Directory_and_Chronicle_1903 — Page 834

LAPPA---SAMSHUT

Station Watchers-B. M. F. d'Assis, A. Z. de Souza, A. Fernandes, F. A. da Silva

Cruising Launch "Lungtsing" Officer in charge-F. Wolfe Launch Officer-V. Kuster Revenue Launch "Chumsing"

Officer in charge-P. V. Jackson Launch Officer-R. W. Winter

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333

Revenue Launch "Lui Pin

Officer in charge-H. E. Trepkowski Revenue Launch "Lui Kok”

Officer in charge-W. Winter Stations under Lappa Customs - Malowchow, Chi n shan, Shek Kok, Kwan chiap, Niun Islands, Wang Moon, Tung Ho. Mongchao, Gae- moon, Nai Wan Moon

SAMSHUI

Sám-shwui

*

The Treaty port of Sanishui, opened in 1897 under the Burmah Convention-nearly forty years after Consul Harry Parkes' East River Expedition-is situated near the Junction of the West and North Rivers, in lat. 23 deg. 6 min. 30 sec. N., and long. 112 deg. 53 min. and 48 sec. E. The anchorage, known as Hokow, at which foreigners reside, was formerly an ordinary Chinese fishing village, with boat building as its leading industry, and a flooded state in summer as its characteristic peculiarity, but it is fast becoming a busy town. According to the Convention, the town of Samshui and Kongkên (a dirty little village sleeping among the hills opposite Hokow) together constitute the port area. The formal opening took place on 4th June, 1897, since which date the net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs has grown to nearly three million taels. The junk trattic is simply enormous and the lekin station is the first in the province. The district city of Samshui itself is surrounded by an imposing wall, built in the 6th year of Chia Ching of the Ming's (about A.D. 1560), the year after the place attained to the dignity of a magistrate's cure. Within the wall, the houses are poor and the place is wanting in life-a condition in which it has remained throughout the present dynasty and in contrast (say the records) to its affluent state under the Mings. Without the North Gate stands an imposing temple, temp Chia Ching (circa 1800). Between the town and the river is a fine nine-storied pagoda-probably of the Ming dynasty.

The business focus of the district is Sainam, a large well-built town of no great antiquity, three miles distant, on the creek leading to Fatshan. Here an interesting occupation is the tinning of rice-birds, soles and game. The rice birds are caught in reed patches at night in a bag net, into which they are swept by a rope drawn over the reeds. The season is short, lasting only for six weeks in the Autumn.

Two sets of steamer lines converge here, from Canton and Hongkong respectively, and tourists in China can do many worse things than visit the West River, and should not fail to explore this port and its environs. In the Summer malignant diseases— fever, dengue, cholera, plague, etc-may occasionally appear, as in every other place in China; but in the Winter, the air is keen, bracing and clear. The waterways and surrounding country are picturesque and the adjacent heights (from 200 to 400 ft.) worthy of ascent. Game, especially snipe, duck and geese, is to be found in fair quantities. The temperature varies from 38° F. to 100 F-dry in winter, damp in summer-but generally very supportable.

官事領國英大

CONSULATE

also

DIRECTORY

GREAT BRITAIN

AUSTRO-HUNGARY

Consul-general-James Scott (resid-

ing in Canton)

BELGIUM

官事領國比大

Tai-peh-kwok Ling-sz-kun

:

Consul for Hongkong, Macao and

South China-Th. Hamman (resid-.

ing in Hongkong)

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