CANTON
285
Ground, the Gaols, the Arsenal, an ancient Water Clock, and the Mahomedan Mosque are among other show places. The French Mission have erected a large and handsome Gothic cathedral, with two lofty towers surmounted by spires, in the city. The structure is entirely built of dressed granite. A Mint, constructed by the late Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, and furnished with a very complete plant, has been erected near the North Gate, commenced work in 1889, and now issues a silver subsidiary coinage as well as copper cash. The buildings cover a large area. On the opposite side of the river the Honam Temple and Monastery is the principal attraction. The population of Canton is estimated at 2,500,000, which is the figure given in the last issue of the Customs Trade Reports. A native official report in 1895 gave the population as 499,288 only; but this was exclusive of the boat population and is believed to have been inaccurate as regards the land population.
When the foreign merchants returned to Canton to establish trade after the capture of the city by the English at the close of 1857, they found the Factory and the buildings along the river in ruins. Recourse for accommodation was consequently had to warehouses on the Honam side of the river. Considerable discussion subsequently took place as to the selection of a site for a permanent British settlement, and it was eventually determined that an extensive mud flat known as Shameen should be filled in and appropriated. In 1859 an artificial island was created there, a canal constructed between the northern side of the site and the city, and solid and extensive embankments of masonry built. It took about two years to complete this undertaking, and cost no less than $325,000. Of this sum four-fifths were defrayed by the British, and one-fifth by the French Government, to whom a portion of the reclaimed land was given. Up to 1889 most of the French concession remained unutilised, but in that year a number of lots were sold and are now built upon. The French also received a grant of the old site of the Viceroy's Yamên, on which the Catholic Cathedral has been erected. Shameen is pleasingly laid out, and the roads are shaded with well grown trees. A neat church, cafled Christ Church, stands at the western end. There is good hotel accommodation. During an anti-foreign riot on the 10th September, 1883, sixteen houses and the Concordia Theatre on the settlement were burned by the mob.
In consequence of the decline in the importance of Canton as a place of trade, caused principally by the opening of some of the northern ports, many of the merchants by whom lots were purchased there in 1861, at enormous prices, withdrew from Canton altogether. The trade now transacted there by foreigners is limited. Tea and Silk are the staple exports. The total export of Tea for the year ending 31st December, 1899 was 8,488 piculs against 10,025 piculs in 1898, and in 1897, 13,501 piculs. The extent to which the trade has fallen off will be seen on a comparison of the above figures with those for 1888, when the export was 131,141 piculs, The quantity of Raw Silk (exclusive of Refuse and Wild Silk) exported in 1899 was 7,172, in 1898 33,853 piculs, in 1897 30,716 piculs and 23,287 piculs in 1896. These figures, however, which are taken from the Foreign Customs returns, do not give the total export, but only those in foreign vessels. Both Tea and Silk are carried in large quantities to Hongkong by junk, for transhipment. The export of sugar in 1899 was 175,286 piculs against 162,605 piculs in 1898. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs for 1899 was Tls. 58,641,864, for 1898 Tls. 49,554,973, for 1897 Tls. 49,934,391, and for 1896 Tls 46,160,343.
Ample means of communication exist between Canton and Hongkong, a distance of about ninety-five miles, by foreign steamers plying daily, and a large number of native craft. There is daily steam communication with Macao. Steamers also run regularly between Shanghai, Hongkong, and Canton. There is a safe and commodious anchorage within 150 yards of the river wall at Shameen. Canton was connected by telegraph (an overland line) with Kowloon in 1883, and another overland line was completed from Canton to Lungchau-fu, on the Kwangsi and Tonkin frontier, in June, 1884. The electric light has been introduced into a portion of the city. A projected railway between Canton and Kowloon has received the Imperial sanction and a preliminary survey has been made, but it still remains a project. The survey by an American syndicate of a railway route to connect Canton with Hankow was also made in 1899.