Directory_and_Chronicle_1902 — Page 816

HANGCHOW

279.

HANGCHOW , t Hàng-chau

Hangchow, the capital of the province of Chekiang, is situated 150 miles south- west of Shanghai, and 127 miles south of Soochow, on the Chien-tang River at the apex of a bay which is too shallow for the navigation of steamers. The mouth of the river is, moreover, periodically visited by a bore, or tidal wave, which further ondangers the navigation. Haining is the best place for observing this famous bore, which is formed by the north-east trade wind heaping up the water of the Pacific on the China coast and causing enormous tides. Hangchow Bay is shaped like a funnel, and the mass of water rushing up, more and more concentrated as it advances, is sud- denly confronted by the current of the river. The momentary check causes the water to assume a wall-like formation; then, growing to a height of 15ft. and gathering mo- mentum with the immense pressure behind, forcing its volume into the comparatively narrow waterway, it tears past the sca-wall with a roar like thunder at a rate some- times exceeding 15 miles an hour. Before the Taiping rebellion Hangchow shared with Soochow the reputation of being one of the finest cities 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 Hangelow 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 immense 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 terins 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. A British Con- sulate has been built, with a number of small foreign houses. On the west side, opposite the Settlement, a cotton mill, owned by Chinese and built and worked on western lines, is in operation, and turned out 2,300,000 lbs. of yarn in 1900, though work was necessarily suspended at times owing to the Boxer agitation, the employees being retained and drilled as trained bands to protect the premises. A native-owned steam silk filature is also in existence, and oil and flour mills are in the course of erection. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs for 1900 was Tls. 9,433,771, against Tls. 11,501,767 for 1899, and Tls. 7,993,479 for 1898. 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, chiefly from Shanghai, amounted to Tls. 2,581,807, against Tls. 2,747,433 in 1899, and the exports to Tls, 4,785,371, against Tls. 6,402,552 in 1899. Notwithstanding the disturbed state of the empire during 1900, the trade of Hangchow continued fairly good.

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