Directory_and_Chronicle_1892 — Page 632

WHAMPOA

This village was formerly the seat of a large portion of the foreign trade with Canton, as foreign sailing vessels are not allowed to go farther up the Pearl River. The trade in sailing vessels has, however, dwindled to very small proportions, and Whampoa is now almost deserted. A branch of the Maritime Customs is stationed at Whampoa. The large mud docks formerly belonging to the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Com - pany were sold some years ago to the Chinese Government and have since been used for the gunboat squadron. A Government Torpedo School has been established here.

The village, known as Bamboo Town, is a dirty and unattractive place, without any feature of interest, but the scenery round is picturesque and pleasing. Two lofty pagodas on neighbouring eminences are conspicuous objects from the river. The first of these, called the Whampoa Pagoda, is built on an island rising abruptly from the river to the height of 100 feet. It was erected about the year 1598, and is very much out of repair. A good sized tree grows from the brickwork at the summit. The other pagoda, called the First Bar Pagoda, is nearer to Canton, and occupies a hill which is considered the guardian hill of the province. It was built between the years 1621 and 1628 as a palladium to the water way of the provincial capital.

The importance of Whampoa is now a thing of the past. The place will always, however, possess some interest for foreigners, since the earliest recollections of foreign commercial intercourse with China are associated with it, all foreign ships being in old times compelled to anchor at Whampoa.

IMPERIAL Maritime CustOMS

DIRECTORY

Acting Tidesurveyor in charge—G. L.

Hummel

Acting Boat Officer-J. Langley Tidewaiter-C. Akert Watcher-J. A. Gray

IMPERIAL TORPEDO AND SEAMINE DEPTS.

Manager-Wang Chi-yan Secretary-Chen Yung-kau Chief Teacher and Adviser-E. Kre-

tzschmar, Pr. Lieut. I.G.N.B.

IMPERIAL DOCK YARD

Manager-Wang Chi-yan

Naval and MILITARY ACADEMY

Woo Chung-chang, director Shih Tsai-yuh,

do.

Naval Department

F. T. Richards, teacher J. C. Edmonds, R.N., engineer Military Department

A. Teunckhoff, Capt. 1.G.N., teacher Percy Groom, professor of botany

CHINESE KOWLOON KOWLOON

The station of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs just outside the harbour of Hongkong, generally known as, and officially designated, the Kowloon Customs Station is really situated at Lai Chi-kok, a tiny hamlet on the mainland opposite the western end of Stonecutter's Island. Two hulks are moored at a little distance from the shore, and buildings for the accommodation of the Foreign and Chinese staff, of considerable size and extent, have recently been erected on the point. Lai Chi-kok is not on the penin- sula of Kowloon, though near to it, and is conveniently situated for watching craft bound for Canton. Kowloon City is situated at the back of the peninsula in a roomy but shallow bay to the north-east of Hung-ham bay, where the Kowloon establishment of the Hong- kong and Whampoa Dock Company is located. The city is a sinall one, and the larger portion of it is built outside the walls, which climb to some height the hill at the back, giving it a rather picturesque appearance. The walls are of granite, but of no great thickness, and neither they nor the old dismantled guns lying on them would be of any