Directory_and_Chronicle_1917

YOCHOW

943

There is also a large production of cotton. The mountain districts contain large- fields of coal, both anthracite and bituminous; iron also is known to exist. Sulphur, antimony, nickel, and other minerals are even now exported, and great possibilities of development are undoubtedly to be found.

Stean launches and steamers run through from Hankow to Changsha with cargo and passengers, under River passes; and from Yochow to Inland places under Inland Steam Navigation Rules.

The city of Yochow is perched on a bluff in a very picturesque way. Its site_is, however, not adapted for a transit trade, and it offers no shelter for small craft. The port has, therefore, been opened at Chengling, five miles to the north and only a mile from the Yangtsze, where a sinall creek provides the needed shelter for cargo-boats, though the steamer anchorage is bad, being fully exposed to the frequent northerly gales, while the bottom affords bad holding ground. Here the Chinese Government has set aside a place for a cosmopolitan settlement, for which they themselves will provide roads, police, etc.; the site contains level ground for business purposes, well raised, but not too high above flood limits, while higher ground gives good and healthy sites for foreign houses. Work on the formation of the settlement and bunding operations were commenced in 1900, and a new Custom-house and quarters have been built. Since the Rebellion in the Yangtsze Valley in 1913 a garrison of northern troops now under Field- Marshal Wu Kuang-Hsin, has been stationed in Yochow, which has also been made one: of the stations of General Chang Hsün, High Inspector of the Yangtze. Yochow is described by the Customs Commissioner as "doubtless the healthiest town in the Yangtsze Valley, considering the insanitary conditions." In 1900, really the first open year of the port, the net value of the trade was Tls. 143,827. In 1903 it amounted to Tls. 3,473,241, but in 1905 the value was Tls. 490,058 only, and in 1910 the returns show a net value of Tls. 1,941,869 as compared with Tls. 3,015,913 in 1909. The noticeable decline since 1904 was the result of the opening of Changsha as a Treaty Port. In the meantime, however, the trade of the province has increased enormously, and its distribution between the ports of Changsha and Yochow is determined principally by the state of the river. The value of Yochow's share of the trade in the year 1915 was Hk. Tls. 7,104,067, which shows an increase over 1914 of Hk. Tls. 1,491,707.

The noteworthy feature of 1907 was the connection of Changteh by steainer during the high-water season--June to October--the resulting trade being valued at Tls. 617,000. Connection with Changteh is now maintained practically throughout the year by special tugs and lighters, and the value of the trade amounted to over Tls. 4,128,000 in the year 1914, of which amount over Tls. 1,800,000 represented the value of native exports. These figures, however, represent only the trade for about 8 months, as the exports from Changteh, being mostly destined for export to Germany, ceased abruptly soon after the outbreak of the War in Europe. Buoys and lights were established in 1907 to mark the channel across the lake. The difficulties and risks of this route are consider- able, and it is probable that it will be found advisable to adopt the somewhat longer route via Lulintan, though, on account of the sharp bends of the River Yuan in its lower reaches, specially adapted steamers will probably have to be used. The question of making Changteh an "Open Port" was again taken up in the spring of 1915 and Chinese officials visited the place to enquire into the conditions, but the place still remains only open to vessels under I.W.S.N., rules. The principal products exported from Changteh are native cloth, ramie, wood oil, vegetable tallow, lotus nuts, broad beans and hides.

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