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AMOY
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887:
capable of turning out 4,000 tins a day, the property of the Asiatic Petroleum Company, on Amoy Island, but this will be dismantled and transferred to the new installation at the end of 1930. In June, 1921, the proposal to reconstruct a pier between the hulk of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire and the shore aroused opposition on the part of the Amoy public. The matter having been referred to Peiping, no further trouble was experienced. In the late autumn, however, the recommencement of the work resulted in a boycott being declared against the steamers of the firm. A settle ment was reached and the boycott was withdrawn in March, 1922. The foreign residents number about 280..
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Frequent and regular steamer communication is maintained with Hongkong, Swatow, Foochow, Forniosa and Shanghai, and steamers run direct to the Straits Settle- ments and Manila. There has always been a comparatively goot trade done at Amoy, and notwithstanding that the tea trade, for which it was long famous, has now practically disappeared, it is significant that the shipping tonnage employed by the port has quintupled since the decade 1864-73, and almost trebled since the decade 1874- 83. Until the shortage of shipping caused by the European war the tonnage figures for many years topped the million mark. In former times, before the glory of Amoy had departed, the staple export was Tea the local product as well as the superior blends brought over from Formosa-but, largely dwing to the deterioration of the local pro- duct and the indifference of the grower to the changing conditions of the foreign market, locally-grown tea has long since ceased to be exported, and the Customs Commissioner made a fairly safe prophecy that it only required the development of Keelung harbour to cause the total disappearance of the foreign tea merchant from Amoy Before the Japanese obtained possession of Formosa the Formosan teas were "settled" and ware- housed in Amoy, whence they were shipped to the foreign markets. Now no Formosan tea is "settled" in Amoy, and with Keelung still unimproved to any considerable extent quite 50 per cent. of the Formosan product is being shipped direct to America from Kee- lung. The foreign tea merchant at Amoy las practically lost his occupation, and we are witnessing the fulfilment of the prediction that "the row of quaint, rambling, old hongs on the Amoy side, and many picturesque residences on Kulangsu will be offering for the occupation of the wealthy returned emigrant or the missionary school." A University has been established at Amoy ma fine range of buildings with ample playing grounds, funds for the purpose having been provided by a native of the district who made his fortune in British Malaya; and thanks to the civic patriotism of an- other native of the district who amassed great wealth in Java, a contract was signed in 1922 with the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Co. for the installation of a complete
new telephone system. Bunding, drainage, jetties, roads, recreation ground complete
and
public works, are in progress, many of the main streets have been widened and concrete paved, and a fine public garden has been laid out with facilities for all forms of sport, including a football ground, running track, and hard tennis courts. Reclamation work (filling in without bunding) was started in 1922 to the north of the city and the Amoy Dock.
Amoy has an up to date waterworks system, in excellent running order, operat by the Amoy Waterworks Co.
Built in 1923 the reservoirs are capable, of holding 400,000,000 AU
gallons of water enough for one years consumption. In addition the Company are proceeding with a scheme to supply water to Kulangsu, which at present, relies upon wells for its supply Pipes have already been laid throughout the island but the system is not in operation.
The erection of a model hospital (to be called the Chung Shan Hospital) at a cost of $800,000 also of a model Prison costing about $100,000 is projected. About 90% of the money required for these schemes has already been secured by local subscription.
TRADE IN 1931
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The prosperity of the Amoy area depends very largely on remittances from emigrants prospering abroad. During 1931 there was a particularly good inflow of capital, for the reason that Fukien residents in gold-using countries found it profit- able to withdraw funds invested abroad and take advantage of the abnormally favourable exchange to put their money to good use in and around Amoy. A fair proportion of these funds was invested in land and buildings, and, due partly to this fact and partly to well-planned public improvement schemes by the local authorities, the city is gradually being transformed by the erection of many fine buildings. The bund reclamation scheme continues to progress, and a contract for a new concrete
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