Population.
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timber stored in the yards. Cargo lightered to and from steamers in the outer anchorage is conveyed from and to the town by the Ta-tung-kou.
During the military occupation of Antung and Tatungkou the Japanese military authorities employed a Japanese naval officer to buoy the channel of the Yalu. The Japanese Consul informed me that he had recommended the Corean Government to re-engage this officer, who is now at Yongampho, to continue his work in 1907, and he had hopes that this step would be taken. A chart of the mouth of the Yalu up to Antung, of which I inclose a tracing (in original),* has been drawn by this officer and can be obtained in Tokio.
A Japanese census, taken on the 31st December, 1905, showed that the winter Chinese population of Antung was about 25,000. The inhabitants are mainly natives of Shantung, earning their living here but returning from time to time to their native province. There is a large immigration in the summer, and the summer population is estimated to be over 60,000.
The Japanese Consul said he reckoned there were now about 5,000 Japanese in Antung. In the summer of 1906 there had been 8,000, and in 1907 he expected to have 9,000 or 10,000 Japanese subjects under his charge. At Tatungkon there were only thirty or forty Japanese, most of whom were connected with the military timber. yard or Japanese restaurants.
Not more than 1,000 Coreans live in Antung, but, especially during the winter, large numbers cross the river daily to seek employment.
I was unable to obtain figures regarding the Chinese population of Tatungkou, but it is considerably smaller than that of Antung.
Japanese During their occupation of Antung the Japanese military authorities made Settlement. extensive purchases of land on the right bank of Chi-tao-kou below the Chinese town. The Japanese Consul informed me that the sale had been compulsory and the price arbitrary, and the title-deeds and receipts were now deposited at Port Arthur. These sales have, of course, not yet been registered by the Chinese authorities, who do not recognize the status of the Settlement, Mr. Okabe is now acting as the agent of the military authorities in managing transactions in land.
The area of the Settlement is 9,000 mow, and it extends from the Ch'i-tao-kou along the Yalu for a distance of about 2 miles to a point just beyond the Liu-tao-kou, or Sixth Creek, and from the river bank to the hill slopes on the north-west.
The lowlying portion of this tract is subject to the same floods as the Chinese town, and the military authorities have accordingly protected the north-eastern portion by an earth embankment and a moat. The dimensions of this embankment are approximately height, 13 feet; breadth on top, 13 feet; breadth at base, 85 feet. Towards the hills the height is less. The moat or ditch, which is inside the embankment, only extends along the north and east, and is of similar dimensions. In it is collected the drainage of the Settlement and is pumped out into the Ch'i-tao-kou by a large pumping plant. The Mukden-Antung Railway forms the south-western side of the embankment. The portion thus inclosed is not one-third part of the whole area of the military-owned property. It has now been laid out in broad streets crossing at right- angles, the principal roads being roughly metalled. The central and north-eastern quarters are those chiefly built on, and about one-third is at present occupied. Two main streets connect the Settlement with the Chinese town, which is adjacent on the north-east. Chinese heavy carts are not permitted to enter the Settlement, and all traffic is confined to wheel-barrows and the trolleys referred to later ou. The statement that Chinese rickshaws are not allowed in the Settlement seems unfounded, for there do not appear to be any in Antung. There are only a few Japanese rickshaws, which charge exorbitant rates. The cart traffic to and from Tatungkou is diverted to the foot of the hills so as to avoid the Settlement.
In regard to the future status of the Settlement (the whole), the Japanese Consul thought that ultimately it would be divided into two parts, one portion being a Japanese Concession, and the other being reserved for the Mukden-Antung Railway,
Land in the inclosed section is leased on twenty years terme at prices ranging from 5 to 10 yen a tsubo (36 square feet). There is no objection to foreigners acquiring sites in the Settlement. A small portion near the Ch'i-tao-kon has been given to a Chinese connected with the Military Administration, but I do not think other Chinese are allowed to obtain sites in the Settlement. The Consul did not give me a definite answer on this point,
Large numbers of Japanese still reside in the Chinese town, and the troops are
* Not reproduced.
