Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 717

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

260

CHUNGKING

now in progress for the removal of the obstruction. On the left bank of the Kia- ling and facing Chungking, extending below the junction of the two rivers, is the walled city of Kiang-Peh-ting, formerly within the district of Li Min Fu, but now incorporated in Chungking Fu. These two cities and the large villages in their im- mediate neighbourhood are estimated to contain a population of about 200,000.

The port was declared open to Foreign trade in March, 1891, but business did not actually commence until the 18th June, since which date a large trade has been done both in imports and exports, carried in foreign chartered junks, but latterly the trade has been checked by rebellious disturbances. The net value of the trade for 1899 was Tls. 25,792,677, for 1898 Tls. 17,426,872, for 1897 Tls 17,971,376, and for 1896 Tls. 13,131,569. The Yangtsze is navigable for steamers from Ichang, not only to Chungking, but as far as Suchau-fu, where the Min river joins the Yangtsze, but before the Japanese war, steamers were not allowed to ascend above Ichang. By the Japanese treaty of 1891, however, the right of steam navigation to Chungking was secured, and in the spring of 1898 the voyage was successfully accomplished by Mr. A. Little with the small steamer Leechuen, which, however, being of limited power, had to be tracked up the rapids in the same way as junks. Several steamers have since been built for the Upper Yangtse, and in December the German steamer Suihsiang was wrecked on her first voyage sixty miles above Ichang.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 717

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