Directory_and_Chronicle_1892 — Page 532

98

SHANGHAI.

and the foreign residents numbered a hundred, including seven ladies. In that year the English Church was built, and on 21st November the foundation of the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Tongkadoo was laid. The French were in 1849 granted the ground between the city walls and the British Concession on the same terms, and in exchange for help rendered in driving out the rebels who had seized the city in 1853, got a grant of the land extending for about a mile to the south between the city walls and the river. They have since by purchase extended the bounds of the Concession west- ward to the "Ningpo Joss house," a mile from the river. Later on the Americans rented land immediately north of Soochow Creek, in the district called Hongkew, so that the ground now occupied by foreigners extends for about four miles on the left bank of the river. The land in the British Settlement was assessed in 1890 at Tls. 12,397,810, and in Hongkew at Tls. 4,806,448; in 1882, at Tls. 10,340,650 and Tls. 3,550,660, and in 1880 at Tls. 6,118,265 and Tls. 1,945,325 respectively, an advance since 1880 of one hundred and thirteen per cent. The assessed value of the land in the French Concession was Tls. 2,306,677 in 1885. The Chamber of Commerce in 1882 valued the lands in the three Settlements at Tls. 24,355,000 and the merchandise in stock at Tls. 32,645,000, together equal to fourteen and a quarter millions sterling. The British and French Concessions are now practically all built over, and the vacant spaces in Hongkew are being rapidly covered. Most of the land along the outside roads and at Pootung, on the opposite bank of the river, is now also rented by foreigners, but natives have recently been considerable purchasers of landed property within the Settlements. All ground belongs nominally to the Emperor of China, but is rented in perpetuity, a tax of fifteen hundred copper cash, equal to about a dollar and a quarter per mow, being paid to the Government annually. It was bought from the original proprietors at about $50 per mow which was at least twice its then value. Some lots have since been sold at from $10,000 to $16,000 a mow. About six mow equal one English acre.

The approach by sea to Shanghai is now well lighted and buoyed, and the dangers of the ever shifting banks and shoals as well guarded as can be expected. Under the superintendence of the Engineering department of the Customs, lighthouses have been erected on West Volcano, Showeishan, North Saddle, Gutzlaff, Bonham, and Steep Islands, 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. In March 1848, owing to an assault on some missionaries near Shanghai, Mr. Alcock, then Consul, blockaded the port and stopped the passage outwards of eleven hundred grain junks. After sending a man-of-war to Nanking the matter was arranged. The first event of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the city by the Triad rebels on 7th September, 1853. Although repeatedly besieged and attacked by the Imperialists they held it for seventeen months. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign settlements, and the price of land rose very considerably. At that time a Volunteer force was formed among the foreign residents, under the command of Captain, now Sir Thomas Wade, which did really good service. The battle of “Muddy Flat" was fought on 4th April, 1854, when the Volunteers, in conjunction with the Naval forces, consisting in all of 300 men and one field piece, drove the Imperialists, numbering 10,000 men, from the neighbourhood of the Settlements and burned their camps. Two of the Volunteers and one American were killed, and ten men wounded. Owing to the occupation of the city the authorities were powerless to collect the duties, which for a short time were not paid, and it was in consequence agreed in July 1854 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. The Foreign Inspectorate of Customs was established in 1861, the head-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, occupied the buildings of the Jesuits at Sicawei, and threatened the city and settle- 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 hundred 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 Race Course and Cricket Ground was sold at such an enormous profit that after the share- holders had been repaid the original cost there was a balance of some forty-five thousand