Directory_and_Chronicle_1904 — Page 1060

AMOY

門廈 Hiámmun

Amoy was one of the five ports open to foreign trade before the ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin. It is situated upon the island of Haimun, at the mouth of the Pei Chi or Dragon River, in lat. 24 deg. 40 min. N. and long. 118 deg. E. It was the scene of trade with Western nations at a very early date. The Portuguese went there in 1544, but in consequence of their cruelty towards the natives, the Chinese authorities forcibly expelled them and burned thirteen of their vessels. The English had commercial dealings there up to 1730, when the Chinese Government issued an edict prohibiting trade with foreigners at all ports except Canton. They made an exception as regards Spanish ships, which were allowed to trade at Amoy. The vessels of other nationalities, however, continued to visit the place and did so till the city was captured in 1841. The Treaty of Nanking was signed soon afterwards, by which all foreigners were admitted to trade there.

In describing Amoy, Dr. Williams says:-"The island (upon which Amoy is built) is about forty miles in circumference, and contains scores of large villages besides the city. The scenery within the bay is picturesque, caused partly by the numerous islands which define it, surmounted by pagodas or temples, and partly by the high barren hills behind the city. There is an outer and an inner city, as one approaches it seaward, divided by a high ridge of rocky hills having a fortified wall running along the top. A paved road connects the two. The entire circuit of the city and suburbs is about eight miles, containing a population of 300,000, while that of the island is estimated at 100,000 more. The harbour is one of the best on the coast; there is good holding ground in the outer harbour, and vessels can anchor in the inner, within a short distance of the beach, and be perfectly secure; the tide rises and falls from fourteen to sixteen feet. The western side of the harbour, here from six hundred and seventy-five to eight hundred and forty yards wide, is formed by the island of Kulangsu. It is a picturesque little spot and maintains a rural population of 3,500 people. Eastward of Amoy is the island of Quemoy or Kinmun (Golden Harbour), presenting a striking contrast in the low foreground on its south shore to the high land on Amoy." The population of the city is, however, now estimated at 96,000.

*Amoy ranks as a third class city. It is considered, even for China, to be very dirty, and its inhabitants are unusually squalid in their habits. There are several places of interest to foreigners in the vicinity, and excursions can be made to Chang- chow-fu, the chief city of the department of that name, and situated about 35 miles from Amoy. The island of Kulangsu is about a third of a mile from Amoy, and the residences of nearly all the foreigners are to be found there, although most of the foreign business is transacted on the Amoy side. There is a good Club in the settlement, adjoining which is the cricket ground. A neat little Anglican Church has also been erected. A Japanese Settlement was marked out in 1899. There is a granite dock at Amoy, being 300 fest by 60 feet, and is owned and managed by foreigners. Kerosine oil tanks, capable of turning out 4,000 tons a day, the property of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, have been erected. The foreign residents number about 280. A large fire occurred in October, 1902, which destroyed over 1,000 houses and caused a loss of between three and four millions of dollars. The new houses and shops which are being erected are of brick, two, and in some cases three stories high.

There has always been a comparatively good trade done at Amoy. There is frequent and pretty regular steamer communication with Hongkong, Swatow, and Foochow. Direct communication with Manila and the Straits Settlements is also maintained. The total export of Tea for 1902 was 140,245 piculs (including 133,706 piculs re-exported ) against ‍131,069 piculs (including 124,052 piculs re-exported) in 1901 and 143,654 piculs in 1900. The ten re-exported is mostly from Formosa. There are large exports of sugar. The net value of the tra le of the port coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs for 1902 was Tls. 17,161,868 against Tls. 14,719,058 in 1901 and Tls. 13,943,228 for 1900. The island of Kulangsu was handed over by China as an International settlement on the 1st May 1903.