Directory_and_Chronicle_1883 — Page 418

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TAKU-TIENTSIN.

Taku is memorable on account of the engagements that have taken place between its forts and the British and French naval forces. The first attack was made on the 20th May, 1858, by the British squadron under Sir Michael Seymour, when the forts were passed and Lord Elgin proceeded to Tientsin, where on the 26th June he signed the famous Treaty of Tientsin. The second attack, which was fatally unsuccessful, was made by the British forces in June, 1859. The third took place on the 21st August, 1860, when the forts were captured, the booms placed across the river destroyed, and the British ships sailed triumphantly up to Tientsin. From the description of the place in "The Treaty Ports of China," we gather that the water on the bar ranges from about two to fourteen feet at the Spring tides. The Chinese name of the bar is Lau-kiang-sha. At certain states of the tide, steamers are obliged to anchor outside until there is sufficient water to cross, but they are seldom detained very long. Towards the end of autumn it sometimes happens that the river is so low that vessels drawing over seven feet of water are unable to get up to Tientsin. The volume of water in the river grows less yearly owing to its being drawn off to supply new canals cut into the country. The river and the northern edge of the gulf are generally frozen in about the 9th December, and few vessels attempt an entry after the end of November. The ice breaks up, as a rule, about the second week in March.

DIRECTORY.

Imperial Maritime Customs. Assistant Tide-surveyor-W. F. Stevenson Tide waiter-W. French

Acting Signalman-H. Meyer

Lightship Taku.

Captain--Jas Sloane

Mate-L. O. Medicus

Light Keeper-W. Knight

IMPERIAL NAVAL YARD.

Directors-Mah, Taotai, and Lo Tsunn-loh Secretary-W. F. Stevenson Superintendent Shipwright-W. Grant

do. Engineer-L. Andersen Clerk-W. Boad, Jr.

TAKU PILOT COMPANY.

W. Boad

G. W. Hicks

A. G. Baxter

J. C. Hill

G. Mitchell

J. Young

Jas. Watts C. B. Sherman

C. Parker

H. Crowlie

W. Blanchard

C. Parker, secretary

TAKU TUG AND LIGHTER COMPANY. G. Mitchell, J. C. Hill, J. Young, directors C. Parker, secretary

J. McMurray, superintendent engineer

and chief engineer tug Gem E. Wells, engineer tug Peiho Ahmow,

do. Orphan

TIENTSIN.

Tientsin is situated at the junction of the Grand Canal with the Peiho river in lat. 39 deg. 3 min. 55 sec. N. and long. 117 deg. 3 min. 55 sec. E. It is distant from Peking by river about 80 miles. It was formerly only a military station, but towards the close of the 17th century it became a place of some importance. The walled portion is small compared with the suburbs, the circumference of the walls being only a little over three miles. The principal trade is carried on in the suburbs. The purely native city has the reputation of being exceptionally dirty, and the stench from open drains in and about the city is said to be the cause of a high rate of mortality there. There are a number of soap-boiling works in the neighbourhood, and the smell that arises from them is most disagreeable.

A number of foreigners live in the suburbs of the native city, but the concession, which is situated about a mile and a half farther down on the south bank of the river, has been largely taken up during the last few years, and is now pretty well covered with buildings.

Tientsin will always be famous for the Treaty signed by Lord Elgin in a temple since called the Treaty Temple, or Elgin's Joss-house, on the 26th June, 1858, and known as the Treaty of Tientsin. The port is also infamously notorious for