Directory_and_Chronicle_1879 — Page 295

SWATOW.

Swatow, which was first thrown open to foreigners by Lord Eigin's Tr aty, 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. E. It is the shipping port for the city of Cha'-o chow-fu, the seat of the local government, 35 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 alluval plain through which the branches of the river flow. The shore on the opposite si lo is bold and striking, the hills stretching away to the coast and forming wha' is kn wu to sea-going people as the “ Cape of Good Hope," Pagoda Hill rises at te opposite side, and in a direct line from this lies t'e large island of Namoa.

The first foreign trading depôt in this locality was inaugurated at Nanoa, wh re 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 thems Ives 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 beld technically to reside at Cha'o-chow-fu, and subsequent to 18′ 1 several ineffectual attempts were made to pass through its ga'es. In 1866 a visit was male un ler more favourable circumstances, but it is only within the last few years that the popula- tion has refrained from annoyance and insult to forei ners within its walls. In 1862 the leas 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 an 1 there, and many of them are consequently so newhat scattere 1, though the majority are in or near the town of Swatow.

The climate of Swatow is said to be very salubrious. The town occupies,how ver, an unenviable position as regards typhoons, on account of being opposite the lower mouth of the Formosa Channel, and it has on many occasions be n 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 sho n a slight increase: Its proximity to Hongkong, which can be reac: ed 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 Opiun imported has increa ed very much of late years; the total iu 1868 was only 4,272 piculs as compared with 11,622 piculs in 1877. The quantity of Tea exported is very small, and reached only 4,856 piculs in 1877. A considerable trade is done in Sugar, there being 1,074,817 piculs exported in 1877, which shows an increase on previous years. The total revenue of the port for 1877 was Tl. 782,934, as compared with Tls. 842,962 in 1876. The population of Swatow

is estimated at 28,000.