Directory_and_Chronicle_1897 — Page 255

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

214

SWATOW

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 30,000.

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 1895 was 4,112 piculs as compared with 5,792 piculs in 1894. The quantity of Tea exported reached only 6,811 piculs in 1895. A considerable trade is done in Sugar, there having been 690,518 piculs brown and 630,640 piculs white exported in 1895. 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 1895 was Tls. 26,984,558 as compared with Tls. 25,908,508 in 1894.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1897 — Page 255

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