Directory_and_Chronicle_1897 — Page 239

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WENCHOW

some five miles, by lofty hills. The walls are said to have been first erected during the fourth century, and enlarged and re-built by the Emperor Hung Wu in 1385. They are formed of stone, diagonally laid at the foundation, and partly also of brick, and measure about four miles in circumference. The streets are wider, straighter, and cleaner than those of most Chinese cities. They are mostly well paved with brick and kept in careful repair by the householders. They slope down on either side to waterways, which in their turn communicate with canals permeating the whole city. There are numerous large nunneries and temples in Wên-chow. The Custom-house, outside the chief gate, known as the Shwang Men or "Double Gate," the Taotai's Yamên, the Prefect's and other public offices in a cluster, and the Foundling Hospital, all near the centre, are the other chief buildings. The latter institution, built in 1748, contains one hundred apartments. Among the objects of greatest interest and curiosity to the stranger are two pagodas situated on "Conquest" Island, abreast of the city. They are both of great antiquity and, with the houses close by, were for some time the retreat of Ti Ping, the last Emperor of the Sung dynasty, when seeking to escape from the Mongols under Kublai Khan. The British Consul and the Customs examiners occupy apartments on the island used by His Majesty, who has left behind him autographs preserved to this day in the adjoining temple. The estimated population of the city is 80,000.

There is no foreign settlement at Wenchow, and the foreign residents are a mere handful, consisting almost entirely of officials and missionaries. A large quantity of native opium is produced in the vicinity of Wênchow. There is a considerable native export trade in wood, charcoal, and bamboos, brought down the river on rafts from Ch'u-chow. The annual value of this trade is estimated to be not less than $2,000,000. The shops and yards engaged in it are situated in the west suburb, where mmense quantities of bamboos and poles are kept on hand. Wênchow is also elebrated for its bitter oranges. The export of Tea in 1895 was 20,585 piculs, as compared with 14,279 piculs in 1894. The value of the whole trade of the port for 1895 was Tls. 1,086,501, as compared with Tls. 791,048 in 1894.

Mrs. Stott (absent)

CHINA INLAND MISSION'

Rev. J. J. and Mrs. Coulthard

Mrs. Menzies

Miss Stayner

Miss Spink

Miss C. Williams

DIRECTORY

Robert and Mrs. Grierson, Ping Yang

W. Grundy,

E. C. Searle,

關海甌 Ou Hai-kuan

CUSTOMS-IMPERIAL MARITIME

Commissioner-A. Novion

Assistant-C. A. Lord

Clerk-W. H. Brennan

Boat Officer-F. Benson

Examiner A. A. Godwin

Tidewaiter-J. S. O'Neil

CONSULATES

門衙事頒國英大

do.

do.

Da Yang-kwai ling-sz-ngo-meng

GREAT BRITAIN

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, Consulate

GERMANY, Consular Agency SPAIN, Consulate

SWEDEN AND NORWAY, Consular Agency

Consul-W. S. Ayrton

Constable--John Compton

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Consul-T. R. Jernigan; residing

Shanghai

CHINA MERCHANTS' STEAM NAVIGATION Co.

Tsze I Tsai, agent

記瑞 Soy-kee

MALCAMPO & Co., Merchs. and Comn. Agts.

Joaquin Malcampo Quioga (Amoy)

Wee Chai Beck

Ong Siu Hong

Agency

Man On Insurance Co., Hongkong

METHODIST FREE CHURCH MISSION

Rev. W. E. and Mrs. Soothill

A. Hogg, M.A., M.B., C.M.

Rev. W. R. Stobie