KEWKIANG
I Kiú-kiany
Kewkiang (now more generally written Kiukiang) is situated on the river Yangtsze near the outlet of the Poyang Lake, and is a prefectural city of the province of Kiang-si. It is distant about 142 geographical miles from Hankow and 454 miles from Shanghai. Kewkiang was, before the Rebellion, a busy and populous city; but it was occupied by the Taiping rebels in 1853, and before it was given up to the Imperial troops was almost entirely destroyed. When the Foreign Settlement was established there, how- ever, the population soon returned, and has continued to increase rapidly: it is now
estimated at 55,000.
The city is built close to the river, the walls running along the banks of it for some 500 yards. Their circumference is about five miles, but a portion of the space enclosed is still unoccupied. The city contains no feature of interest. There are several large lakes to the north and west of it, and it is backed by a noble range of hills a few miles distant, among them being Kuling some 3,600 feet high, which has become a well-known summer resort, especially of Missionaries. The foreign settlement lies to the west of the city and is neatly laid out. It possesses a small bund lined with trees, a club, a small Protestant church, and a Ronian Catholic cathedral.
The idea which led to the opening of Kewkiang was, no doubt, its situation as regards communication by water with the districts where Tea is produced. But the hopes entertained respecting the port have never been wholly realised, Hankow having become the market for Black Teas. The general trade of the port, however, has in- creased considerably in recent years, a large development of Inland Steam Navigation in the Poyang Lake contributing to this result. Its connection by rail with the provincial capital, Nanchang (begun in 1906), may further improve matters. The Tea export in 1999 was 247,768 piculs as compared with 229,141 piculs in 1908 and 252,396 piculs in 1907. Kewkiang is the port from whence the ware made at the far-fained porcelain factories at Kin-tê-chén is shipped. The specimens sent to the Paris Exhibition in 1900 secured a silver medal, in competition with European porcelain. Beans, and peas, hemp, indigo, paper, melon and sesamum seeds, and tobacco leaf are also important exports. The net value of the trade of the port for the past three yea's has been between 30 and 304 million taels.
DIRECTORY
Fu
協
Hip-wo
ANDERSON & Co., Rour., Merchants
R. Anderson (absent)
C. Schlee (Lond n)
H. Schlee (absent)
E. White (Shanghai)
Agencies
China Mutual Steam Navgn. Co., Ld.
China Fire Insurance Company,
China Traders' Insurance Co., Ld.
Ld.
Marine Insurance Company, Limited
亞細亞
ASIATIC PETROLEUM CO., LD., LONDON, THE
Local Manager-Greville T. Nelson
do.
-V. Strange
Engineer-Geo. Homewood
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
Acting Consul H. F. King
☆k Ta-koo
古太
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Merchants
J. Melsaac, signs per pro.
Hulks "Pasha" and "Sultan"
Agencies
China Navigation Company, Limited Ocean Steamship Company, Limited China Mutual Steam Nygti. Co., Ld. Taikoo Sugar Refining Company, L. London and Lancashire Fire Insce. ('o. British and Foreign Marine Insce. Co.
Union Insurance Society of Canton, L.
North Borneo Trading Co., Ld.
司公險保和薺仁
Jen Chi Ho Pao Hsien Kung Sze
CHINA MERCHANTS' MARINE INSURANCE CO,
Cheng Yuet Ngam, agent