Directory_and_Chronicle_1898 — Page 567

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SHANGHAI

er mow, being paid to the Government annually. The Settlement land was bought rom the original proprietors at about $50 per mon, which was at least twice its then value. Some lots have since been sold at $10,000 to $16,000 a mom. About six mot equal one acre.

The approach by sea to Shanghai is now well lighted and buoyed, and the dangers of the ever shifting banks and shoals as well guarded as can be expected. Under the superintendence of the Engineering department of the Maritime Customs, Lighthouses have been erected on West Volcano, "Shaweishan, North Saddle, Gutzlaff. Bonham, and Steep Islands, Peiyüshan, and at Woosung. There are also two lightships in the Yangtsze below Woosung.

As a port for foreign trade Shanghai grew but gradually until it gained a great impetus by the opening in 1861 of the Yangtsze and northern ports, secured by the Treaty of Tientsin, and a further increase by the opening up of Japan. In March 1848, owing to an assault on some missionaries near Shanghai, Mr. Alcock, the Pritish Consul, blockaded the port and stopped the passage outwards of eleven hundred grain junks. This drastic measure, by which grain for the North was ert off, brought the authorities to their senses, and after sending a man-of-war to Nanking the matter was arranged. The first event of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the city by the Triad rebels on 7th September, 1853, who held it for seventeen months, although repeatedly besieged and attacked by the Imperialists. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign Settle- ments, and the price of land rose very considerably. At that time a Volunteer force was formed among the foreign residents, under the command of Captain, afterwards Sir Thomas, Wade, which did really good service. The battle of “Muddy Flat" was fought on 4th April, 1854, when the Volunteers, in conjunction with the Naval forces, consisting in all of 300 men with one field piece, drove the Imperialists, numbering 10,000 men, from the neighbourhood of the Settlements and burned their camps. Two of the Volunteers and one American were killed, and ten men wounded. Owing to the occupation of the city the authorities were powerless to collect the duties, which for a short time were not paid, and it was consequence agreed in July 1854 between the Taotai and the three Consuls (British, French, and United States), that they should be collected under foreign control. This was found to work so much to the advantage of the Chinese Government that the system was extended, subsequently to the Treaty of Tientsin, to all the open ports. The Foreign Inspectorate of Customs was established in 1861, the_head-quarters of which were for some years, and according to the original regulations ought still to be, at Shanghai. In 1861 the Tainings approached Shanghai, occupied the buildings of the Jesuits at Sicawei, and threatened the city and settle- ments. The canture of Soochow on 25th May, 1860, had driven a large number of the inhabitants of that city and the surrounding districts to Shanghai for protection, so that the native population increased rapidly. It was variously estimated at from four hundred thousand to a million, but the smaller number is probably nearer the truth. By 1861 provisions had increased in price to four times what they had been some years previously. Efforts were made to keep the rebels at a distance from Shanghai: a detachment of British Royal Marines and an Indian Regiment garrisoned the walls, while the gates on the side towards the French Settlement were guarded by French Marines. In August, 1861, the city was attacked, and the suburbs between the city walls and river were in consequence destroyed by the French, the rebels being ultimately driven back. In December the rebels to the number of one hundred thousand again threatened the Settlements. The approaches were barricaded and the Defence Creek constructed and fortified at an expense of forty-five thousand taels. Before the close of 1862 the rebels had been driven by the British Forces beyond a radius of thirty miles around Shanghai. So immensely did the price of land rise that it is stated ground which had originally cost foreigners fifty pounds per acre was sold for ten thousand pounds. At this time the old Race Course and Cricket Ground, situated within the Pritish Settlement, was sold at such an enormous profit that after the shareholders had been repaid the original cost there was a balance of some forty-five thousand taels, which the owners generously devoted to the foundation of a fund for the use of the public, to be applied to the purposes of recreation only. Unfortunately thirty thousand taels of this amount were lent by the treasurer on his own responsibility to the Club, in which institution he was a shareholder. As the shareholders were never able to repay this loan out of the profits on the Club, the building and furniture were taken over in 1869 by the trustees on behalf of the Recreation Fund, to which the building still belongs. This fund has proved very

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