CO129-457 - Public Offices - 1919 — Page 555

Copy.

No. 43.

British Consulate,

TALSUI.

18th July, 1919.

543

sir,

not

With reference to my despatch No. 37 Confidential' of 12th June last, I have the honour to report as follows regarding the Port of Takow. I should explain that I am under a disadvantage in that I have visited the place in recent years. I am strongly of opinion that a Consular Officer stationed in Formosa should make periodic tours of the Island, if he is to justify the existence of his post, and it is especially important that he should keep in touch with developments in the South.

Takow apart from its importance as the outlet for the prosperous sugar districts of South Formosa, is of no small significance to British interests in view of its position as the southermost port in the Japanese Empire and almost directly opposite Hongkong. The populations is growing fast but the confines of the town are not yet definitely fixed and the figure of 15,000 given as the population at the end of 1917 does not adequately represent its size as it practically only take account of the new districts

The volume which are mainly inhabited by Japanese.

of trade in the years 1916-1918 and in the first five months of 1919 is shown in the following tables:-

B. Alston, Esq., C.B.

etc.. etc., etc.

TOKYO.

1916