Directory_and_Chronicle_1881 — Page 463

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HAIPHONG.

This is the shipping port for Hanoi, Hai Duong, and Namdinh, the commer- cial centres of Tonquin. It is situated in lat. 20 deg. 51 min. N. and long. 106 deg. 42 min. E., on the river Cua Cam, a branch of that great river connecting Yunnan with the Tonquin Gulf, called the Song-koi, about sixteen and a-half miles from the light- house. The light-house at the entrance of the river, on the island of Hon-Dau, is visible at a distance of about six. miles. The entrance to the port is obstructed by two bars; the outer one sand, the inner one mud. Haiphong is accessible, however, by vessels drawing from 19 to 20 feet. There is plenty of water in the river. Vessels anchor about a quarter of a mile from the shore in from 40 to 60 feet of water abreast of a creek communicating with the Song-koi. The banks of the river are low and consist of alluvial mud, from which the French Settlement bas with great labour and expense been reclaimed.

Haiphong proper is situated on both sides of the creek. The streets are narrow, repulsive, and dirty, and show no improvement under the French supervision. The native buildings are wretchedly constructed of mud, bamboo, ard matting. The only decent buildings are those occupied by foreigners and Chinese. There are one hundred French troops stationed here, besides two river gunboats, and there is generally a man-of-war in port. The bulk of the foreign residents are French. There is a French representative stationed here, but he has no Consular power. The Custom House is nder French supervision, similar to that in the Treaty ports of China. The population of Haiphong is difficult to estimate, but certainly does not exceed 10,000. There are about 1,000 foreigners and Chinese.

Haiphong is distant from Hanoi, the former capital of Tonquin, about sixty miles as the crow flies, but by the main river (the So: g-koi) the route is about 150 miles, and by the Cua Cam about 90 miles. There are five river steamers plying regularly between Hanoi and Haiphong.

Since the opening of the port in 1875 trade has largely increased, as is evidenced by the returns for 1877, according to which the total value of the trade is set down at 2,231,749 fr. against 1,232,695 fr. in 1876. This large incr ase is ascribed to the permission to export rice, but there was a great advarce in the imports as well as exports. The value of the imports for 1877 was 1,134,448 fr. compared with 615,208 fr. in 1876; that of the exports for 1877, 1,032,092 fr. against 614,612 fr. in 1876; while the coasting trade, imports and exports, rose from 2,875 fr. in 1876 to 65,209 fr. in 1877.

In 1879 the following vessels entered :-Steamers-British, 30; German, 13; Chinese, 26; French, 1. Sailing vessels-British, 6; German, 13; American, 1; and French, nil.

The statistics of the trade for the year 1879 are as follows:-Imports from Hong- kong, Tls. 504,150.04; exports to Hongkong, Tls. 301,736; imports from Saigon, Tls. 4,427.92; exports to Saigon, Tls. 164,739.68. Coastwise:-Imports, Tis. 7,464.66; exports, Tls. 222,667.46; one-third more may b fairly added, however, as the Chinese manage to in great part evade the Custom House.

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On the 4th October, 1880, the rice export was resumed again, and up to end of November last 3,500,000 piculs were shipped. Business has been very brisk lately, and there is every prospect of its continuing so. The business now shows clearly that the port is worth something if only affairs are properly managed, and the trade not obstructed.

The following vessels entered here up to date of the 26th November last :-- Steamers-British, 36; German, 8; American, 23; Chinese, 17; Dutch, 2: French, 7. Sailing vessels-German, 4; British, 1; American, 1; French, 1, Since the opening of the rice export, the arrivals were 38 steamers and sailing vessels, equal to 3,820 tons, in eight weeks.

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