KONGMOON
999
stops short three miles from the sea, as to take the line right down would involve laying out a new town on the water front and dredging operations which they cannot at present afford. The railways tap rich districts, and will undoubtedly prove beneficial to the trade of Kongmoon. A Telegraph Office was opened on the 8th December, 1907, in the town, and in November, 1911, in the Settlement, and telegraphic communication is now possible with the Fatshan office.
The principal articles of export consist of prepared tobacco, joss-sticks, strawmats, paper, palm-leaf fans, fresh oranges and fresh vegetables; and imports are largely represented by foreign piece goods, kerosine oil, sugar, wheat flour, and foreign sundries, including a variety of Japanese commodities of a cheap nature. Large quantities of softwood poles are floated down in the form of rafts, which are dismantled here. These mostly come from beyond Wuchow and also from the North River. The yearly value of this branch of the trade is estimated at about $750,000. Owing to the frequent piracies in the delta the cocoon market hitherto established at Junki has been trans- ferred to Kongmoon, and the numerous steam launches and boats employed in this line of business give the port in front of the settlement a lively and animated appearance. There are two silk filatures in the town which afford employment to about 300 women each: the total out-turn of silk amounts to about 100 catties per day. An interesting local industry is the dredging of large shells from which a good quality of lime is made. The annual production of these shells is estimated at 200,000 piculs, worth about $40,000. Quite an important industry has sprung up in Kongmoon, namely, the preserving and canning of Chinese fruit for export abroad, where it is consumed by the numerous Chinese in America, Australia and the Straits Settlements.
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The unique opportunities presented for transport by the unrivalled waterways of the Delta have been well availed of by native enterprise, and there is a large and lucrative passenger trade with Canton, Fatshan, Sancheong, Hongkong and Macao, etc. Large roomy native passenger boats towed by powerful launches are engaged in this trade.
The surrounding country is picturesque, fertile and highly cultivated, and the inhabit- ants are prosperous and industrious. Rice is, of course, the principal crop, but mulberry shoots are very extensively cultivated for sale in the silk-producing centres, and large quantities of fresh vegetables are exported to supply the Hongkong market.
The net value of the port's trade in 1915 was Hk. Tls. 4,675,170 as against Hk. Tls. 6,886,972, in 1914, Hk. Tls. 8,656,789 in 1913, Tls. 6,610,077 in 1912, Tls. 5,501,892 in 1911, Tls. 6,138,386 in 1910, Tls. 5,301,242 in 1909, and Tls. 4,652,827 in 1908.
ASIATIC PETROLEUM Co..
P. H. Cobb
A. J. Burdsley, accountant
BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO CO.
F. E. Lyle, travelling agent
CONSULATES
GERMANY
DIRECTORY
Consul-Dr. W. Rössler, residing at
Canton
GREAT BRITAIN
Consul General-J.W. Jamieson, C.M.G.
residing at Canton
ITALY
官事頜總利大意大
Tai I-tai-li Ling-sz-bùn
CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME
Commissioner-P. B. von Rautenfeld Assistants-A. C. Biesterfeld, A. Palm Medical Officer-John A. McDonald Tidesurveyor and Harbour Master-
H. G. Wittsack
Asst. Examiners--E. C. Charrington,
D. B. Izatt, A. H. Craig
Tidewaiters-H. E. Olsen, E. A. C. Friedrichsen, W. Filipovich, M. J.. Barreira, H.Scrimshaw, A.Komaroff, D. A. Carlos, P. R. Neumann, J. Chipperfield
POST OFFICE, CHINESE
Postal Commissioner-C. H. Shields
(Canton)
STANDARD OIL CO. OF NEW YORK-Tel. Ad:.
Socony
C. E. Meyer, manager
J. A. Murphy