Directory_and_Chronicle_1902 — Page 727

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SHANGHAI

withstanding the soft nature of the soil the roads are now kept in remarkably good order, at least the main thoroughfares. The Municipal Council now leases a stone quarry at Pingchiao, in Chekiang, about 150 miles south-west of Shanghai, from which they obtained about 33,676 tons of stone for road making in 1900. Owing to the nature of the ground, expensive piling or concrete foundations are necessary before any foreign building can be erected, and all stone has to be brought from a long distance. The Soochow Creek, between the English Settlement and Hongkew, is now crossed by seven bridges, four of which are adapted for carriage traffic, and the French concession is connected with the other Settlement by eight bridges crossing the Yang- king-pang. It is proposed to culvert and fill in this Creek and to make a broad through- fare along its line, but the Health Officer in his last report expresses the opinion that the advantage to sanitation of this scheme would not be commensurate with the expense of carrying it out. There are several good driving roads extending into the country, two leading to Sicawei, a distance of about six miles, and one to Jessfield by the banks of the Soochow Creek, for five miles. A scheme for the construction of a road from Sica- wei to the hills, eighteen miles, has been sanctioned and there is every prospect of its soon being made. Another broad thoroughfare, Yangtsepoo Road, runs by the side of the river for five miles, which is intended ultimately to extend to Woosung. The termini of Jessfield Road and Yangtzepoo Road now mark the limits in their separate directions of the Foreign settlement. Several other roads have been proposed, but, although foreigners are prepared to pay high prices for the land, the opposition of the officials has hitherto prevented their construc- tion. Now, however, by the granting of the extension of the Settlements the Muni cipal Council has the right to build and police roads in certain adjacent districts. the time the Taipings approached Shanghai some roads for the passage of artillery were made by the British military authorities at the expense of the Chinese Govern- ment, one of them extending for seventeen miles into the country; but, excepting those close to the settlement, they have now been turned into ploughed fields. The foreshore in front of the settlement has been reclaimed, raised, turfed, and planted with shrubs and forms a delightful and spacious promenade. The trees planted some years ago having now attained a good height, and several more imposing buildings. having been completed, the English and French Bunds form as magnificent a boulevard as any in the East.

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Many foreign houses, nearly all of them with several mow of garden ground, have been, and more are still being, erected near the outside roads, especially on the Bubbling Well, Sicawei, and Sinza roads, which are the main outlets from the settlement, and from which most of the other roads branch off. These roads are planted with trees on both sides, forming fine avenues of about five miles in length. A small but well laid-out and adinirably kept Public Garden was formed about 1868 on land recovered from the river in front of the British Consulate. It has been considerably extended in area by reclaiming the foreshore, A general Public Garden, intended for Chinese, eight now in extent, by the bank of the Soochow Creek, was opened in December, 1890. There is a public conservatory well stocked with flowers and ferns. A Park measuring 364 by 216 feet is laid out in Hongkew. The Public Recreation Ground has also been thoroughly drained, turfed and laid-out, in spaces not devoted to sport, with flower beds. These are all under the care of a public gardener, secured from Kew Gardens, in 1899.

Immense sums have been wasted in various attempts to drain the settlements, principally from the want of skilled direction; but the great difficulties in this matter, arising from the low lying and level nature of the ground, have now been fairly overcome, though very much work of this nature will have to be undertaken in the newly acquired area. The settlements are well provided with telephonic fire alarms. The desire of the Municipal Councils to keep the monopoly in their own hands retarded for many years the inauguration of water works, but a public company is now established, which furnishes a continuous supply of filtered water at moderate rates. A separate system of waterworks for the French Concession is being inaugurated, and Chinese waterworks, to supply the native city, were completed in September, 1899. The electric light was introduced in 1882, and arc lamps are erected on all the principal thoroughfares and wharves. In 1893 the Municipality purchased the property and business of the Electric Company, but the administra- tion of the Electric Light Department has not given entire satisfaction and in 1899- the Municipal Council advertised for tenders for the purchase of its plant and the introduction of a private service. The French Municipality has an excellent electric light service and the native Bund is lighted by a Chinese Electric Light Company.

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