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Nauning-
The city compared with Wuchow; the latter smaller, but of greater commercial importance Visit to Taotai and local officials
Our reception compared with that accorded to Mr. Moss in 1870
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Account of interview with Teotai, and with French missionary
The French school supported by Government
French Consul at Lungehow now withdrawn; Consulate in charge of Agent
Trade with Tonquin and Huangsi insignificant
Environs of Nanuing; products of district; sale of foreign goods in city; state of trade; merchants
wish for opening of the port
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No organized uning in Naning district, but coal produced at Posé
Departure from Nanning; return to Wuchow,.
Table of distances between principal towns on West River
Itinerary of His Majesty's ship "Moorhen "
Consideration of reasous for and against-
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SECTION II.
The Opening of Nanning as a Treaty Port.
(a) From a commercial point of view (b.) From a political point of view
Advantages of West River trade route; its development to the interest of Chinese and Hong Kong
Governments
Proposed foreign Settlement at Nanning
Objections to proposed site
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No necessity for Settlement
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SECTION III.
Steam Navigation on the West River above Wuchow.
Description of water-ways above Nanning
Launch service between Wuchow-Koughau-Nanning
Table of passengers carried during last five years
Down river steaners should arrange to run in connection with up river launches
Type of vessel best suited to up river trade
Dangers to navigation
Sketch map
of West River basin.
PREFACE.
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MR. TWYMAN, of His Britannic Majesty's Consular service, who visited Nanning in His Majesty's ship "Sandpiper" in the summer of 1901, having written a detailed account of his journey (published in Confidential Reports, China Trade, No. 1 of the 11th September, 1901), I do not propose in the present Report to go over the same ground, but shall endeavour dividing the Report into three sections :---
1. To give a brief description of the principal towns en route, with special reference to their share of the trade of the West River.
2. To offer some suggestions, founded on personal observation, regarding the proposed opening of Nanning as a Treaty port.
3. To give a short account of steam navigation on the West River above Wuchow; its present condition and future prospects.
To facilitate identification of the places mentioned in this Report, I write all names in Mandarin, with the Cantonese equivalent in brackets.
I append a sketch map of the West River and its principal tributaries. For the sake of convenience, I shall, in the Report, refer to the north bank as the right and the south bank as the left.
I am indebted to Lieutenant F. B. Noble, R.N., commanding His Majesty's ship "Moorhen," for the many facilities afforded me in the course of this journey, and, in particular, for his assistance in the entertainment of Chinese officials.
Section I.--Wuchow to Nanning in His Majesty's Ship "Moorhea."
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Leaving Wuchow at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 9th June we reached Tenghsien (Tangyün), the first district town above Wachow, at noon. Tenghsien, on the left bank, picturesquely situated at the junction of the Teng River with the main stream, is the terminus of the old trade route from Pakhoi via Yülin (Watlum) and Peiliu (Paklau), By this route, before the advent of steam navigation on the West River, the south-eastern part of Kuangsi derived its supply of foreign goods. The districts drained by the Teng River produce indigo, rice, silk, and cassin; above all, firewood.
As an instance of the suicidal policy of the native customs authorities, which is gradually driving the domestic trade of the province into foreign hands, I may mention that the Peiliu indigo dealers are now shipping indigo destined for the dye works at Fatshan in steamer to Hong Kong, whence it returns as foreign goods to Samshui, and is forwarded to Fatshan under transit pass: steamer freight and maritime duties amount to less than the li-kin charges, which include fees for examination, stamping manifests, quick dispatch, and contributions to local defence. Enormous quantities of firewood are shipped from the Tenghsien district to Wuchow for carriage by steamer to Hong Kong and Canton. Although a certain amount of replanting is done by the country people, it is certain that no attempts at scientific afforestation are made by the officials; the country is being slowly, but surely, denuded of its once valuable timber. The traveller on the West River is struck by the contrast between the barrenness of the hills on all sides as far as the eye can reach and the continuous procession of rafts and wood boats which are met with this side of Hsunchow. Even now the remoter mountain districts must still be rich in timber; and were the authorities to seriously take in hand the question of afforesta- tion, as has been done so successfully in Japan, Kuangsi might continue indefinitely to supply the manufacturies of Hong Kong and the Canton delta with firewood.
At Mengchiang (Mengkong), a thriving little town on the right bank, passed at 1:30 P.M., a frontier defence tax, the proceeds of which are nominally devoted to the up-keep of the garrisons on the Tonquin frontier, is collected on all goods passing the barrier in native boats. From Mengkong, Kueilin, the capital of the province, can be reached in seven days; by water to Yungan, hence overland via Pinglo.
Twelve miles above Mengkong is Paima (Pakma), an important li-kin station, where, in particular, li-kin is collected on cassia from the Taiwu district, the chief centre of production in Kuangsi. Taiwu is a small town about 5 miles inland, reached by creek from Molamhui (Wulin-hsu), a hamlet on the left bank a mile or two above Paima. It is noteworthy that cassia bark, perhaps the most valuable native product of Kuangsi, is the only one which is never brought down under transit pass or shipped by steamer. The reason is that by a special arrangement with the li-kin office, a lump sum amounting to less than the foreign Customs, one and a-half duty is levied at Paima, and the cassia is then franked through to Canton. Several unsuccessful attempts have been made by the British shipping companies in Wuchow to obtain a share in this trade; it is to the interest alike to the li-kin officials and the Canton dealers to keep the export in their hands, so as to prevent the cassia going direct to Hong Kong and avoiding the Canton market.
At 430 P.M. we arrived at Pingnam, the next district town above Tenghsien, famous for its cattle market. In the spring of 1903 two British firms in Wachow mnade a praiseworthy attempt to supply the Hong Kong and the Philippine market with Kuangsi cattle. It was here that most of their purchases were made. They persevered for some time in the face of strenuous opposition on the part of the Chinese authorities, who pretended to fear that the export of a few thousand head of cattle would denude a province which exports S0,000 cwt. of hides in one year, but eventually had to relinquish the business owing to the impossibility of obtaining regular supplies, due to the prevalence of brigandage in the country behind Pingnam. It is extraordinary that the Chinese authorities, who constantly complain of the poverty of the Kuangsi peasant, do nothing to encourage the breeding of cattle. All along the West River the banks and valleys are covered with excellent grass, and droves of water buffalo and "red" cattle form one of the commonest features of the landscape. The Kuangsi humped cattle, although lean, are said to be of good quality; rinderpest is, so far, unknown. The hides, horns, glue, and tallow provide as it is a large percentage of the native exports of the province; were the people encouraged to
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