Directory_and_Chronicle_1897 — Page 216

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 1895 was Tls. 12,622,423 as compared with Tls. 10,629,167 in 1894. The import of Opium into Chinkiang in 1895 was 3,893 piculs, against 4,172 piculs in 1894, and 10,900 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 1895 amounted to Tls. 29,850,648 and in 1894 to Tls. 19,292,491.

Tai-koo

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Merchants

T. Weatherston

Agencies

DIRECTORY

China Navigation Co.: Hulk "Cadiz"

Ocean Steamship Company

Union Insurance Society of Canton Royal Insurance Society

Chau-shang-cihin-kuk

CHINA MERCHANTS' STEAM NAVIGN. Co.;

Hulk "Express

"}

Yaw Ye Chai, agent

Agency

China Merchants' Insurance Company

CHINKIANG CLUB

Committee-Walter_Lay (chairman), T. Weatherston, F. Gregson (hon.

secretary)

CONSULATES

門衙事領英大

Ta Ying ling-sze ya-mun

GREAT BRITAIN

also in charge of interests of

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY

FRANCE

GERMANY

Consul-W. R. Carles

Constable-T. W. Bowern

官事領國美大

Ta-mei-kwoh ling-sze-kwan

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Consul-General A. C. Jones

Interpreter-Wan Bing-chung

Chin-kiang-kwan

CUSTOMS-IMPERIAL MARITIME

Commissioner-Walter T. Lay