Directory_and_Chronicle_1890 — Page 558

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SHANGHAI.

a Polytechnic Institution for Chinese, a Seamen's Library and Museum, a well

sup- plied Gymnasium, a Wind Instrument Band, which gives concerts in the Public Ga- dens three times a week during the summer months, a Race Club, possessing a course of a mile and a quarter, a Country Club on the Bubbling Well Road, Parsee, Porta- guese and Customs Clubs, also Pony Paper Hunt, Cricket, Rifle, Yacht, Racquet, ard various other Clubs for recreation. The last named owns a building containing two splendid Courts, Bowling Green, Tennis Lawns, etc. There are ten or eleven Masonic bodies, with over 500 members. In 1876 a District Grand Lodge for North China was constituted, with Shanghai as its head-quarters.

There are four Docks at Shanghai, the one at Tungkadoo, opposite the city, having a length of 380 feet over all with a depth at spring tides of 21 feet; the Old Dock at Hongkew is 400 feet long and 18 feet deep at springs, and the New Dock at Pootung, at the lower end of the harbour, measures 450 feet on the blocks, with a depth at high water springs of about 21 feet. All steamers and most sailing vessels now discharge and load at the various public and private wharves. The premises of the Associated Wharf Company have a frontage of about three-quarters of a mile. The Chinese Government has an Arsenal, Dock, and shipbuilding establishment at Kaou Chung- mow, a short distance above the city. The Great Northern Telegraph Company's cable was laid to Shanghai in 1871, and that of the Eastern Extension Company in 1884, there being now two distinct lines of communication with Europe. An overland line to Tientsin was opened in December, 1881, which was subsequently extended to Peking. There is also a line west to Hankow and south as far as Lungchow, on the Kwangsi border. A railway constructed by a foreign company was opened to Woosung in June, 1876, but after running for sixteen months it was purchased and taken up by the Chinese Authorities. During the short time it was running the passenger traffio alone covered the working expenses, leaving sufficient profit to pay a small dividend. A scheme for Tramways in the settlements was sanctioned some years ago, but has not yet been commenced. There are four locally owned lines of steamers running on the coast and the river Yangisze. Several manufactories under both native and forei gn auspices have sprung up of late years, and would considerably increase were it not that the native authorities are offering the most determined opposition to any manufactures under the control of foreigners.

The "Astor House" in Hongkew, the Central" in the British, and the "Hotel des Colonies" in the French Concession, besides many second class, give hotel accommodation unexcelled by any port in the East. There are three daily newspapers, the North China Daily News, morning, and the Shanghai Courier and Shanghai Mercury, evening, also three weeklies, the North China Herald, Celestial Empire, and Temperance Union. There are two native daily papers, the Shun-pao and the Hu-pao. These are sold at the prices of ten and eight cash, equal to a farthing and a half, and have a very large circulation. In one matter, that of Postal accommodation, Shanghai is perhaps over-supplied, there being British, French, American, Japanese, German, Local, and Customs Post-offices. A proposition was recently made by the Chinese Government through the Foreign Customs to take over the Foreign Agencies and Local Post Office, as a preliminary to the establishment of a National Postal Department, but the com- munity are almost unanimously opposed to giving up the present facilities until they have experience of the working of a Chinese office, and can feel more confidence in the good faith of the Chinese Government. Shanghai was made a port of Registry for British ships in 1874. All foreign hongs and even private houses have to give themselves fancy Chinese names, by which only they are known to the natives. The system is, however, found to have its conveniences. Jinrickshas to the number of 2,675, 2,100 passenger wheelbarrows, and 285 horse vehicles ply for hire in the Settlements.

The currency of Shanghai is the tael weight of silver, cast into "shoes" of fifty taels, more or less. The foreign banks issue notes of the value of one dollar and upwards for both taels and dollars. Smaller transactions are conducted in clean