HANKOW
823
Matheson & Co., Ltd., put up a very fine modern four-storey reinforced concrete godown, on the site of the buildings destroyed by fire in 1917, the total measurement of the building being approximately 74,772 square feet. The English Church was re-built, and consecrated in May, 1904. A new Union Church was built in 1916-17 in the French Concession, andlopened in April, 1917. The new British school building was occupied at the end of the summer holidays in 1920 and is a vast improvement on the former accommodation.
The native city of Hankow was burnt by the Imperialist army in October, 1911, and a population of about 800,000, were thereby rendered homeless. At the end of 1914 it was estimated that fully 80 per cent. of the burnt area had been reconstructed, though unfortunately on the old lines, all the laudable plans for modernising the city having fallen through, owing to difficulties in obtaining the necessary funds. During 1919 large tracts of land in the back of the native city were reclaimed and several new roads were constructed. A scheme for the development of a Greater Hankow was tarted with the backing of the Government.
TRADE IN 1931
It goes without saying that the main feature of the year for the great Central China market of Hankow was the unprecedented flood disaster in the Yangtze Valley, which paralysed trade from July to September, making communication in the town itself impossible except by sampan, destroying life and property, inundating the producing districts, and rendering thou- sands of people homeless and destitute. Following this great calamity, when, with the river level steadily receding towards the end of September the port was assuming a more hopeful and normal aspect, came the anti-Japanese agitation as a result of the happenings in Manchuria. Local
Manchuria. Local trade with Japan from this time onwards was greatly hampered, and Japanese shipping companies maintained only a skeleton service on the river. Beyond provi- sions and coal for the consumption of the Japanese community, no large consignments of Japanese goods were imported and, moreover, dealers in Japanese goods were unable to dispose of the stocks on hand. Native banks refrained from extending credit to those involved, and native cash shops, which used to serve as a medium between the banks and the dealers various lines of business, went into liquidation in large numbers. In Nov ember and December the situation was aggravated by the increasing activi- ties of communists in North and East Hupeh. Exports to foreign countries did not do so bady as compared with the previous year and it was in coast- wise movements that a decline in business was noticeable.
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The net value of the trade of the port according to Custom's statistics for 1931 was Hk. Tls. 208,387,698 as compared with Hk. Tls. 200,484,104 for 1930, Hk. Tls. 265,519,529 in 1929, and Hk. Tls. 311,662,254 for 1928.
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The Hankow Race Club and Recreation Ground was incorporated in 1904, and developed in a remarkable way: The property of the Club is extensive enough to embrace a racecourse, an 18-hole golf course, football and cricket field, swimming pool, and, in fact, every branch of sport indulged in by the menibers. Apart from this club, which is chiefly devoted to sport, there are the Hankow Club, the Russian Club and the French Club, which have splendid libraries, billiard rooms, bowling alleys, etc.. The Hankow Golf Club was instituted in 1878. There is also a Chinese Race Club and an International Race Club with courses as good as any in China.
The success of the northern expedition of the Canton Government and the capture of the Wuhan cities and the establishment of the Nationalist headquarters at Wu- chang late in 1926, altered the position entirely from the point of view of foreign trade. A mob, aroused by agitators, stormed the British concession and, in order to avoid bloodshed, the unarmed British marines who were defending the place were ordered to withdraw and British women and children were evacuated. All British business firms closed down for a time and the Nationalist Government took possession with a Committee of Administration. Following upon protracted negotiations the British concession was handed over to the Chinese Authorities and is now adminis- tered by them. The Chen-O'Malley agreement provided that the municpal adminis tration of the former British concession should be taken over by a Sino-British Council. This arrangement took effect on March 16th, 1927, and the administration of the ex- British concession has worked with remarkable smoothness and efficiency.