Directory_and_Chronicle_1895 — Page 605

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

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SWATOW

Swatow is built on the northern bank of the Han, which forms part of an alluvial plain through which the branches of the river flow. The shore on the opposite side is bold and striking, the hills stretching away to the coast and forming what is known to sea-going people as the "Cape of Good Hope;" Pagoda Hill rises at the opposite side; and in a direct line from this lies the large island of Namoa.

The first foreign trading depôt in this locality was inaugurated at Namoa, where the opium vessels used to anchor, but it was subsequently removed to Double Island, which is situated just inside the river and is four miles from Swatow. Foreigners here made themselves notorious in the early years of the settlement by the kidnapping of coolies, and so strong was the feeling shown against them by the natives that no foreigners were safe far from Double Island, while they were strictly forbidden to enter Swatow, and it was not until 1861 that they could do so. In the country round Swatow the antipathy to foreigners was of much longer duration. The British Consul was held technically to reside at Cha'o-chow-fu, and subsequent to 1861 several ineffectual attempts were made to pass through its gates. In 1866 a visit was made under more favourable circumstances, but it is only within the last few years that the population has refrained from annoyance and insult to foreigners within its walls. In 1862 the lease of a piece of land was applied for and granted to the British Government on the north bank of the river about a mile from Swatow, but so strong were the demonstra- tions of the populace against it that the matter fell through. Foreign residences, however, commenced to spring up here and there, and many of them are consequently somewhat scattered, though the majority are in or near the town of Swatow. The yearly increasing traffic of the port has led to much over-crowding on the narrow strip of land on which it is built, and since February, 1877, no less than 21 acres have been reclaimed from the sea, the greater part of which is now covered with shops and

houses.

The climate of Swatow is reputed to be very salubrious. The town occupies, however, an unenviable position as regards typhoons, on account of being opposite the lower mouth of the Formosa Channel, and it has on many occasions been subjected to all the violence of these terrible storms, which almost every year sweep across the lower coast of China. The population of Swatow is estimated at 22,500.

The foreign trade of Swatow has never been large, but of late years it has shown a slight increase. The quantity of Opium imported in 1892 was 6,375 piculs as compared with 7,145 piculs in 1892. The quantity of Tea exported is very small, and reached only 7,001 piculs in 1893. A considerable trade is done in Sugar, there being 544,701 piculs brown and 470,126 piculs white exported in 1893. The China Sugar Refining Co. of Hongkong have a large Sugar Refinery here, but work has for some time been suspended. A large beancake factory was also started in 1882. The value of the trade of the port for 1893 was Tls. 24,197,152 as compared with Tls. 24,032,936 in 1892.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1895 — Page 605

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