TAINAN, TAKOW, AND ANPING
66
613
Foreign shipping has been injuriously affected in recent years by a decrease in the volume of trade with the opposite coast, caused by the increased tariff on imports and the imposition of export duties in Formosa. The British Consul in his report for 1902 observed that with the exception of two sailing ships, which brought timber from Foochow, the British ships which visited Tainan during the year came from Hongkong or Swatow, chiefly in ballast, and loaded there with general cargo, principally sugar, for the northern coast ports of China. No British ships or foreign vessel cleared for the Japan ports during 1902, the large sugar and rice export being carried exclusively in Japanese steamers, But in 1904 he noted an unprecedented increase" of European shipping, 142 vessels having entered against only eight in 1903. In 1905 of a grand total of 238 ships, aggregating 2×6,006 tons engaged in the trade, 180 of 206,658 tons were European. The Japanese Government grants a subsidy of 61,028 yen to the Osaka Shosen Kaisha for a fortnightly steamer service between Anping and Hongkong via Amoy and Swatow, and in 1902 a direct steamer service was started between the ports of Japan and the southern ports of Formosa, for which the same Company receives à subsidy of 124,800 yen. A further subsidy of 143,825 yen is paid to the Company for a service of steamers around the coast of Formosa throughout the year. During 1904 Japanese shipping largely disappeared, owing to the war.
The construction of a through railway from Takow as its southern terminus viâ Tainan and Kagee to Taihoku in the north, was begun in the latter part of 1899. The period of construction was estimated at 10 years, and the cost at 28,800,000 yen, which it was decided to raise by the issue, yearly of Formosa Industrial Public Loan Bonds at certain fixed amounts. The work progressed rapidly in 1900 and 1901, but in 1902 it was temporarily abandoned owing to lack of funds. The section between the port of Takow and the City of Tainan (28 miles) was opened in November, 1900, and the section between Tainan and Kagee (43 miles) was opened in March 1902. The railway is now all but completed, exceptional activity having been shown in 1905. It is in full operation with the exception of a length of about a dozen miles, which has to be travelled over in trollies.
The proposed harbour works at Takow and Anping, and the other public works are postponed, but will be proceeded with as soon as the necessary appropriations can be obtained. The harbours have been completely surveyed and the estimated cost is $6,500,000. The total value of the import and export trade of the two open ports of Auping and Takow, which are the only two ports in this district open to foreign trade, shows steady development. In 1905 it amounted to £527,192.
DIRECTORY
記怡 Ee-kee
General Managers
BAIN & Co., Merchants
A. W. Bain
H. W. Arthur
C. E. Hastings
Ko Thieng Sang
Agencies
Hongkong and Shai. Banking Corpn. Norddeutscher Lloyd
Douglas Steamship Company, Limited Indo-China S. N. Company, Limited China Navigation Company, Ld. Canadian Pacific Railway Company Lloyd's
Liverpool Underwriters' Association Canton Insurance Office, Limited
China Traders' Insurance Co., Limited Hongkong Fire Insurance Co., Limited South British Fire and Marine Ins. Co. Nouveau Lloyd Suisse
New York Life Insurance Company Impl. Mar.& Trspt. Ins. Co., Ld., Tokyo
South Forinosa Ice Company, Ld.
BANK OF TAIWAN, LIMITED, Tel. Ad., Taigin
T. Ikeda, manager
CONSULATES
GREAT BRITAIN
also
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, Consulate DENMARK, Consular Agency FRANCE, Consular Agency GERMANY, in charge of interests NORWAY, acting Vice-Consulate SPAIN, in charge of interests UNITED STATES, Consular Agency
Consul-A. E. Wileman Pro-Consul-H. W. Arthur Writer-K. Watanabe
NETHERLANDS
Consular Agent-R. N. Ohly Act.
-S. Elphinstone
do.
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