Directory_and_Chronicle_1906 — Page 816

SHANGHAI

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leaving sufficient profit to pay a small dividend. Towards the close of 1895 consent was given by the Throne for the construction by the provincial authorities of a line of railway from Shanghai to Soochow, a distance of about eighty miles. This is now in course of construction, the portion between Shanghai and Woosung having been opened to traffic on 1st September 1898. On 9th October, 1904, the control of the line was taken over by the Chinese Imperial Railway Administration and vested in the Board of Commissioners of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway. The Shanghai terminus is too far from the Settlement to permit of the lines being of much use in handling cargo from Woosung. The line is to be extended to Chinkiang and Nanking. In April, 1904, the first sod of the Shanghai-Nanking line was cut by H. E. Sheng Kung Pao, as Director General of Railways. On November 18th, 1905, a section of twelve miles to Nanyiang was opened, to traffic and it is expected that the service to Soochow will be opened in the spring and perhaps to Nanking in the Autumn of this year. A scheme for Tramways in the settlement had often been put forward, but up to 1896 was refused sanction by the ratepayers. In more recent years a change has come over the views of the ratepayers and last year a contract was signed with the well-known British firm of Messrs. Bruce, Peebles & Co., to provide the Settlement with electric tramways. There are five locally ownel lines of steamers running on the coast and the river Yangtsze. Many manufactor- ies under both native and foreign auspices have sprung up of late years, and would have done so in large numbers long ago had it not been that the native authorities offered strong opposition to any manufactures under the control of foreigners and prevented the importation of foreign machinery. Although the right under the Treaty to import machinery is quite clear, the British Government hesitated to enforce it; but the Japanese, in the treaty of 1895 which closed the war, obtained the insertion of a clause specially authorising its importation. The consequence was that five cotton spinning and weaving companies were floated, one under the auspices of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., one under those of the American Trading Company, one under the management of Messrs. Ilbert & Co., one by Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co., and one by Messrs. Fearon, Daniel & Co., who have built mills of from 40,000 to 60,000 spindles each. With the number of mills working and others in course of construction, the place is rapidly assuming the appearance of a thriving district in Lancashire. At the present time there are nine Cotton Mills in operation, with about 167,000 spindles, and four Chinese-owned, with about 146,000 spindles. It is probable, how- ever, that not more than an average of 60 to 70 per cent of the foreign-owned spindles are at work at one time, taking slack and busy periods together. The mills however, have not proved so profitable as was expected owing to difficulties connected with the supply of the native raw material and the increased cost of labour. 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 are foreign managed. The export in 1895 was 6,276 bales of one picul (133 lbs. each); in 1904 it was 10,814, but in intervening years the export was considerably larger; in 1900, for instance the export was 14,738 piculs. 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, foreign and native owned Paper Mills, two Chinese-owned Match Factories, turning out between 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.

In

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