878
CHINA AND ITS OPEN PORTS.
fathoms. It is sometimes approached from the eastward through the Ly-ee-moon Pass during the N.E. monsoon, but the winds are generally baffling under the high land.
When abreast of Green Island, if the vessel be of heavy draught, keep the peak of Lamma Island (Mount Senhouse, 1,143 feet high) open westward of Green Island S. E. until Devil's Peak (on the mainland near Ly-ee-moon Pass) is in the line with the white rock on the south point of Won-chu-chau, or Stone-cutter's Island, when a S.E. by E. course will lead northward of Kellett Bank, and direct for the anchorage.
Vessels of proper draught can proceed over Kellett Bank or through the 4 fathoms channel between Green Island and the south part of the bank, by passing about 11 cables northward of the island, and then steering for the roads.
The narrow channel between Green Island and Hongkong may be taken if a fresh, fair wind blows right through. It has depths of 10 to 12 fathoms in the middle, shoaling to 8, 6, and 41 fathoms after passing the small islets eastward of Green Island.-China Pilot.
SWATOW.
Swatow, which was first thrown open to foreigners by Lord Elgin's Treaty, is situated at the mouth of the river Han, near the eastern border of the Kwangtung Province, in lat. 23 deg. 20 min. 43 sec. N., and long. 116 deg. 39 min. 3 sec. Ē. It is the shipping port for the city of Cha'o-chow-fu, the seat of the local government, 85 miles inland, and San-Ho-Pa forty miles farther up the river.
Swatow is built on the northern bank of the Han, which forms part of an alluvial plain through which the branches of the river flow. The shore on the opposite side is bold and striking, the hills stretching away to the coast and forming what is known to sea-going people as the "Cape of Good Hope." Pagoda Hill rises at the opposite side, and in a direct line from this lies the large island of Namoa.
The first foreign trading depôt in this locality was inaugurated at Namoa, where the opium vessels used to anchor, but it was subsequently removed to Double Island, which is situated just inside the river and is four miles from Swatow. Foreigners here made themselves notorious in the early years of the settlement by the kidnapping of coolies, and so strong was the feeling shown against them by the natives that no foreigners were safe far from Double Island, while they were strictly forbidden to enter Swatow, and it was not until 1861 that they could do so. In the country round Swatow the antipathy to foreigners was of much longer duration. The British Consul was held technically to reside at Cha'o-chow-fu, and subsequent to 1861 several ineffectual attempts were made to pass through its gates. In 1866 a visit was made.under more favourable circumstances, but it was not until within the last few years that the popula- tion has refrained from annoyance and insult to foreigners within its walls. In 1862 the lease of a piece of land was applied for and granted to the British government on the north bank of the river about a mile from Swatow, but so strong were the demonstrations of the populace against it that the matter fell through. Foreign residences, however, commenced to spring up here and there, and many of them are consequently somewhat scattered, though the majority are in or near the town of Swatow.
The climate of Swatow is said to be salubrious. It occupies, however, an un- enviable position as regards typhoons, on account of being opposite the lower mouth of the Formosa Channel, and it has on many occasions been subjected to all the violence of these terrible storms which almost every year sweep across the lower coast of China.
The foreign trade of Swatow has never been large, but of late years it has shown a slight increase. Its proximity to Hongkong, which can be reached in from 15 to 20 hours, no doubt tells against it, as it enables the Chinese to conduct their own import business. The quantity of Opium imported has increased very much of late years; the total in 1868 was only 4,272 piculs as compared with 10,185 piculs in 1875. The quantity of Tea exported is very small, and reached only 3,007 piculs in 1875. A considerable trade is done in Sugar, there being 1,164,576 piculs exported in 1875,