Directory_and_Chronicle_1884 — Page 197

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quarter, per mow, being paid to the Government annually. About six mow equat one English acre.

The approach by sea to Shanghai is now well lighted and buoyed and, although it has not yet become, as Inspector-General Sr Robert Hart stated in one of Lis despatches it would, "as safe as a walk down Regent Street when the gas is lit," the dangers of the ever shifting banks and shoals are as well guarded as can be expected, Under the superiutendence of the Engineering d partment of the Customs, light- houses bare iken erected on West Volcano, Soweishan, North Saddle, Gutzlaff, Bonham, and Step Is'ands, and at Woosung. There are also two lightships in the Yangtsze below Woosung.

As a port for foreign trade Shanghai grew but gradually until it gained a great impetus by the opening in 1861 of the Yangtsze and Northern ports, secured by the Treaty of Tientsin, and a further increase by the opening up of Japan. The first eveut of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the city by a band of rebels in September, 1853, who beld it for seventeen mouths. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign settlements, and the price of laud rose very considerably. At this time a Volunt er force was formed among the foreign residents, under the command of Cantain, now Sir Thomas Wade, which did really good service. The battle of " Muddy Flat," when in conjunction with the Naval forces, they drove the Imperialists from the neighbourhood of the Settlements and burned the ir camps, was fought on 4th April, 1854. Owing to the occupation of the city the authorities were powerless to collect the duties, and it was in con- sequence agreed between the Taotai and the three Consuls (British, French, and United States') that they should be collected under foreign control.

This

was found to work so much to the advantage of the Chinese Government that the system was extended, subsequently to the Treaty of Tientsin, to all the open ports, and thus the Foreign Inspectorate of Customs was established, the bead- quarters of which were for some years, and according to the original regulations ought still to be, at Shanghai. In 1861 the Taipings approached Shanghai and threatened the city and settl ments. The taking of Soochow on 25th May, 1860, had driven a large number of the inhabitants of that city and the surrounding districts to Shanghai for protection, so that the native population increased rapidly. It was variously estimated at from four bundred thousand to a million, but the smaller number is probably nearer the truth. So immensely did the price of land rise that it is stated ground which had originally cost foreigners fifty pounds per acre was sold for ten thousand pounds. At this time the old Cricket Ground was sold at such an enormous profit that after the shareholders had been repaid the original cost there was a balance of some forty-five thousand taels, which the owners generously devoted to the foundation of a fund for the use of the public, to be applied to the purposes of recreation only. Unfortunately thirty thousand taels of this amount was lent by the tre surer on his own responsibility to the Club, in which institution he was a share- bolder. As the profits on the club were never sufficient to enable the shareholders to repay this loan, the building and furniture were taken over in 1869 by the truste s on behalf of the Recreation Fund, to which the building still belongs. This fund has proved very useful in rendering assistance to some other public institutions, besiles having purchased for public recreation all the ground in the interior of the new Race Course. By 1861 provisions bad increased in price to four times what they had been some years previously. Efforts were made to keep the rebels at a distance from Suangbai; a detachment of British Royal Marines and an Indian Regiment garrisoned the walls, while the gates on the side towards the French Settlement were garded by French Marines. In August, 1861, the city was attacked, and the suburbs between the city walls and river were in consequence destroyed by the French, the rebels being ultimately driven back. In December, the rebels to the number of one hundred thousand again threatened the Settlements. The approaches were barricaded and the Defence Creek constructed and fortified at an expense of forty-five thousand taels. Before the close of 1862 the rebels had been driven by the British Forces beyond a radius of thirty miles around Shangbai.

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SHANGHAI

At the time the local native Authorities were severely pressel they availed themselves of the services of an American alventurer named Ward, who raised a band of deserters from foreign ships and rowdies of all nations who had congregated angbai, with w`ose help he drilled a regiment of natives. After passing under the command of another low caste Americau of the name of Burgevine, who sub- sequently deserted to the rebels, the Imperial Authorities found it impossible to control lese raw and undisciplined levies, and at their earnest reques' Admiral Sir James Hope consented to the appointinent of Major, now General, Gordon, R.E., to the command. Having by him be-u made amenable to discipline, they now rendereă the greatest service in the suppression of the rebellion; indeed it is generally beld doulaful if the Taipines would ever have been overcome but for the assistance of "The Ever Victorious Aruș," as this bastily raisel band was named. Amongst other services they regained possession of the important city of Souchow on 27th A monument in memory of November, 1863, which virtually ended the rebellion.

the offers who fell stands at the north end of the Bund. From 1860 to 1865 one British and two Indian Reg wents aud a battery of Artillery were stationed at Shanghai.

Since that time there have been few historical events worthy of record in a brief suminary. Ou Christo as eve, 1870, the British Consulate was burned down and most of the records completely lust. In May, 1874, a riot occurred in the French Settlement, owing to the intention of the Municipal Council to make a road through an old graveyard belonging to the Ningpo Guild. One or two Eurowans were severely injured, and three natives lost their lives. A considerable amount of foreign owned property was destroyed. An extensive fire in the French Concession in August, 1879, lestroyed 991 houses; the loss was estimated at Tls. 1,500,000.

As at all the open ports, foreigners are in judicial matters subject to the immediate control of their Consuls, British subjects coming under the jurisdi tion of the Supreme Court, which was opened in September, 1865. Subjects of Her Britannic Majesty bare to pay a poll tax of five dollars for gentlemen and one dollar for "artizans and labourers," for which they have the privilege of being registered at the Consulate, and of being beard as plaintiffs before the Court. There is enforced registra- tion at several of the other Consulates, but it is free of charge. Chinese residents in the Foreign Settlements are amenable to their own laws, administered by a so-called Mixed Court, which was established at the instigation of Sir Harry Parkes in 1864, and is presided over by an official of the rank of Tung-chi. The cases are watched by foreign assessors from the different Consulates, the first British assessor calling himself a co-judge.". The working of the Court, especially in regard to civil suits, is far from Fatisfactory, as the judge has not sufficient power to enforce his decisions. The matter has lately been engaging the attention of the authorities at Peking. For the French Concession there is a separate Mixed Court, which sits at the French Consulate.

In local affairs the residents g vorn themselves by means of Municipal Councils, under the authority of the "Land Regulations' These were originally draw up by H.B.M. Consul in 1945, but have since undergone various amendments. Jis the first general Land Regulations-the city charter, as they may be called-were arranged between the British Consul, Captain Balfour, an 1 the local authorities, by which persons of all nationalities were allowed to rent land within the defined limits, and in 1863 the s

called "American Settlement” was amalgamated with the British into one Munic pality. The "Committee of Rads and Jetties," originally consisting of "three upright British M‹ rcbants,” appointed by the British Consul, afterwards became the Municipal Council," elected by the renters of laud, and when the revised Land Regulations came into force in 1870, the “Council for the Foreigmmunity of Shanghai North of the Yang-king-pang," elected in January of year by all house ollers who pay rates on an assessed rental of five hundred taels and owners of land valued at five hundred taels and over. The Council now consists of mine members of various nati nalities, who elect their own e' airman and vice-chairman and who give their services free. A committee of residents was appointed in November, 1879, to revise the present regulations, and their work was considered

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