Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 714

SHASI

257

SHASI

市沙 Sha-si

Shasi is one of the ports opened to foreign trade under the Japanese treaty of 1895, the official declaration of the opening being dated the 1st October, 1896. The port is situated about 85 miles below Ichang and is situated at the crossing point of two most important routes of commerce in Central China, namely, from east to west and from north to south and vice versa. The population, according to a census taken in 1896, amounts to 73,400, and the floating population, of which no account is kept, may be estimated at 10,000 more. The town itself is much like other native towns of its size. It lies below the level of the river, from which it is protected by a huge embankment which runs for miles above and below the town. Formerly Shasi was an important distributing centre, but the opening of Ichang to foreign trade diverted much of the traffic to the last named port. It was hoped that when Shasi itself was, opened it would regain its importance as a point of distribution, but the experience now gained shows that the development is likely to be slow. On the 9th and 10th May, 1898, a serious anti-foreign riot occurrel at Shasi. The Customs Office and the re- sidence of the Commissioner, the Customs boats, the premises of the China Merchants' Company and their hulk, the office of the Foreign Board, the Japanese Consulate, the premises occupied by the Native agents of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire and Messrs. Jardline, Matheson & Co., and a number of newly-erected Chinese houses were burnt by the mob, Kerosene oil being used to feed the conflagration, and the Foreign residents were driven out of the port, narrowly escaping with their lives. The Custom House was re-opened on the 1st July, of the same year. In August, 1898, an area of 3,800 Chinese feet in length, by 800 to 1,200 in breadth, lying along the river side below the town, was assigned to Japan as a Japanese concession. The British Consulate was withdrawn in January, 1899, British interests being placed under the care of the Consul at Ichang. The estimated value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs was in 1899 estimated at Tls. 247,427, showing an increase of Tls. 76,317 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.

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 W. K. Roberts Assistant-F. L. Bessell

Assistant Examiner-W. O. Pegge

Tidewaiter-M. Feller

POST OFFICE-IMPERIAL CHINESE

Clerk-in-charge-Kwoh Meiwong

局便郵本日大

POST OFFICE--JAPANESE

Postmaster-Y. Futakuchi

Clerk-Y. Kusaka

Assistant Clerk-K. Ando

REMINGTON TYPEWRITER, 327 Broadway, New York, U. S. A.

9