MISSIONS
PAKHOI-HOIHOW (IN HAINAN)
AMERICAN MISSION (CHINA NEW TESTA-
MENT)
Genl. Supt.-Joseph Smale Secretary-W. H. Crofts
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY
Rev. N. Mackenzie (on furlough)
Rev. E. T. Loader
Dr. A. J. Watson Dr. Louise Watson
Miss G. E. Dunk
Miss S. Beattie
Miss L. E. Tracey
965
FRENCH CATHOLIC MISSION (MISSIONS
堂主天
ETRANGÈRES DE PARIS)
FRENCH HOSPITAL
Dr. P. Gouillon, in charge
FRENCH SCHOOLS-Pakhoi
局郵等一海北
POST OFFICE
Postmaster-J. M. E. S. de Senna
YAMASHITA KISEN KAISHA
Yuen Fat, agent
HOIHOW (IN HAINAN)
Kiung-chau
口海 Hoi-hau
Hoihow is the seaport of the prefectural city of Kiungchow, the capital of the Island of Hainan. The two towns are separated by a distance of some three miles of low hills dotted with graves; and across these lies a semi-macadamised road. This highway was originally constructed by the Kiungchow Horse Carriage Co. in 1915, and was considerably improved by General Lung Chi-kwang during his rule over Hainan in the middle of 1918. At the present time it serves the purpose, also, of two or three decrepit Ford cars, which the Carriage Co. utilise as well as their plucky little underfed and overworked ponies.
The
The port of Hoihow was opened by the establishment of a branch of the Chinese Maritime Customs in April, 1876. During the latter nine months of that year foreign tonnage to the extent of 36,672 tons entered and cleared at the Custom House, this representing 54 British, 10 German, 2 French and 4 Danish steamers that entered from, and cleared for, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon, Annam, Hongkong, etc. situation of the port of Hoihow before and at its opening in 1876 was considered favourable more from the political than the geographical or topographical point of view. The Foreign Consuls at Hoihow were in close touch with the Taotai at Kiung- chow, and thus, as may be seen at so many of the Treaty Ports on the mainland of China, trade interests were sacrificed to save the amour propre of one or two individuals, There is no doubt that had a port, such as Chinglan, been chosen on the east coast. many a total wreck upon the dangerous sandbanks in the Straits of Hainan would not have occurred. Moreover, such a port would be in the centre of the produce-bearing districts, which Hoihow most emphatically is not.
The harbour of Hoihow is an open roadstead, unprotected against the North-east monsoon, which blows here with undisturbed vigour from September to April. The working of cargo is, therefore, normally difficult during those months, and at times im- possible. In addition to the above disadvantages those months are also the dry months when no rain falls up-country, and consequently no water comes down by the Po Chung River to the sca. Again, the tides are more erratic in the winter than they are in the summer: sometimes there are two tides during the 24 hours, sometimes one, and sometimes none. Cargo then, having heen loaded with difficulty into a cargo- boat alongside the importing steamer, has to face a stormy passage of two to three miles to the spit, which runs parallel to the town of Hoihow and a mile distant from it. Once at the spit the cargo-boat may be able to pole up the two miles of shallow muddy water which separates it from Hoihow-to sail is impossible, as the wind is always dead ahead-or may have to wait for hours until there is sufficient water, a few feet only, to enable it to continue its drawn-out voyage from ship to shore.