Directory_and_Chronicle_1905

KOUANG-TCHEOU-WAN

*H* Kwáng-chau-wan

The bay of Kwangchau (or according to the French official spelling, Kouang tcheou) situated in the province of Kwang-tung, was ceded on lease with the surrounding territories by a Convention between France and China, and occupied by the French on the 22nd of April, 1898. It is comprised between the 20 deg. 45 min. and the 21 deg. 17 min. north latitude, and the 107 deg. 55 min. and 108 deg. 16 min. east longitude to a distance more or less of 230 miles of Hongkong, W.S.W. The two islands of Nao-tcheou and Tang-hai placed at the entrance of the bay make an excellent closed port into which entrance is by two narrow passages. The port measures about 15 miles long, and for about half of its length it measures 3 or 4 miles in breadth, but it is much narrower over about one mile and a half or two miles. The depth of anchorage of 20 mètres extends over a length of more than 10 miles and borders at the extremity of the bay the port of junks of Tchekam, an important commercial centre in constant relations with Macao, Hongkong, Hainan and Pakhoi. The neighbouring districts are much cultivated and it is believed mineral beds will be found. The new French territory is only separated from the valley of the West River by chains of hills. Following the Convention of delimitation signed on the 16th of November, 1899, between Marshal Sou and Admiral Courrejolles, the territory of Kouang-tcheou-wan was placed under the authority of the Governor-General of Indo-China. It was divided into three circumscriptions. The superior administration of the territory is performed by a first class administrator in the civil service of Indo-China, assisted by three deputy administrators, each taking charge of one circumscription, residing at Tehe-kam, Po-teou and Nao Tcheou. Each circumscription is divided into districts administered by the native authorities (Kong-hü). The chief place of the territory is the new town of Ma Tché, which is at the entrance of the interior port. The village of Fort Bayard, on the right bank of the river Ma Tché, contains important military installations, and on the left bank is the commercial port, with the establishments of the civil administration and the special offices.

Kouang-tcheou-wan is a free port in which all commercial operations can be carried on without paying any duty. A regular bi-monthly line of steamers join Kouang-tcheou- wan to Haiphong and Hongkong, calling at Pakhoi and Hoihow. Eight Steamers of French Chinese companies join Kouang-tcheou-wan with Hongkong, and another steamer makes the service between Kouang-tcheou-wan, Macao and Canton. The com- merce has already largely extended since the steamers entered this port in communica- tion with the exterior ports, and it may be expected to devolop on a large scale. The Chinese population of the territory is about 189,000, and the superficial area is 84,244 hectares, containing 1,233 villages.

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