Directory_and_Chronicle_1900 — Page 700

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

CHINKIANG-NANKING

226

POST OFFICE-IMPERIAL CHINESE

Postal Officer--W. A. Washbrook

Agency

Assistant do. --L. J. da Silva, P. Bahr

園公英大

** Ta-ying kung-yüan

RECREATION FUND

Committee H.B.M. Consul, chairman

Municipal Council (Trustees

ex

officio), F. Gregson, J. M. Moorhead

(hon. treasurer), E. G. Byrne (hon. secretary)

昌順

Shun-ch'ang

SCHIELE & BYRNE, Merchants and Ship-

ping Agents: Tel. Ad. Rhine

W. E. Schiele

E. G. Byrne

Agencies

Manchester Assurance Company

Royal Insurance Company

Nippon Sea and Land Insurance Co. Manufacturers' Life Insce. Co., Canada Melchers & Co.

Lee.kong

STUBBE & WENTZENSEN, Merchants

C. Stubbe

J. Wentzensen (Shanghai)

T. W. Bowern

General Marine Insce. Co., Dresden

和瑞 Sui-ho

STARKEY, E., Commission Agent

局報電國中

Chung-hinh-dien-to-chuck

TELEGRAPHS-IMPERIAL CHINESE

Luh Chang-Kong, manager C. L. Pang, controller

C. Y. Wong, clerk-in-charge

Tai-chang

WADLIEGH & EMERY, General Commission

Merchants

E. C. Wadliegh (New York) D. A. Emery

Yu Ching and others

Agencies

Arnhold, Karberg & Co.

Palatine Fire Insurance Company Equitable Life Assurance Soc. of U.S.A. Eastern Manufacturing Company

WU CHOU SHAN BUNGALOW

Trustees H.B.M. Consul and Com-

missioner of Customs

NANKING

I Kiáng-ning

The city owes its present name, “Southern capital,” to having been many times the capital of the Empire, the last occasion being in the Ming dynasty at the commencement of the 15th century. It is also known as Kiang Ning Fu, being the chief city of the prefecture of Kiang Ning, and the seat of government for the provinces grouped under the designation of Kiang Nan. In official documents it is not considered proper to call the city Nanking, since the Government acknowledges but one capital. Besides Kiang Ning Fu, an elegant Chinese name commonly used is Kin Ling or golden mound." From the 5th or 6th century B.C. to the present there has been a walled city at this place. Nanking was specified in the French Treaty of 1858 as one of the Yangtsze ports to be opened to trade, but was not formally opened until May, 1899.

44

Nanking is situated on the south bank of the Yangtsze, 45 miles beyond Chinkiang and 205 from Shanghai. From the river little can be seen of it except the long line of lofty grey brick walls which encircle it. The walls have an elevation varying from 40 to 90 feet, are from 20 to 40 feet in thickness, and 22 miles in circumference. They enclose a vast area, a large portion of which is wilderness or cultivated land. The inhabited portion lies towards the south and west, and is several miles from the banks of the river. Whatever of architectural beauty or importance belonged to Nanking perished or was reduced to a ruinous condition at or before its occupation by the Taiping rebels. The world famous Porcelain Tower, the most beautiful pagoda in China, was completely destroyed during this period of its history, and now only broken and scattered bricks remain of the structure that was once the glory of Nanking. It stood outside the walls on the south side of the city. The celebrated mausoleum of the Emperor Hung Wu, founder of the Ming dynasty (who died in 1398), with other tombs and monuments, known as the Ming Tombs, are just outside the eastern walls. There are many other interesting ruins in or near the city, including the remains of Hung Wu's Palace. Nanking was first brought into notice among Europeans in 1842, in

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