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SHASI
A379
Consul at Ichang, whereas the outburst of Sino-Japanese hostilities in August, 1937 necessitated a complete evacuation of the Japanese Consul and his staff and up-to-now their probable return is very remote. A telephone service was introduced in March, 1921. A motor bus service between Shasi and Hankow was compteled in 1933, while bus services also run to Ichang in the west. Motor buses now leave Shasi daily at about 7 a.m. and reach Hankow soon after 4 p.m. on the same day. The trip by steamer from Hankow to Shasi takes from two to three days, by busnine hours and by air one and half hours! The distance by water is nearly 300 miles and by air only one half as great, the numerous serpentine curves of the river being avoided by the plane. The Air-mail and passenger service between Hankow and Chungking via Shasi and Ichang was commenced in April 1931. Flights are made three times a week. A private company supplies the Shasi public with electricity. The Hankow Press Packing Co., Ltd. (Shasi Brauch) started operations in September 1929, while the Slasi Cotton Testing Department of Hankow Bureau of Inspection and Testing for Commercial Com- modities, a governmental organ, commenced work in October 1929. The SHASI Cotton Weaving and Spinning Factory was informally opened in May 1931 with a capital of $1,000,000. The Bank of China, Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank and Bank of Communications have branch offices at Shasi, besides a few other banking establish- nents. The Young Brothers Banking Corporation is the only one having a modern and large building on the main street. A fine new bund, one of the best on the Yangtze, was completed along the Yang Ma Tou section of the waterfront in 1935.
TRADE IN 1936.
After the disastrous floods from which Shasi suffered during 1935 a remark- ably good harvest increase the purchasing power of the district, and the year 1936 was on the whole a profitable one. The value of trade as recorded in Customs statistics was as follows: direct foreign imports, $139,000 as against $112,000 in 1935; coastwise imports of Chinese merchandise $4.6 million as against $3.4 million; exports abroad, $6,291 as against nil; and coastwise exports of Chinese produce, $17 million as compared with $9.7 million. Sugar continued to be the main item of direct foreign import, 10,744 quintals being imported as against 9,189 quintals. Among coastwise inports, the leading items were cotton piece goods, valued at $1.4 million as against $990,000; salt, valued at $1.1 million as against $440,000; cigarettes, valued at $610,000 as against $510,000; and gummy bags, valued at $236,000 as against $53,000. Of domestic exports, raw cotton easily holds first place, 167,331 quintals valued at $9.7 million being exported as compared with 117,836 quintals valued at $5.9 million in 1935. Sesamum seed formed the second item of importance, 144,299 quintals valued at $2.3 million being exported during the year.
Cotton yarn again formed an appreciable item, although there was a slight diminution as compared with 1935, 15,411 quintals valued at $1.7 million being exported as against 15,779 quintals valued at $1.5 million. During the first half of the year a shortage of rice prevailed, but abundant crops in the autum completely chang- ed the position, and eventually 216,242 quintals valued at $1.7 million left port as compared with 149,035 quintals valued at $1.3 million in 1935. Broad beans registered a big increase, total exportation being 192,309 quintals valued at $856,000, as against 23,592 quintals valued at $100,000 in the previous years, During the year the Ming Sung Industrial Company opened an office at Shasi to deal with shipping. Aeroplanes on the Hankow-Chungking run fly west- wards on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and eastwards on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. The motor bus service between Hankow-Shiasi-Ichang, sus- pended during the floods, now runs two two regular schedule. Towards the end of the year the river dropped rapidly, causing some inconvenience to shipping.