* 796
YOCHOW
A noteworthy feature of 1907 was the connection of Changteh by steamer 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 steamers of the river type, and tugs and lighters. Buoys and lights were established in 1907 to mark the channel across the lake. The difficulties and risks of this route are considerable, and it is probable that it will be found advisable to adopt the somewhat longer route via Lulintan; 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 considered in 1906 and again taken up in the spring of 1915, and Chinese officials visited the place to enquire into the conditions, but it still remains open only to vessels under Inland Water Steam Navigation rules. In 1920, a new organization for the technical control of the Middle Yangtsze Aids to Navigation and channels was instituted by the Customs.
The Standard Oil Company of New York has recently established an oil installa- tion at a point about two miles below the Settlement. It has erected three tanks and contemplates erecting three more. The first oil tanker direct from California arrived here during the high water season of 1926. This installation will be the centre of distribution for the upper Yangtsze and the "Lake Ports," such as Changteh, Yiyang and Tsingshih. Although all oil was withdrawn from the tanks in May, 1927, owing to the then disturbed conditions, the use of the tanks has been resumed since June, 1928.
TRADE IN 1930.
Further disturbances due to communistic activities necessitated the removal during July 1930 of the Maritime Customs Offices to Hankow where the work of the Yochow Customs is now carried on under special temporary arrange- ments, a nucleus out-door staff being alone retained at Yochow. These arrange- ments, still obtained during 1931. In the circumstances, it is not to be won- dered at says Mr. H. D. Hilliard in his report of the trade for the year 1930, that trade should show a decline in value from 21.25 million to 19.75 million taels. That this decline was not more serious must be attributed to the fact that, whether from civil war, political disorder, Communistic acti- vities, piracy, or other correlated causes, the lake districts served by Yochow have been in a state of unrest and insecurity for so long that conditions in 1930 were only slightly worse than in preceding years. As far back as 1922 the value of trade was 19.5 million taels-it has only once since fallen below that figure, and the conclusion must be that during 1930 it merely maintained its more or less minimum volume whilst being denied an opportunity for ex- pansion. But, Chengling, accessible as it is to ocean steamers in the higher- water season, provides an excellent centre of distribution all the year round to the interior districts above Yochow and must, therefore, eventually come into its own. Normally, Yochow acts as a distributing centre for American kerosene consumed in districts around the Tungting Lake, but, owing to the disturbed conditions obtaining, all direct importations ceased after May. The export of wood oil showed a slight reduction from the figures for 1929. From the 6th to the 16th January, and for the first time in over 40 years, the port was closed to navigation by a large stationary ice-field, many junks along the river banks being wrecked. In April the East Tungting Lake was re-marked by the Customs Marine Department, all buoys, with but one exception, being moved to new positions and so disposed that vessels are enabled to proceed from one buoy to another without alteration of course between buoys. Trian- gulation of the West Lake was completed for a distance of 40 miles, but further work had to be abandoned owing to the danger from bandits, while this menace also caused a discontinuance of work on the Chengling-Changsha section of the river from July to mid-October.