Directory_and_Chronicle_1892 — Page 614

FORMOSA-TAMSUI AND KELUNG

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aborigines are said to be a fine featured, well made race, but sunk in barbarism and ignorance. The Chinese population of Formosa is estimated at about 2,500,000; the number of the aborigines it is, of course, quite impossible to estimate. The productions of Formosa are numerous, vegetation being everywhere most luxuriant, testifying to the richness of the soil. Rice, sugar, tea, and camphor are largely cultivated and ex- ported. The fauna includes bears, monkeys, deer, wild boar, badgers, martens, the scaly anteater, and other smaller animals. Birds are not very numerous, and snakes are not so common as might be expected where vegetation is so abundant. It is believed that the mineral wealth of the island is very considerable. Gold has been found in the beds of the streams; valuable coal mines are in work near Kelung, and sulphur springs also exist in the north of the island. The interior of the island however, still practically unexplored. One great drawback to the island is its want of good harbours, which is more especially felt on account of the strength of the monsoons in the Formosa Channel. Those on the eastern side are few and neither commodious nor accessible, while on the west coast most of the harbours are little better than open roadsteads. Taipeh is the capital of Formosa, but Tainan-fu is the chief city in point of trade and population. The Treaty ports are all situate on the western coast, and are four in number-Takao and Tainan-fu in the south, and Tamsui and Kelung in the north. The latter was held for some months in 1884-5 by the French, under Admiral Courbet, but was evacuated on the 21st June, 1885. The rivers of Formosa are few, shallow, and winding, only navigable to small flat-bottomed boats. The scenery is delightful, and the climate is very pleasant in the winter, but hot and malarious in the wet season. The late Governor, H. E. Liu Ming-chuan, who retired in 1891, commenced many measures of improvement, introducing railways and various new industries, but most of these schemes are languishing under his successor.

TAMSUI AND KELUNG

The port of Tamsui lies in lat. 25 deg. 10 min. N. and long. 101 deg. 26 min. E. on the northern side of the fertile island of Formosa. It is an uninteresting place. The harbour, like all others in Formosa, has a troublesome bar, which greatly retards the growth of the port. Dredging would do much to render it more accessible. The town, called Hubei, is situated on the north side of the river, about two miles from the bar. In October, 1884, the French ships under Admiral Courbet bombarded Tamsui, but were unable to take the place. The population of Tamsui is estimated at 100,000. The trade is not extensive. Tea grows on the hills in the locality, and the production of Formosa Oolongs is annually increasing. In 1872 the export only amounted to 19,513 piculs, while in 1890 it reached 128,629 piculs. The export of Camphor, on the other hand, shows a steady decline, owing probably to the wholesale destruction of the trees, which were once exceedingly abundant in most parts of the island. The value of the trade of the port in 1890 was Tls. 5,523,255, and in 1889, Tls. 5,265,004.

The port of Kelung lies to the north-east of Tamsui, in latitude 25 deg. 9 min. N. and longitude 121 deg. 47 min. E. It is situated on the shores of a bay between the capes of Foki and Peton, some twenty miles apart, amidst bold and striking scenery, backed by a range of mountains. It was once a Spanish Settlement, but was subsequently eaptured and held by the Dutch until they in turn gave place to the Chinese under Koxinga, a pirate chief who caused himself to be proclaimed King of Formosa. Though a mere village, it has long carried on a considerable native trade with Amoy, Chin-chew, and Foochow. Its staple product is coal, the mines of which could be made very productive; one colliery at Coal Harbour has been worked by the Government, with modern English machinery, but the output has never been very great. Sulphur also abounds in a valley in the neighborhood, but the Authorities will not allow it to be worked. Kelung was opened to foreign trade at the same time as the other Formosan ports. The foreign trade at this port is chiefly confined to the shipment of coal. The export in 1890 was 23,518 tons as compared with 40,410 tons in 1889. The limits of the port are defined to be within a straight line drawn from Image Point to Bush Island. On the 5th August, 1884, the port was bombarded by the French under Admiral Léspes, when the forts above the town were reduced to ruins, and the place captured. It was then garrisoned by the French, who held it until after the Treaty of peace had been signed at Tientsiu in June, 1885. A railway now connects Kelung with Taipeh, the capital, and will be extended thence to Tainan-fu.

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