ICHANG
昌宜 I-Chang
Ichang is one of the four ports opened to foreign trade on the 1st April, 1877, in accordance with Clause 1, Section 3, of the Chefoo Convention. It is situated in lat. 30° 43.4′ N., long. 111° 12.8′ E., on the north bank of the river Yangtze, about 363 miles above Hankow, and some five miles below the entrance to the great Ichang Gorge, or just about 1,000 miles from the coast. The navigation of the river to this port is comparatively easy for. vessels of light draught and has in recent years been rendered easier by the labours of the Customs River Department, which has marked every crossing and established numerous aids to navigation. The anchorage is -off the left bank, opposite the foreign residences, and is good, except in freshets, when the anchors should be sighted every two or three days. The port is the centre of a hilly country, the productions of which are rice in the valleys, cotton on the higher grounds, winter wheat, barley, and also the tungtzu trees, from which the ordi- nary wood oil is obtained by pressing the nuts gathered from the trees. In the sheltered valleys, amongst the mountain ranges west of the city, oranges, lemons, pomeloes, pears, plums, and a very superior quality of persimmons are grown, and find a ready market in the city and at Shasi. The importance of Ichang is chiefly that of an emporium for goods in transit to and from Chungking. Most of the cargo for the latter port is landed here and transferred to steamers or chartered junks. In the same way cargo brought down in steamers or chartered junks from Chungking and intended for the lower river and coast ports, is transhipped here on steamers, which make regular voyages to and from Hankow. During the year 1925 the steamers plying between Ichang and Chungking consisted of the Chichuen, Chilai, Chinan, Chiping, Chiyung, Iling, Iping, Lighter No. 89, Lighter No. 90, Meichuen, Meiren, Meitan, under the American flag; the Anlan, Chuantung, Fuhwo, Kiating, Kiawo, Kingwo, Shukwang, Shutung, Tienkwang, Wanhsien, Wanliu and Wantung, under the British flag; the Fooklai, Fooktung, Fookyuen, Hsin Shutung, Kiangking, Kikin, Shuhnn, Tingyuan, Yungan and Yungfung, under the French flag; the Changtah, Changyuin, Fuhhsing, Ichang, Kyaho, Pingfu, Pinghuo, Shuhuo, Tailai and Yukiang, under the Italian flag; the Iyang Maru, Tehyang Maru and Yunyang Maru, under the Japanese flag; the Foochuen, Kingshakiang, Shunan, Yangtsekiang and Yungning, under the Swedish flag; and the Shunlee, under the Chinese flag. Steam navigation is now practicable for the larger vessels from the middle of April to the end of November and for the smaller vessels throughout the year. The rates for foreign passengers vary considerably by the different vessels, but all are much higher than on the lower Yangtsze. In view of the enhanced traffic, aids to navigation and rules of the road through the gorges have become urgent, and have been for some years undertaken by the Government, with two River Inspectors functioning between Chungking and Ichang. The upward voyage to Chungking now takes four days, and the return trip about two days. The survey of the railway to Chengtu has been completed, but construction has been delayed. There has never been a census of the native population, but it is computed to be about 60,000.
The net value of the trade of the port in 1925 was Hk. Tls. 12,809,132, as compared with Hk. Tls. 17,655,451 in 1924, and Hk. Tls. 7,837,160 in 1923. The place was looted by soldiers on November 30th, 1920, and a similar and more serious outrage was suffered on June 4th, 1921. For 23 days in September, 1921, also, Ichang was the scene of a battle between Southern and Northern forces. As if this were not enough, on July 16th the Yangtsze, rising to 51 ft. 7 in., burst through the dyke protecting the eastern suburb, submerging that section, with heavy damage to property.
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