Mercantile Bank of India, Limited Eastern and Australian Steamship Co. Northern Pacific Steamship Co.
Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co. Lloyd's
China Traders' Insurance Co., Limited Royal Fire and Life Insurance Co. Bremen Marine Insurance Companies Underwriters' Union at Amsterdam Netherlands India Sea and Fire Insce. Underwriting and Agency Assocn. Le Cercle Transports d'Assurances
Maritimes de Marseille
Nippon Sea and Land Insurance Co. Liverpool Underwriters' Association Sun Life Assurance Co., of Canada
陸水 Sui Liock
BROWN & Co., Merchants
C. S. Powell
J. A. Maher
J. M. Boyol
Agencies
Lancashire Insurance Co. (Fire & Life) South British Fire and Marine Insce. Standard Life Assurance Company Imperial Insurance Company, Ld. Aachen and Munich Fire Insce. Co.
Mat-long
BROWN & CO., F. C., Drapers, Silk Mercers,
Milliners, and Dressmakers, Kulagsoon
Mrs. T. C. Nicholls
Miss F. Garrett
古太 Tui Koo
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Merchants
D. R. Law, agent
Agencies
Yokohama Specie Bank, Limited
Comptoir National d Escompte de Paris
Digitized by