Directory_and_Chronicle_1880 — Page 290

WHAMPOA.

This village was formerly the seat of a large portion of the foreign trade with Canton, as foreign sailing vessels are not allowed to go further up the River. The trade in sailing vess ls has, however, fallen off very much, and Whampoa is now the dullest of places. A British Vice-Consulate is stationed here, and a branch of the Maritime Customs, but there are no other foreigners. The large docks formerly belonging to the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Compa..y here have lately been sold to the Chinese Gove: nment, and even of the greg shops only one remains.

The village, known as Bamboo Town, is a dirty and unattractive place, without any feature of interest, but the scenery round is picturesque and pleasing. Two lofty pagodas on neighbouring eminences are conspicuous objects from the riv r. The first of these, call the Whampoa Pag da, is built on an island rising abruptly from the river to the height of 100 feet. It was erected about the year 1598, and is very much out of repair. A good size I tree grows from the brickwork at the summit. Tho other pagoda, called the First Bar Pagoda, is nearer to Canton, and occupies a hill which is considered the guardian hill of the province. It was built between the years 1621 and 1628 as a palladium to the water way of the provinc al capital.

The importance of Whampoa is now a thing of the past, and there are seldom more than one or two small foreign merchant vessels in port. The only trade of any importance now is the shipping of Chinese emigrants to Hawaii and America. The place will always, however, possess some int rest for foreigners, sinc: the earli st recollections of foreign commercial intercourse with China are associated with it, all oreign ships being in old times compelled to anchor at Whampoa.

British Consulate.

Vice-consul-H. F. Hance Constable-J. H. Jones

DIRECTORY.

Imperial Maritime Customs. Tide Surveyor-F. Gallagher

Chas. Camran, "Union Hotel," billiard saloon and bowling alley, Bamboo Town

CANTON.

"

Canton is situated on the Chu-kiang, or Pearl River, in latitude 23 deg. 7 min. 10 sec. N., and longitude 113 deg. 14 min. 30 sec. E., and is the capital o the Province of Kwangtung. It is sometimes called the City of Rams and the City of Genii, both of which names are derived from ancient legends. It is one of the first cities in the Chinese Empire. It is the seat of government for the province, and is the residence of the Viceroy of The Two Kwang" (Kwangtung and Kwangsi). The Governor of Kwangtung and the Tartar General are also resident here, besides a number of other government officials of more or less distinction. Mun-Tim, who performed the duties of Hoppo, or Superintendent of Customs, up to July, 1876, made himself particularly obnoxious to foreign merchants in these parts by what has been aptly termed the "Blockade of Hongkong."

*

Canton, owing to its favoured situation, became at an early date the port to which the traffic of European countries was attracted. The Portuguese found their way thither in 1516, but it is recorded that their conduct in those days was not calculated to impress the Chinese favourably. The Arab navigators had, however, been making regular voyages between Canton and the ports of Western Asia as early as the tenth century. The Dutch appeared on the scene about a hundred years later than the Portuguese, and these in their turn were supplanted by the English The latter, towards the close of the seventeenth century, founded the very profitable trade which was conducted for nearly one hundred and fifty years by the Agents of the East India Company, who established a Factory there in 1684, which was after- wards celebrated throughout the world. From 1684 the export of tea to England increased rapidly. The Company's monopoly terminated in 1834. In 1839, Britain was led to a declaration of war with China in consequence of the oppression to which foreigners were subjected by the native authorities, and Canton was menaced with

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