Directory_and_Chronicle_1903 — Page 687

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SHANGHAI

consequence of this Messrs. Fearon, Daniell & Co's. Yah Loong Mill was closed and the machinery sold by public auction in December, 1901. Approaching Shanghai from Woosung the extensive mills of the Shanghai Cotton Cloth Ad- ministration (a native-owned business) meet the eye-the old premises were de stroyed by fire in 1893, and the present buildings were completed in 1895. These mills were the first erected in Shanghai, and the late ex-viceroy, Li Hung-chang, had a considerable interest in them. Above these on the river side are the mills of Ilbert & Co., Jardine, Matheson & Co., and Arnhold, Karberg & Co., referred to above; while on the opposite or Pootung shore stands the large and busy mill of the Interna- tional Cotton Manufacturing Co. There are also a number of ginning factories, foreign and native owned. Much of this cleaned cotton is exported to Japan. Of Silk Filatures Shanghai has 25, with a total of 8,000 basins, of which five were foreign managed. In 1898 few worked to the full extent of their capacity and many only intermittently. The export in 1895 was 6.276 bales of one picul (133) Ibs, each), 5,293 piculs in 1896, 11,429 piculs in 1897, 8,037 piculs in 1898, 12,919 piculs in 1899, 7,654 piculs in 1900 and 14,738 piculs in 1901, One only of these Filatures is the property of a private firm; the others being owned by Foreign or Chinese Companies. These Filatures which give employment to 20,000 Natives are scattered over the Hongkew and the Sinza districts, with the exception of a large one of 300 basins at Jessfield-the Hing Chong Filature. Of other industries we may note Hydraulic Packing Factories, a native owned Paper Mill, two Chinese owned Match Factories, turning out be- tween them some 80 cases, containing each 100 gross of boxes, per day. A large foreign Flour Mill (for grinding native wheat, which it is said makes excellent flour), two Kerosene Tank Oil and Tinning establishments and works, and various other industries which are fast increasing in number. Shanghai bids fair to soon outrival Bombay as the largest manufacturing centre in Asia.

The Astor House" in Hongkew, the “Central" in the British, and the "Hôtel des Colonies" in the French Concession, besides many second-class houses, give hotel. accommodation equal to that of any port in the East. There are tive daily news- papers, the North China Daily News, The New Press, and L'Echo de Chine, morning, the Shanghai Mercury and the China Gazette, evening; also five weeklies, the North China Herald, Celestial Empire, Ostasiatische Lloyd, The Union and Sport and Gossip. There are four native daily papers, the Shun-pao, the Hu-pao, the Sin-aran-pao, and the Universal Gazette, the latter representing the Reform movement. These are sold at the prices of ten and eight cash, équal to about a farthing. Some of them have a circula- tion of 10.000 per day. In one matter, that of postal accommodation, Shanghai is perhaps over-supplied, there being British, French, American, Japanese, German, Russian, and Imperial Chinese Post Offices. The latter was organized by and is at present being conducted under the auspices of the Maritime Customs. The Municipal Local Post was in 1898 incorporated with it. It undertakes the transmission of small sums of money and accepts the registration of letters. It will probably be some years before the difficulties inevitable in a country like China are overcome, and foreigners are, justly or unjustly, doubtful as to the inviolability of their correspondence. It is understood that China will apply for admission to the Postal Union. Shanghai was made a port of Registry for British ships in 1874. All foreign hongs and even private houses have to give themselves fancy Chinese names, by which only they are known to the natives. The system is, however, found to have its conveniences. No less than 5,076 jinrickshas, 5,202 passenger and cargo wheelbarrows, 511 ponies, 426 horse carriages ply for hire in the Settlements, besides large numbers outside of private vehicles there were licensed in 1901, 3,306 rickshaws, 695 carriages and 860 ponies. The water conveyances licensed numbered about 59 foreign cargo boats, 1,362 native cargo boats, 36 ferry and tow boats, 1,400 other boats, 321 sampans and 86 steamy launches. There are 21 native theatres within the Anglo-American Settlement.

The currency of Shanghai is the tael weight (equal to one and a third ounces avoirdupois) of silver cast into "shoes" of fifty taels, more or less. The foreign banks issue notes of the value of one dollar and upwards for both taels and dollars. Sinaller transactions are conducted in clean Mexican dollars, smaller subsidiary provincia! silver coins and copper cash. There are eight foreign and numerous native banks in the Settlement. In 1896 the Imperial Chinese Bank, under Chinese and European management, was opened by Imperial Decree.

TRADE AND COMMERCE

Shanghai is the great emporium for the trade of the Yangtsze and Northern and Corean ports, and to some extent for Japan. The total import and export trade of