Directory_and_Chronicle_1893 — Page 592

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WHAMPOA-CHINESE KOWLOON

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

Act. Boat Officer in charge-J. Langley Tidewaiter-C. Akert Watcher-J. A. Gray

IMPERIAL TORPEDO AND SEAMINE DEPTS,

Manager-Koo Yen-fan

Chief Teacher-E. Kretzschmar, Pr.

Lieut. I.G.N.R.

Teacher of Navigation-Capt. G. L.

Hummel

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. I.G.N., teacher

CHINESE 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 small 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 use for purposes of defence. There are no features of interest in the town unless the fan-tan shops are so considered. The streets are narrow and dirty, and there are no public buildings save the tower-like pawnshop and the dilapidated yamên inside the walls. A little distance from the city may be seen, however, one of those interesting little fortified villages, with embattled walls and a moat, which are not uncommon in the province of Kwangtung, and which serve to indicate the state of insecurity in which the rural population live. Beyond this is the road which leads over the mountains at the back and which is worth climbing for the fine view of Hongkong from the pass at the top. The population of Kowloon City is probably not more than 5,000. A steam ferry plies between Hongkong and Kowloon City at uncertain hours every day. The total value of the trade passing through the Kowloon Customs Stations in 1891 was Tls. 35,548,258 as compared with Tls. 38,592,132 in 1890.