Directory_and_Chronicle_1882 — Page 324

300

WHAMPOA-CANTON.

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 place will always, however, possess some interest for foreigners, since the earliest recollections of foreign commercial intercourse with China are associated with it, all foreign 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. Assistant Tide Surveyor-Henry Eldridge

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 of 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 Tin, who performed the duties of Haikwan, 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," which has also been kept up

under bis successors.

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 in- creased rapidly. The Company's monopoly terminated in 1834. In 1839, Great 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