SHANGHAI
783-
at Tls. 4,509,155, 3,082 assessed at Tls. 4,703,838, 2,928 assessed at Tls. 4,484,696, 2,721 assessed at Tis. 3,928,656, 2,567 assessed at Tls. 3,423,936, 2,472 assessed at Tls. 3,235,311, and 2,129 assessed at Tls. 2,189,940 on the corresponding dates in 1913, 1912, 1911, 1910, 1909, 1908, 1907, 1906, 1905 and 1904. On 34,300 native houses the assessment was 89,714,522,- against 53,409 assessed at Tls. 8,695,486 in 1913, 52,461 assessed at Tls. 8,358,605 in 1912, 52,125 assessed at $8,193,110 in 1911, 52,008 assessed at $8,332,449 in 1910, 51,288 assessed at $8,298,051 in 1909, 50,826 assessed at $8,238,267 in 1908, 49,482 as- sessed at $8,146,048 in 1907, 47,210 assessed at $7,225,491 in 1906, and 45,328 assessed at $6,830,461 in 1905. In addition six per cent. (half rate) is now collected on 479 occupied foreign houses assessed at Tls. 328,593 and 1,059 occupied native houses assessed at $15,248 outside the Settlement limits, but supplied with water by the Shanghai Waterworks Co. For 1915 the land of the French Concession was valued for assessment at Tls. 24,000,000; the rental assessment of foreign houses at Tls. 525,000, and of native houses Tls. 1,416,666. The British and French Settlements, exclusive of the extensions acquired in 1899 and 1901, are now all built over, and the vacant spaces in Hongkew are being rapidly covered. The Captain-Superintendent of Police in a late report said that nearly the whole area "may be described as densely populated: how crowded few residents can have any conception." He thinks "that the native population is very much under-estimated," and considers that nearly three-quarters of a million earn their living within the Settlement. Many of the best foreign houses, both in the Settlements and outside roads, are now occupied by Chinese, retired officials and merchants.
A greatly enlarged boundary for the Settlement was granted in 1901. This new territory has been thoroughly surveyed and many new roads are being formed. The area within Municipal limits is now 8 square miles, or 5,584 acres, with a population of 93'4 per acre. There are in the whole Settlement and outside roads (exclusive of the French) 3,486 occupied European houses, with an average of 409 foreign inhabitants per house, and 52,983 occupied Chinese houses, with an average of 9626 occupants. There are 110 miles of roads and 93 miles of footways, and considerable additions, in the extension, are planned. The Japanese Treaty of 1896 gave that Power the right to a separate Settlement at Shanghai, but although 3,361 Japanese were residing in Shanghai at the time of the 1910 census no definite claim has yet been made for such an area. A proposed extension Northward to include the Paoshan district, necessitated by the difficulties of policing the boundaries, has received the unanimous support of the Ratepayers
and the Consular body, and is now being pressed on the Chinese Authorities. Most of the land at Pootung, on the opposite bank of the river, is now also rented by foreigners, but natives have recently been considerable purchasers of landed property within the Settlements. All ground belongs nominally to the Republic of China, but is rented in perpetuity, a tax of fifteen hundred copper cash, equal to less than two taels per mow, being paid to the Government annually. The Settlement land was bought from the original proprietors at about $50 per mow, which was at least twice its then value. Some lots have lately been sold at Tls. 80,000 to Tls. 110,000 a mow. Six mow equal one acre.
As a port for foreign trade Shanghai grew but gradually until it gained a great impetus by the opening in 1861 of the Yangtze and northern ports, secured by the Treaty of Tientsin, and a further increase by the opening up of Japan. In March, 1848, owing to an assault on some missionaries near Shanghai, Mr. Alcock, the British Consul, blockaded the port and stopped the passage outwards of eleven hundred grain junks. This drastic measure, by which grain for the North was cut off, brought the authorities to their senses, and after sending a man-of-war to Nanking the matter was arranged. The first event of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the city on 7th September, 1853, by the Triad rebels, who held it for seventeen months, although repeatedly besieged and attacked by the Imperialists. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign Settlements, and the price- of land rose very considerably. At that time a Volunteer force was formed among the foreign residents, under the command of Captain (afterwards Sir Thomas) Wade, which did really good service. The battle of "Muddy Flat" was fought on 4th April, 1854, when the Volunteers in conjunction with the Naval forces, consisting in all of 300 men with one field piece, drove the Imperialists, numbering 10,000 men, from the neighbour- hood of the Settlements and burned their camps. Two of the Volunteers and one American were killed, and ten men wounded. Owing to the occupation of the city the authorities were powerless to collect the duties, which for a short time were not paid, and it was in consequence agreed in July, 1854, between the Taotai and the three Consuls (British, French, and American) that they should be collected under