Directory_and_Chronicle_1904 — Page 1044

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HANGCHOW

efore Soochow. Its three great trades are silk weaving, including several kinds f crape and gauze, the production of fans of all kinds, and the making of thin in 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, acquer, and many other articles in small quantities. The communication by water vith Shanghai is particularly good, and might be much improved with very little rouble by a small amount of dredging at a spot in the Grand Canal twenty miles from Hangchow. Ningpo, about 120 miles distant, can also be reached by boat from Hang- how with several transhipments only: it is quicker to go via Shanghai. Hangchow vas declared open to foreign trade on the 26th September, 1896, in accordance with the erms of the Japanese treaty. Steam launches ply regularly to and from Shanghai and o and from Soochow with passenger boats in tow, making the trip in from 18 to24 hours, One of the sights of Hangchow is the famous western lake, dotted with islets crowned vith shrines and memorial temples, and spanned by causeways joining island to sland. The general picturesque effect is heightened by temples, pagodas, and similar nonuments judiciously placed in effective spots, while the slopes of the hills bordering he lake on the west are bright with azaleas, honey-suckle, and peach-bloom, and lusters of bamboos, several kinds of conifers, the stillignia, camphor tree, and maple n rich profusion, all help to make the scene ideally perfect.

The site selected for the Foreign Settlement extends for half a mile along the east ank of the Grand Canal; it covers over half a square mile and is about four miles from he city wall. The Japanese concession adjoins it on the North and is about the same ize. The Custom House and Commissioner's and Assistants' residences are built n the Customs Lot, and an imposing Police Station has also been put up. A British Jonsulate has been built on the opposite side of the Japanese Concession, not on the ettlements. 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 ,800,000 lbs. of yarn in 1901. A native-owned steam silk filature has not been work- ng for over three years and is now used as the head office of the Chehkiang Lottery. flour mills have been put up and are working intermittently. The net value of trade or 1901 was H.K. Tls. 12,105,667; for imports 3,565,760, exports to China 5,815,982, 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 ls. 7,993,479 for 1898. The commodities chiefly dealt in were opium, tin, Japanese opper, kerosine oil, soap, sugar, prepared tobacco, varnish, paper fans, silk piece goods, aw silk, and tea. The imports of foreign goods from Chinese ports amounted to ls. 3,669,297 in 1902, against Tls. 3,575,527 in 1901, and the exports to Tls. 7,125,445 n 1902, against Tls. 5,815,982 in 1901. The net value of the trade of the port for 1902 ras Tls. 14,309,483, against Tls. 12,105,667 in 1901, and Tls. 9,433,771 in 1900. Trade is improving generally.

Halfway between Hangchow and Shanghai is Kashing, where the grand canal is ntered. Kashing is a Customs Station under Hangchow and was first opened in 1898 or collecting duties on foreign opium owing to fiscal arrangements being against the ollection at Hangchow. It now collects duties both on imports and exports and has ecome quite an important factor.

There are two Chinese companies and one Japanese between Shanghai aud Hangchow nd one Chinese and one Japanese between Soochow and Hangchow, all of them daily ervice. Thirteen foreign missionaries were murdered at Chüchow on the Chientang iver in 1900. Cholera in 1902 killed 10,000 people.

The principal article of export is tea, about 70,000 piculs per year. The tea comes rom Anhui and Pingsuey near Shaohsing and from the neighbourhood of Hangchow, where the valuable Lungching tea is grown. Silk, paper fans, raw cotton, medicines and infoil are also exported.