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HANGCHOW
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A fine Y.M.C.A. building was completed early in 1920 The excursions around Hang- chow are numerous and extraordinarily picturesque; and any person who can allow a month for the trip should not fail to explore the rapids of the Ch'ien-t'ang River as far as the Anhwei border. The green crystalline water and constant alternation of gorges and park-like rolling country, the lofty heights, heavily afforested right down to the sandy banks with every variety of conifer, camphor tree, scrub oak, maple, tallow tree, bamboo, etc., combine to form a series of landscapes scarcely equalled in Japan Sport of all kinds is to be had in profusion, including excellent fly-fishing.
The site selected for the Foreign Settlement extends for half a mile along the east bank of the Grand Canal; it covers over half a square mile and is four miles from the nearest point of the city wall. The Japanese Settlement adjoins it on the north and is about the same size. The Custom-house and Commissioner's and Assistants' residences are built on the Customs Lot, and there is also a Chinese Police Station in a modern building. The Hangchow Electric Light Company has erected outside the Kên Shan Mên a large installation for the supply of current to the suburbs.
Some three or four miles south-west of Hangchow city lies the rising little town of Zakow, situated upon the Ch'ien-t'ang River at the railway head. The Socony- Vacuum Corporation, the Asiatic Petroleum Co., and several missionary establishments (including a large College) have their headquarters bere. For residential purposes the hilly sites in the vicinity, overlooking the broad estuary and open to the sea breezes, afford far more sanitary locations than the low-lying malarial Settlement 10 miles away.
Halfway between Hangchow and Shanghai is Kashing, where the Grand Canal joins the Whangpoo River on which Shanghai is situated. Kashing is a Customs Stą tion under Hangchow and was first opened in 1898 for collecting duties on foreign opium, owing to the fiscal arrangements being against the collection at Hangchow.
A railway from the Settlement to the further end of Hangchow City near the Ch'ien T'ang river was completed in September, 1907. It was built solely by Chinese and with Chinese capital. There is now railway connection with Shangliai via Kashing. Twenty-eight miles north of Hangchow is situated the well-known summer resort of Mokanshan which is now connected with the motor road leading from Hangchow to Nanking and it can be reached in one hour's time from Hangchow. Special bus service is also maintained along this line during the hot season. It can be reached from Shanghai by way of the railway and a motor-launch service in ten hours. There are now over 500 houses on the slope of a hill about 2,250 feet high. The scenery is magnificent and the views are very grand. Bamboo forests cover the mountain and afford shade to all the roads, and clear mountain springs abound. Chairs and coolies for baggage are always available, and are under contract with the Mokanshan Association. Houses more or less completely furnished can be rented. The difference in temperature from the plain amounts to 10° F. in the day and 15° F. at night..
Save for the prevalence of malaria-which, however, is not of a virulen type-the climate of Hangchow is fairly salubrious. July and August are hot, the sptng months are wet and raw, but the autumn is delightful, and the winter is cold and bricing.
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TRADE IN 1936
Customs statistics for Hangchow cover only merchandise moving by launch on the Grand Canal and are thus only partially indicative of the trade of the district. The value of direct foreign imports for the year 1936 was $2.8 milion as compared with $2.4 million during 1935, while exports of Chinese produce were valued at $12.3 million as against $10.6 million. Direct imports of foreign sugar, of which almost half came from Japan, totalled 95,575 quitals as compared with 114, 845 quintals during 1935. Of artificial silk yarn, the total quantity imported was 7,775 quintals as against 5,181 quintals, the major portion arriving subsequent to the inauguration of the Customs Chief Inspec- tion Bureau for the Prevention of Smuggling by Rail. A total quantity of 5,001,078 litres of kerosene oil and gasolene were imported as conpared with 359,266 litres only during 1935. In selecting to convey non-duty-paid oils to
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