Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 713

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

256

YOCHOW

The province is rich in many forms of wealth, though the inhabitants say, with a proudly humble depreciation, that it consists of "three parts mountain, six water, and one arable soil." One of the main staples is rice, of which nearly a million piculs are sent out of the province, to Hupeh and Kueichow, in an average year. The Hunan tea sent to Hankow amounts to about six hundred thousand half-chests a year. The timber passing down past Changtch is valued officially at six million taels a year, and is probably worth more. There is also a large production of cotton. The mountain districts contain large fields of coal, both anthracite and bituminous; iron also is known to exist. Sulphur, antimony, nickel, and other minerals are even now exported, and great possibilities of development are undoubtedly to be found.

The local trade of the city of Yochow is of no great importance, and it is not likely that there will be much development even after the port has been opened to foreign resi- dence. Itis as the gateway of Hunan that the place will obtain any importance-the point at which transhipment must take place from the steamers plying to and from Hankow, to the junks or other light-draught craft carrying the goods to the true commercial centres of Hunan, viz., Changsha and Siangtan on the Siang River, and Changtehon the Yuen River, both rivers emptying into the Tungting Lake. The population of these cities cannot be ascertained, but travellers report that each extends for about five miles along the river bank. Above Yochow the navigation presents no difficulties except those arising from shallow water. The so-called Tungting Lake-a lake in summer, but rather a system of wide, shallow, meandering channels separated by vast alluvial flats in winter is utilised for navigation only along its Eastern edge on the direct line from Yochow to the mouth of the Siang. The bar of this river has from three to four feet of water at the low-water stage, while that of the Yuen is said to have less than three feet; the latter is generally entered by junks through the winding channels of the delta of the Siang, the direct approach across the lake being neglected, probably because with an unfavourable wind the junks now engaged in the traffic must have a bank from which to track, but possibly also because it may not be easy to find the channel. Steam launches now ply from Yochow to Changsha, but take passengers only, no attempt having been yet made to tow cargo-carrying boats.

The city of Yochow is perched on a bluff in a very picturesque way. Its site is, however, not adapted for a transit trade, and it offers no shelter for small craft. The port has, therefore, been opened at Chenglin, five miles to the north and only a mile from the Yangtsze, where a small creek provides the needed shelter for cargo-boats, and a good anchorage is found for steamers. Here the Chinese Government has set aside a place for a cosmopolitan settlement, for which they themselves will provide roads, police, etc.; the site contains level ground for business purposes, well raised, but not too high, above flood limits, while higher ground gives good and healthy sites for foreign houses. During 1899, the gross and net values of the trade were nil. The total number of steamers entered and cleared was 20, representing 12,754 tons.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 713

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