A432
SANTUAO-FOOCHOW
5,730 piculs of white alum from Futing to Hongkong by junk brought a little addition to the revenue collectable on exports to foreign countries. An industrial development of the year was the establishment of a small sawmill at Santuao, and a few coastwise shipments of local timber treated at this mill were recorded in the statistics of the port for the first time.
CHINESE TELEGRAPHS
Fee Veng Fiang, manager
DIRECTORY
關海福 Fu hai Kwan
CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME
Dep Comsr.-H. B. Hawkins'
Assistant-K'o Yu-p'ing
Boat officer-J. E. Read
STANDARD - VACUUM OIL Co.-Cable Ad:
Standvac
FOOCHOW
州 福 Fuh-chau
Foochow is the capital of the Fukien province. It is situated in lat. 26 deg. 20 min. 24 sec. N., and long. 119 deg. 20 min. E. The city is built on a plain on the northern side of the river Min, and is distant about thirty-four miles from the sea, and nine miles from Pagoda Island, where foreign vessels anchor.
The attention of foreigners was early attracted to Foochow as a likely place where commercial intercourse could be profitably carried on in the shipment of Baliea Tea, which is grown largely in the locality. Before the port was opened, this article used to be carried overland to Canton for shipment, a journey which was both long and difficult. The East India Company, as early as 1830, made representations in favour of the opening of the port, but nothing definite was done till the conclusion of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The early years of intercourse with the natives were anything but what was anticipated. The navigation of the river was difficult, there was no market for imports, and several attacks by the populace rendered the port an undesirable place of residence for some time. It was not until some ten years after the port had been opened that there was much done in the export of tea from the interior, but after that the quantity shipped increased largely, and Foochow became one of the principal tea ports in China. From 1880, however, when the tea trade of the port reached its highest figure, the prosperity of the place has gradually wared.
The city is built around three hills, and the circuit of what used to be the walled portion is between six and seven miles in length. The walls were about thirty feet high and twelve feet wide at the top. The streets were narrow and filthy, but during recent years remarkable, improvements have been carried out, the walls being torn down and replaced by a wide motor road, the narrow streets have been widened to permit motor traffic. Motor roads have been built and motor buses connect Foochow City daily with Nantai and Mamoi (Pagoda), and when bandits permit, with Amoy.
:
The climate of Foochow is mild and delightful for about nine months of the year, but in the summer it is rather trying, the range of the thermometer then being from 74 deg. Fahr. to 98 deg.
4
The scenery surrounding Foochow is very beautiful. In sailing up the Min river from the sea vessels have to leave the wide stream and enter what is called the Kimpai Pass, which is barely half-a-mile across, and, enclosed as it is by bold, rocky walls, it presents a very striking appearance. The Pass of Min-ngan is narrower, and with its
the voti!
• From 144