Directory_and_Chronicle_1888 — Page 492

ICHANG.

This is one of the four ports opened to foreign trade on the 1st April, 1877, according to the provisions of Clause I. of Section III. of the Chefoo Convention. Ichang is a prefectural city, of considerable official importance, in the province of Hupeh. It is situated on the river Yangtsze, about 363 miles above Hankow. The navigation of the river up to this port is easy for vessels of light draught, but the minimum depth of water at Ichang is only seven or eight feet. There is good anchorage at and near the city. Few cities in China are more strikingly situated; none can surpass it for uncleanliness. The port is the centre of a fairly rich country. Be- sides the common productions of the great plain of Hupeh, the cultivation of the tungtsze tree, from which the tung oil is expressed, begins on the hills near Ichang and extends westward into Szechuen. Opium is grown in considerable quantities in the district. Ichang is conveniently situated as a mart for the tea districts of Hoh-fung- chow, the produce of which might, it is thought, be made suitable for foreign use. It was generally supposed that, as Ichang is situated at the head of steamer navigation on the Yangtsze and occupies a good position for trade, the port would speedily become an im- portant commercial centre. For the first three years these anticipations appeared little likely to be realised: the port cut a miserable figure the first year of its existence as a treaty port. Later returns show, however, that Ichang is becoming a siderable distributing centre, and its inward transit trade is now only second to that of Hankow. The total value of the trade for 1886 amounted to Tls. 3,421,665 as compared with Tls. 3,077,166 in 1885, Tls. 2,079,732 in 1884, and Tls. 2,550,648 in 1883. No foreign Opium has been imported at this port for the last two or three years, the native drug being generally used. The estimated population of the port is 34,000.

Consulates.

GREAT BRITAIN.

DIRECTORY.

** Ta Ying ling-shih. 事頜英大

Consul Wm. Gregory

*** Ta-me-kwoh ya-men. UNITED STATES.

Consul-B. J. Franklin, residing at Han-

kow

IMPERIAL MAritime CustOMS.

WE I-chang-kwan. Assistant-in-charge-P. H. S. Montgomery Assistant and Medical Officer-Aug. Henry,

M.A., L.R.C.P.

Assistant Examiner C. P. C. Lynborg Tidewaiters-S. J. Grainger, H. C. Hewett Chinese Clerk-Ho A-che

CHINA MERCHANTS' S. N. Co. Wu Chok Mo, shipping agent

Little, A. J., merchant, owner S.S. I-ling

Missionaries.

ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

Rev. George Cockburn, M.A., and Mrs.

Cockburn

Rev. Andrew Dowsley, B.A. (absent)

G. B. Douglas MacDonald, M.B., C.M.,

secretary

堂主天

Tien-choo-tang.

ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION.

Right Rev. Fr. Alexis M. Filippi, Bishop

tit. of Paneade and Vicar Apost. of Rev. Fr. Giovanni Franzoni

Southern Hupeh (Ching-chou)

Rev. Fr. Berjamin Christiaens Rev. Fr. Gabriel van Gestel Rev. Br. Bonif. Timmer Rev. Fr. Laurentius Fuchs Rev. Fr. Odoric Timmer Rev. Fr. Basilius Papin