Directory_and_Chronicle_1900 — Page 719

SHASI-ICHANG

245

Foreign Customs was in 1898 Tls. 171,110, showing a decrease of Tls. 145,402 on the previous year. The bulk of the carrying trade is however carried on by junks, which do not come under the control of the Foreign Customs.

AMERICAN EPISCOPAL MISSION

Rev. Kwei

CONSULATES

GREAT BRITAIN

DIRECTORY

Acting Consul-E. C. Wilton (resi-

JAPAN

ding at Ichang)

門衙事領本日大

Consul-Y. Futakuchi

Chancellor J. Nakamura

Police Inspector-T. Matsudaira

ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION

Rev. Angelus Timmers

Rev. Mauritius Robert

CUSTOMS IMPERIAL MARITIME

Act. Asst.-in-charge A. H. Wilizer Assistant-B. D. Tisdall

Assistant Examiner F. J. Rowsell

Tidewaiter-M. Feller

T+

POST OFFICE-IMPERIAL CHINESE

Clerk-in-charge-Kwoh Meiwong

局使郵本日大

POST OFFICE-JAPANESE

Chief Y. Futakuchi

Assistant-Y. Küsaka

SWEDISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY

Rev. A. P. and Mrs. Tjellström

Rev. B. E. and Mrs. Ryden (absent)

Rev. F. A. Wennborg

ICHANG

昌宜 I-cháng

Is one of the four ports opened to foreign trade on the 1st April, 1877, in accordance with clause 1, section 3, of the Chefoo Convention.

Ichang is situated in lat. 30° 44′ 25′′ N., long. 111° 18′ 34′′ E., on the left bank of the river Yangstze, about 393 miles above Hankow, and some ten miles below the entrance to the great Ichang gorge. The navigation of the river to this port is com- paratively easy for vessels of light draught, but great care is necessary for all vessels when in the neighbourhood of Sunday Island, owing to the shifting sand banks. The anchorage is off the left bank, opposite the foreign residences, and is good, except in freshets, when the anchors should be sighted every two or three days. The port is the centre of a hilly country, the productions of which are rice in the valleys, cotton on the higher grounds, winter wheat, barley, and also the tungtzu trees, from which the ordinary wood oil is obtained by pressing the nuts gathered from the trees. In the sheltered valleys, amongst the mountain ranges west of the city, oranges, lemons, pomelos, pears, plums, and a very superior quality of persimmons are grown and find a ready market in the city and at Shasi. Ichang has increased in importance since the open- ing of Chungking. All cargo for the latter port is landed here and transferred to chartered junks. In the same way cargo brought down in chartered junks from Chungking and intended for the lower river and coast ports is shipped here on river steamers, which make regular voyages to and from Hankow.

Native opium is largely grown from here westwards, and is increasing in quantity and improving in quality. The climate of Ichang is drier than that of the lower river ports-suminers very warm, winters dry and pleasant. The native population is estimated at about 35,000. The foreign residents are few in number, educated native agents representing the four or five foreign hongs doing business here. Fine new Consular and Customs buildings have recently been erected and have improved the appearance of the settlement very much.

The net value of the trade of the port, excluding transhipment cargo, was in 1898 Tls. 1,295,729, in 1897 Tls. 1,794,380, and in 1896 Tls. 2,210,301. The foreign imports amounted to Tls. 190,282. The gross value of the trade of the port, including re-exports, was in 1898 Tls. 16,089,058, in 1897 Tls. 18,750,433, in 1896 Tls. 15,089,604.