Directory_and_Chronicle_1882 — Page 338

AMOY.

Amoy was one of the five ports open to foreign trade before the ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin. It is situated upon the island of Haimun, at the mouth of the Dragon River, in lat. 24 deg. 40 min. N. and long. 118 deg. E. It was the scene of trade with Western nations at a very early date. The Portuguese went there in 1544, but in consequence of their cruelty towards the natives, the Chinese authorities forcibly expelled them and burned thirteen of their vessels. The English had commercial dealings there up to 1730, when the Chinese Government issued an edict prohibiting trade with foreigners at all ports except Canton. They made an exception as regards Spanish ships, which were allowed to trade at Amoy. The vessels of other nationa- lities, however, continued to visit the place, and did so till the city was captured in 1841. The Treaty of Nanking was signed soon afterwards, and foreigners have since been allowed to live there in peace and security.

In describing Amoy, Dr. Williams says:-"The island (upon which Amoy is built) is about forty miles in circumference, and contains scores of large villages besides the city. The scenery within the bay is picturesque, caused partly by the numerous islands which define it, surmounted by pagodas or temples, and partly by the high barren hills behind the city. There is an outer and an inner city, as one approaches it scaward, divided by a high ridge of rocky hills having a fortified wall running along the top. A paved road connects the two. The entire circuit of the city and suburbs is about eight miles, containing a population of, 300,000, while that of the islands is estimated at 100,000 more. The harbour is one of the best on the coast; there is good holding ground in the outer barbour, and vessels can anchor in the inner, within a short distance of the beach, and be perfectly secure; the tide rises and falls from fourteen to sixteen feet. The western side of the harbour, here from six hundred and seventy-five to eight hundred and forty yards wide, is formed by the island of Ku- langsu. It is a picturesque little spot and maintains a rural population of 3,500 people. Easward of Amoy is the island of Quemoy or Kinmun (Golden Harbour), presenting a striking contrast in the low foreground on its south shore to the high land on Amov."

There is little to be said about the city. It ranks as a third class city in China, but it bears no comparison to Canton in wealth or general appearance. It is con- sidered, even for China, to be very dirty, and its inhabitants are unusually squalid in their babits. There are several places of interest to foreigners in the vicinity, and excursions are made to Chang-chow-fu, the chief city of the department of that name, and situated about 35 miles from Amoy. The island of Kulangsu is about a third of a mile from Amoy, and the residences of nearly all the foreigners are to be found there, although most of the foreign business is transacted on the Amoy side. A tiny shipping sheet called the Amoy Gazette is published daily. The population of Amoy is estimated at 88,000. The foreign residents number about 280.

There has always been a comparatively good trade done at Amoy. In 1864 the rebels captured Chang-chow-fu, and the commerce of the port was greatly interfered with. There are a number of steamers from Hongkong which touch here regularly, and communication with that port is thus very frequent. Direct communication with Manila and the Straits Settlements is also maintained. The total export of Tea for 1880 was 136,927 piculs, and of Sugar for the same period 243,689 piculs. The net importation of Opium for 1880 was 5,757 piculs as compared with 4,630 piculs in 1879. The total value of the foreign trails of the port for 1830 was Tls. 10,033,584, against Tls. 9,029,149 in 1879.