A158
SHANGHAI
more frequent. On 27th and 28th July, 1915, a typhoon of extraordinary violence visited the district doing much damage. The mean of the barometer is from 29.769 in the third to 30 245 inches in the first quarter. The annual average of rainy days in Shanghai during eight years was 124; 55 wet days occurred in winter, and 69 in summer; the annual rainfall averages 49'57 inches, about 15 in winter and 30.2 in summer. The mean degree of humidity is from 786 in the winter to 82.6
in the summer months.
DESCRIPTION
The streets of the International and French Settlements run north and south and east and west, mostly for the whole length of both, crossing each other at right angles. They were when first laid out twenty-two feet wide, but have since at very great expense been mostly made much wider. In spite of this, however and the more stringent regulations. the traffic problem is becoming increasingly acute in Shanghai as elsewhere. Notwithstanding the soft nature of the soil the roads are kept in remarkably good order, despite the heavy motor traffic. With the introduction of trams the whole track of the Maloo, one mile in length, was laid with Jarrah hard- wood blocks, and the section of Nanking Road between Kiangse Road and the Bund was paved with the same material. Owing to the nature of the ground, expensive piling or concrete foundations are necessary before any building over one storey in height can be erected, and all stone has to be brought from a long distance. The Soochow Crcek, between the British Settlement and Hongkew, is now crossed by nine bridges, seven of which are adapted for carriage traffic.
Many foreign houses, surrounded by gardens, have been erected near the outside roads, especially on the Bubbling Well, Avenue Haig, Yuyuen, Great Western and Sinza Roads, which are the main outlets from the Settlement, and from which most of the other roads branch off. These roads are planted with trees on both sides, forming fine avenues of five to six miles in length. Building activity of late years may be described as remarkable and unparalleled in the history of the port.
Mention should be made of the many 10 and even 20 storied apartment houses in the central as well as western districts. Foreigners for the most part have migrated to these. These are now too numerous to enumerate off-hand.
TRADE IN 1938
The trade of Shanghai has been drastically reduced as the result of the Sino-Japanese hostilities. Only 30 per cent of China's trade passed through this port during the year as against over 50 per cent under normal conditions. This result, however, cannot be regarded as altogether unsatisfactory, in view of the fact that large-scale hostilities were in progress over a wide area of the country and that trade was conducted throughout the year in very adverse circumstances.
The outlook at the beginning of 1938 was far from promising. With the removal of active hostilities from the immediate vicinity of Shanghai, import- ers were enabled to bring in some of the deviated cargoes, but export trading had almost ceased on account of the blockading of all ordinary commercial traffic with the hinterland, such shipments as were made being confined to the disposal of the small parcels of merchandise still remaining in godowns here or those arriving here in driblets through the network of creeks and canals.
The T.T. selling rate on London dropped from 1s. 21d per standard dollar in February to as low as 8d in June. While this low rate of exchange was a great drawback to import business, the satisfactory domestic prices avail- able caused by the depreciation of the national currency encouraged exporters to risk the dangers uncertain charges attached to transportation to the coast. This accounts for the fact that exports from Shanghai during the latter part of the year were practically up to the pre-war standard.
With the influx of population from the war zone during 1937-38, the defence area of the Settlement and Concession are filled almost to capacity. The streets are thronged, not alone with poverty-stricken war refugees, but also with those who have money to spend. The shops appear to be filled with customers,