Directory_and_Chronicle_1887 — Page 387

SWATOW.

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effectual attempts were made to pass through its gates. In 1866 a visit was made under more favourable circumstances, but it is cnly within the last few years that the population bas refrained from annoyance and insult to foreigners within its walls. In 1862 the lease of a piece of land was applied for and granted to the British Government on the north bank of the river about a mile from Swatow, but so strong were the demonstrations of the populace against it that the matter fell through. Foreign residences, however, commenced to spring up here and there, and many of them are consequently somewhat scattered, though the majority are in or near the town of Swatow. The yearly increasing traffic of the port has led to much over- crowding on the narrow strip of land on which it is built, and since February, 1877, no less than 21+ acres have been reclaimed from the sea, the greater part of which is now covered with shops and houses.

The climate of Swatow is reputed to be very salubrious. The town occupies, how. ever, an unenviable position as regards typhoons, on account of being opposite the lower mouth of the Formosa Channel, and it has on many occasions been subjected to all the viclence of these terrible storms, which almost every year swep across the lower coast of China. The population of Swatow is estimated at 30,000.

The foreign trade of Swatow has never been large, but of late years it has shown a slight increase. The proximity of the port to Hongkong, which can be reached in from 15 to 20 hours, no doubt tells against it, as it enables the Chinese to conduct their own import business. The quantity of Opium imported, once very considerable, has of late years declined, the total in 1885 being 3,888 piculs as compared with 4,397 piculs in 1884, 4,377 piculs in 1883, and 10,063 piculs in 1879. The quantity of Tea exported is very small, and reached only 9,882 piculs in 1885. A considerable trade is done in Sugar, there being 734,969 piculs brown and 763,543 piculs white exported in 1885, which with the exception of 184, when the export was larger, shows a steady increase in the rate of production. The China Sugar Refining Co. of Hongkong have a large Sugar Refinery here. A large bean-cake factory was also started in 1882. The value of the trade of the port for 1885 was Tls. 19,268,156, as compared with Tls. 19,772,318 in 1884, and Tls. 20,175,168 in 1883.

DIRECTORY.

官事領副國德大 Ta-ti-kwok fu nian-sso-kwan. GERMANY.

Consulates.

***** Ta Eng nian-sso-kwan,

官事頜英大

GREAT BRITAIN.

Consul-E. Colborne Baber (absent)

Acting Consul-R. W. Mansfield

Interpreter-W. H. Wilkinson

Post-office Agent-W. H. Wilkinson

Constable-Henry Sage

官事領國美大

Ta-me-kwoh nian-880-kwan.

UNITED STATES.

Acting Consular Agent-H. Budler

Clerk-M. G. Nahmens

Writer-Ting Che Wei

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

Acting Consul-R. W. Mansfield

NETHERLANDS.

Consul-Thomas W. Richardson (absent) Acting Consul-J. D. Monro

Consul-

DENMARK.

Vice-Consul-H. Budler

Interpreter-Fang Topui

Writer-Ting Che-wei

SWEDEN AND NORWAY.

Vice-Consul-F. H. L. Haesloop

Imperial Maritime Customs.

Chao Hai-Kuan.

Commissioner-E. McKean

Assistants-S. Leslie, A. Rosthorn, A. H.

Sugden

Medical Officer-Dr. J. Pollock

Tidesurveyor & Harbour Master-G. L.

Hummel

Assistant Tidesurveyor-D. C. Byworth Examiners-W. Pollock, J. D. Smith Assistant Examiners-J. L. Tebbutt, W.

F. Kahler, G. Keeble

Tide-waiters—H. Russell, J. McGrath, J. H. M. Noodt, W. G. Tindall, C. Pape, W. Keeble, E. A. Roberts, A. Suther- land, F. Benson