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mainly quartered there in private houses. The Chinese authorities want all private persons to be directed to remove to the Japanese Settlement, on the ground that they originally came in the wake of the military, and are alleged to be paying no rent for the houses they occupy. The military have paid nothing for their quarters as yet. Mr. Okabe says he is standing out for the right of free residence in the Treaty port.
On the map of Antung and district which I inclose, and which is tracing of one lent me by the Japanese Consul, it will be seen that the land for several miles along the river front from the Japanese Settlement down to beyond San-tao-lang-t'ou is marked as having been purchased by Japanese. The Japanese Consul informed me that these purchases were private transactions effected by about five persons, among them two banks, during the military occupation. The sales have not been registered by the Chinese authorities, and they expressed to me a hope that they would be able to buy out the Japanese at the price originally paid. Mr. Okabe thought this would be a matter for individual bargain, and the present owners would probably try to get the best price they could.
The effect of these purchases and the acquisition of the Japanese Settlement is that the whole of the river front, along which there is deep water from the Chinese town to San-tao-lang-t'ou, is in Japanese hands, and not only is there no site left for a general foreign Settlement if desired, but any foreigner wishing to obtain sites for wharves and godowns will be forced to purchase at fancy prices from a ring of Japanese
owners.
Other tracts of land are also in Japanese occupation, whether by purchase or other- wise I was unable to ascertain. A large timber-yard occupies a situation above the Native Customs. A saw-mill and commissariat godowns cover a large area above the Ta-sha-ho, and I noticed that the eastern slopes of Yuan Pao Shan, a hill to the north of the railway station, were staked off for the use of the Mukden Railway.
The terminus of the North Corean Railway is at New Wiju, opposite the lower end Railways. of the Japanese Settlement. The relaying of this line, which is of standard gauge, is now in progress, and tunnelling operations are being carried on at various points. The journey from Seoul to Fusan now takes one day, and from Seoul to New Wiju two days, the break being made at Pingyang. Freight per ton-mile is 1 cent on the Fusan line, and 5 cents on the Wiju line. It is said that very little goods traffic has passed over this line hitherto, the rolling-stock being required for construction purposes, and rate of freight high. Since the Yalu closed, however, a considerable amount of stuff is coming forward by rail, and I saw American flour, cigarettes, grain, and other goods being brought over the ice from New Wiju to Antung.
It is proposed to bridge the river just below the inclosed portion of the Japanese Railway Settlement. On the Corean side a 20-feet embankment has already been constructed bridge. up to the river bank, having room for one track of standard gauge, as an approach to the bridge. Its height above the present level of the ice is approximately 40 feet. On the Chinese side the track of the light railway through the town has been brought round the back of the Japanese Settlement through cuttings in the hills to a point opposite. I attempted to obtain some details regarding the bridge from the Japanese Consul, but he apparently had little information about it. He said that full details could only be obtained from the North Corean Railway Administration at Seoul.
He told me, however, that its height is to be 40 feet above high-water level. It will not be a swing bridge. The material is on its way to Antung, and construction will be commenced in the spring and will take two years at least. The construction is being undertaken by the North Corean Railway, but the cost, which will be between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 yen, will be shared equally by the Corean Railway and the Mukden-Antung line. The bridge will belong in equal parts to the two railways. The station at New Wiju will be retained as a goods station.
The construction of this bridge will effectively prevent any steamers and most sea-going junks from reaching either the native town or the inclosed part of the Japanese Settlement, and will naturally enhance the value of property below it.
No preparations have yet been made for the reconstruction of this line on the Antung- standard gauge.
It is expected that the South Manchurian Railway Company will take Mukden over the railway in the spring and will commence relaying it. By the terms of the Railway. China-Japan Convention of 1905 this bas to be completed within the next two years. No compensation has yet been paid for the land occupied by the railway, and the question is awaiting arrangement by the Commissioners appointed by the two Powers. The Vice-President of the South Manchurian Railway Company has recently arrived
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