Directory_and_Chronicle_1895 — Page 565

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

CHINKIANG

The port of Chinkiang (or Chên-kiang-fu), which was declared open to foreign trade by the Treaty of Tientsin, is situated on the Yangtsze, about 150 miles from its mouth, and at the point where the Grand Canal enters the river.

The history of Chinkiang possesses but few features of interest. The town, as a translation of its name implies ("River Guard"), was at one time a post of considerable importance from a military point of view, when all the rice-tribute from the south of China was transported to Peking by the interior route. The British forces captured the place in July, 1842, and as the cutting off of supplies always operates with great effect, the commanding situation thus secured was not long in producing the desired result upon the Central Government, for the Treaty of Nanking was signed a month afterwards. The Taiping rebels entered the town in April, 1853, and continued to occupy it till 1857, when they had to evacuate it from the same cause which had made the Government yield fifteen years before.

The city lies between one of the mouths of the Grand Canal and the right bank of the Yangtsze. Most of the houses are built on level ground, but the surrounding hills lend a pleasant appearance to the locality, which is considerably enhanced by the bluff scenery of the island of Ts'io-shan. When the city was abandoned by the rebel forces, its destruction was very nearly complete, and it has even now hardly recovered its former prosperous aspect. The city is enclosed by walls and defended by rather formidable looking batteries commanding the river approaches. The foreign settlement occupies a tract of land extending from the mouth of the Canal along the bank of the river. The little settlement has a neat bund, is provided with a club, and has small Protestant and Catholic churches. It was the scene of a formidable riot on the 5th February, 1889, when about half the foreign houses and buildings were destroyed by a native mob. The population of Chinkiang is estimated at 140,000.

Considerable commercial importance was attached to the port when it was first opened. The largest vessels can approach it, and hopes were high as to the position it would occupy in the development of inland trade with China; but the trade on the Yangtsze seems to have centred at Hankow, farther up the river. The net value of the foreign imports for 1893 was Tls. 9,763,696 as compared with Tls. 9,896,555 in 1892. The import of Opium into Chinkiang in 1893 was 3,372 piculs, against 2,992 piculs in 1892, and 10,000 piculs in 1884, the trade having declined owing to the competition of the lighter taxed native drug. The total value of the trade of the port for 1893 amounted to Tls. 17,328,603, and in 1892 it was Tls. 16,953,749.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1895 — Page 565

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