Directory_and_Chronicle_1894 — Page 588

FORMOSA

This island, one of the largest in Asia, is situated between latitude 22 and 26 degrees N., and longitude 120 and 122 degrees E., and is separated from the coast of Fukien, China, by a channel about one hundred miles in width. Its name Formosa, signifying "beautiful island," was conferred by the Portuguese, the first Europeans to visit it, but it is called Taiwan (Great Bay) by the Chinese, to whom it has belonged since 1661. It is said that the Japanese endeavoured to form a colony in the island in 1820, but large numbers of Chinese, were settled there prior to that date. The Dutch arrived in 1634, and founded several settlements, and traces of their occupation are still to be found in the island, but they were compelled in 1661 to retire by the Chinese pirate chief Koxinga, who then assumed the sovereignty of western Formosa. His grandson and successor, however, was induced, twenty-two years later, to resign_the crown to the Emperor of China. Formosa is about 210 miles in length, and from 60 to 70 miles broad in the widest part, with a circumference of some 450 miles. It is intersected from north to south by a range of mountains, which forms a kind of back- bone to the island, the loftiest peak of which, Mount Sylvia, is 11,300 feet high. On the western side of this range the slope is more gradual than on the eastern side, and broken by fertile valleys which lose themselves in the large undulating plain on which the Chinese are settled. The whole of the territory east of the dividing chain is peopled by an aboriginal race who acknowledge no allegiance to the Chinese Government and make frequent raids on the outlying Chinese settlements. They are a savage and warlike people, allied to the Malays and Polynesians, and live principally by the chase. The Chinese hold the aborigines in much dread on account of their ferocity, but of late years they have steadily continued their encroachments on the eastern coast, keeping the natives at bay by the aid of Hakka settlers, a hardy race, who in Formosa go by the name of Hillmen, and who have proved a resolute foe to the aborigines. Until 1874, when the Japanese landed a force in Formosa to punish one of the aboriginal tribes for the murder of some Loochooans shipwrecked on their coast, the Chinese Government had made no serious effort to extend their rule over any part of the eastern half of the island, but that event caused them to push forward their fines. A few of the aborigines nearer the coast have settled down to peaceful avocations, but the mountaineers still regard the Chinese with unappeasable hatred and hostility, though they have shown courtesy and kindness to the few foreigners who have visited their villages. The 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 and worked 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 is, 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 four in number- Takow 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.