Directory_and_Chronicle_1917

740

NEWCHWANG

The climate, froin the foreigner's point of view, is one of the best in China, the sum- mers being comparatively cool, while the winters are cold and bracing. The hottest summer temperature rarely exceeds 85° (Fahr.), but cold blasts from the North pull down the "mercury" in winter months often to 10° and 15° below zero (Fahr.). The river is generally frozen over for three months of the year, but navigation is practically suspended for four months, from December to the following April. Formerly New- chwang was shut off from the rest of the world during winter, but the advent of rail- ways has changed all this. The Government Railways of North China, through their branch line from Koupangtzu, maintain daily communication with Tientsin, Peking and Mukden; and the South Manchurian Railway, through its branch line from Tashih- chiao, maintains daily communication with Dalny, Port Arthur, Mukden, Tiehling and Kuanchengtze. At the latter place the Chinese Eastern Railway connects for Harbin and Europe by the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The Chinese population of Yingkow is estimated at 52,000 and the foreign popula- tion in 1908 numbered 2,538 of which 2,396 were of Japanese nationality.

The value of the trade, of the port during the year 1915 was Hk. Tls. 40,395,539 as compared with Tls. 37,395,530 in 1914 and Hk. Tls. 50,064,454 in 1913. Until a few years back Newchwang had the monopoly of the trade of Manchuria, but now she has powerful competitors in Harbin in the North and Dalny in the South. In spite of the competition she is holding her own, owing partly to the cheaper rates on water-borne produce from the hinterland, and partly to

hinterland, and partly to the reluctance of the Chinese merchants to leave an old-established business centre with all its vested interests. The chief articles of export are agricultural products-beans, millet, maize, etc., and their by-products beancake, bean oil and samshu, with a fair amount of bristles, ginseng, native medicines, wild and refuse silk and skins and furs thrown in. Another article of export has lately arisen in Fushun coal, and the South Manchurian Railway, finding the cost of laying down the coal at Newchwang is cheaper than at Dalny, is developing the export trade from Newchwang.

The greater part of the export trade here is with Japan and the Southern Chinese ports, but some direct shipments of beans and beancake were made to Europe. Details of a scheme for the improvement of the Upper Reaches of the Liao River and the deep; ening of the Bar at its mouth were under consideration for over two years, and a preliminary Agreement-embodying regulations for the financing and operation of the scheme-signed in July, 1911, by the Consular Body and Taotai, was for some time afterwards the subject of negotiations between the Diplomatic Body at Peking and the Chinese Central and Provincial Authorities. The scheme was eventually ratified in the course of 1914, and Conservancy works were begun in 1915 and are proceeding.

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