HANGCHOW
251
times exceeding 15 miles an hour. Before the Taiping rebellion Hangchow shared with Soochow the reputation of being the finest city in the Empire, on account of its wealth and splendour, but it was almost destroyed by the rebels. It has since rapidly recovered and is once more populous and flourishing, though it has not yet regained its former pitch of prosperity. The population is estimated at 750,000, including suburbs. As a manufacturing centre Hangchow takes place even before Soochow. Its three great trades are silk weaving, including several kinds of crape and gauze, the production of fans of all kinds, and the making of thin tin foil, from which are formed the imitation ingots of silver, burnt in such iminense quantities by the Chinese. In addition, it sends out thread, string, colours, drugs, lacquer, and many other articles in small quantities. The communication by water with Shanghai is particularly good, and might be much improved with very little trouble by a small amount of dredging at a spot in the Grand Canal twenty miles from Hangchow. Ningpo, about eighty miles distant, can also be reached by boat from Hangchow, but the canals are not so large and convenient. Hangchow was declared open to foreign trade on the 26th September, 1896, in accordance with the terms of the Japanese treaty. Steam launches ply regularly to and from Shanghai and to and from Soochow with passenger boats in tow, making the trip in from 18 to 24 hours. One of the sights of Hangchow is the famous western lake, dotted with islets crowned with shrines and memorial temples, and spanned by causeways joining island to island. The general picturesque effect is heightened by temples, pagodas, and similar monuments judiciously placed in effective spots, while the slopes of the hills bordering the lake on the west are bright with azaleas, honey-suckle, and peach-bloom, and clusters of bamboos, several kinds of conifers, the stillignia, camphor tree, and maple in rich profusion, all help to make the scene ideally perfect.
The site selected for the Foreign Settlement extends for a mile along the east bank of the Grand Canal; it covers over half a square mile and is about four miles from the city wall. The Custom House and Commissioner's and Assistants' residences are built on the Customs Lot and an imposing Police Station has also been put up. On the west side, opposite the Settlement, a cotton mill, owned by Chinese and built and worked on western lines, is in operation. A native-owned steam silk filature is also in exist- ence, although not working for the present. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs for 1898 was Tls. 7,993,479, “and for 1898 Tls. 7,993,479. The commodities chiefly dealt in were opium, tin, Japanese copper, kerosine oil, soap, sugar, prepared tobacco, varnish, paper fans, silk piece goods, raw silk, and tea. The imports of foreign goods amounted to Tls. 2,086,840, and the exports to Tls. 5,033,245. A brisk trade has been done during 1899.
AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION
Rev. W. S. and Mrs. Sweet
會差老長國美
DIRECTORY
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MISSION (NORTH)
Rev. J. C. and Mrs. Garritt
Rev. H. G. C. Hallock, PH. D.
Rev. J. H. and Mrs. Judson
Rev. E. L. and Mrs. Mattox
會差老長南國美
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MISSION (SOUTH)
Rev. Geo. and Mrs. Hudson
Rev. J. L. and Mrs. Stuart
Rev. G. W. Painter
Rev. C. N. and Mrs. Caldwell
Miss Emma B. Boardman
Miss Ella C. Davidson
Miss Ellen Emerson
Miss Mary S. Mathews
Miss E. B. French
Miss V. J. Lee, M.D.
Kiahing
Rev. and Mrs. W. H. Hudson
Rev. and Mrs. J. M. Blain
Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Venable
Miss Bessie Talbot
Sinchang Postal Address, Kiahing
Rev. and Mrs. P. F. Price
Miss R. Wilson
*** Ta-ying-kiao-hui
CHURCH OF ENGLAND] MISSIONARY SOCIETY Rt. Rev. Bishop Moule, D.D., and wife Dr. Duncan and Mrs. Main (absent) Rev. Geo. W. and Mrs. Coultas (abt.) Dr. A. T. and Mrs. Kember
Rev. H. W. Moule
Miss Moule
Miss J. Moule
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.