CHINKIANG
867
forces, its destruction was very nearly complete, but it has more than recovered its prosperous aspect. Public electric lighting was introduced in 1905. The city is enclosed by walls and defended by rather formidable-looking batteries commanding the river approaches. The foreign settlement occupies a tract of land extending from the mouth of the Canal along the bank of the river. The little settlement has a neat bund, is provided with a club, and has small Protestant and Catholic churches. It was the scene of a formidable riot on the 5th February, 1889, when about half the foreign houses and buildings were destroyed by a native mob. On December 23rd, 1904, a big subsidence of the river bank occurred. A piece of the bund measuring 700 feet long by 50 to 90 feet broad, with six godowns, was washed away. It caused a big tidal wave to travel over two miles up and down stream. There is now 60 to 80 feet depth of water where the subsidence occurred. The population of Chinkiang is estimated at 140,000. Chinkiang is now connected by railway with Shanghai and Nanking. As a result of this railway communication Chingkiang is considered to have great possibilities of future expansion as a trading centre. The Commissioner of Customs in a recent report remarks on great activity in building operations, the rapid aug- mentation of land values, the increase of rents to double and treble their former rates, especially for Chinese house property, and a rise in sympathy of the cost of the necessaries of life-all of which indicate the hopeful feeling as to the future of the port.
The foreign imports in 1906 and 1907 exceeded in value twenty million taels, chiefly sugar, Japanese matches, and oil. It may here be mentioned that the Standard Oil Company in 1907 completed the construction of an oil tank having a capacity of 1 millions of gallons, with a subsidiary tank of about 46,000 gallons. The net value of the trade of the port for 1907 amounted to Tls. 32,437,296 which showed a decline of nearly 34 millions on the returns for 1906.
DIRECTORY
Lih-toon
ALLISTON, S., Cattle Exporter, Merchant
and Commission Agent
亞世亞 A-si-a
ASIATIC PETROLEUM & Co., Ld., The,
H. Griffin, local manager
R. Thuss, installation manager
古太 Tai-koo
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Merchants
J. D. Danby, signs per pro.
Agencies
China Navigation Company, Limited Ocean Steamship Company, Limited
China Mutual Steam Nvgtn. Co., Ld.
Taikoo Sugar Refining Co., Ld.
Shah," hulk pontoon (receiving ship) "Lancefield,” hulk
Royal Exchange Assce. Corporation
London & Lancashire Fire Insce. Co. Palatine Insurance Co., Ld. Guardian Assurance Co., Ld.
Union Insurance Society of Canton, Ld. Russo-Chinese Bank
North Borneo Trading Co., Ld.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
E. Starkey, chairman (pro. te.n.) L. H. Tamplin, hon. secretary
CHINA MERCHANTS' STEAM NAVIGATION
Co.'s Hulk "Express
**
Chu Pin King, agent
Agency
China Merchants' Insurance Company
CHINKIANG CLUB
Committee-L. A. Byworth (chair- man), R. Kähs (hon. sec. and treas.) Smith Alliston