Directory_and_Chronicle_1898 — Page 646

Agencies

ICHANG-CHUNGKING

North China Insurance Company Mannheimer Versicherungs Ges.

POST OFFICE-IMPERIAL CHINESE

Postal Officer-J. A. Urquhart

堂主天 Tien-choo-tang

ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION

Right Rev. Fr. Benjamin Christiaens

Bishop tit. of Colophon and Vicar

Apostolic of Southern Hupeh

Rev. Fr. Giovanni Franzoni, provicari

Rev. Fr. Gabriel van Gestel Rev. Fr. Laurentius Fuchs Rev. Cassianus Kleinenbroch

Rev. Angelus Timmers

Rev. Mauritius Robert

堂母聖

Chen-mou-tang

Rev. Sœurs Franciscaines

201

Rev. Mère Marie Béatrix, superieure.

and eight Sisters

SWEDISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY

Rev. K. W. and Mrs. Engdahl

Rev. K. Axel and Mrs. Fernström

CHUNGKING

The city of Chungking, situated in lat. 29 deg. 33 min. 30 sec. N. long, 107 deg, 2 min. E., may well be described, as not only the commercial capital of Szeghuen, but of the whole of Western China. The foreign import trade centres here,and is then distributed by a smaller class of trading junks up the various rivers of the province. All exports-yellow silk, white wax, hides, leather, feathers, bristles, rhubarb, musk, opium, and the large assortiment of Chinese medicines--are received, assorted repa ked, and shipped to Ichang, Hankow, and Shasi, consignments to the latter port being. transhipped there into smaller junks, and forwarded to the southern provinces, via the Tung Ting lake.

The city occupies the end of a high and rocky bluff forming a peninsula, at the junction of the river Kia-ling with the Yangtsze, 1,400 miles from the mouth of the latter. The principal streets of the city, in which are many fine shops, are on the side of the Yangtsze. It is surrounded by a crenelated stone wall in good repair, which is some five miles in circumference, pierced with nine gates. This wall was built in 1761, replacing an older one. The climate of Chungking is very depressing, perhaps the worst in China, the summers being hot and damp, the winters raw and chilly, with thick fogs from November to March. Spring and autumn can indeed hardly be said to exist. The ordinary rise of the river is about 70 feet; in 1892 it rose 96 feet, the water not being able to force its way fast enough through the gorges.

An ex- traordinary landslip occurred in September, 1896, some distance below Chungking, which formed a dangerous rapid and greatly interfered with traffic on the river. On the left bank of the Kia-ling and facing Chungking, extending below the junction of the two rivers, is the walled city of Kiang-Peh-ting, formerly within the district of Li Min Fu, but now incorporated in Chungking Fu, These two cities and the large villages in their immediate neighbourhood are estimated to contain a population of about 300,000. The population of Chungking itself is 109,100.

The port was declared open to Foreign trade in March, 1891, but business did not actually commence until the 18th June, since which date a large trade has been done both in imports and exports, carried in foreign chartered junks. The net value of the trade for 1896 was Tls. 13,131,569, for 1895 Tls. 13,253,772, and for 1894 Tls. 10,780,389.

The Yangtsze is navigable for steamers from Ichang, not only to Chungking, but as far as Suchau-fu, where the Min river joins the Yangtsze, but hitherto steamers have not been allowed to ascend above Ichang. By the Japanese treaty of 1894, how- ever, the right of steam navigation to Chungking has been secured.

DIRECTORY

AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION, Szechuen Province; address care of Local Post Office, Hankow

Rev. C. A. Salquist, Rev. R. and Mrs. Wellwood,

Chungking

do.

Rev. W. F. and Mrs. Beaman, Kaiting Rev. F. J. Bradshaw,

Yachou

Rev. W. M. and Mrs. E. Upcraft, do. Rev. H. J. Openshaw,

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do.