Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 692

TAMSUI AND KELUNG

609

the hills in the locality, the export in 1905 amounting to 22,949,455 lbs. as compared with 22,636,920lbs, in 1904, 23,680,185 lbs. in 1903, and 22,067,196 lbs. in 1902. According to the British Consular report, the total trade of North Formosa in 1905 amounted to £3,406,208, as against £3,405,452 in 1904, £3,270,663, in 1903, and £3,208,379 in 1902.

The port of Kelung lies to the north-east of Tamsui, in latitude 25 deg. 6 min. N. and longitude 121 deg. 47 min. E. It is situated on the shores of a bay between the capes of Foki and Peton, some twenty miles apart, amidst bold and striking scenery, backed by a range of mountains. It was once a Spanish Settlement, but was subsequently captured and held by the Dutch until they in turn gave place to the Chinese under Koxinga, formerly a pirate chief who caused himself to be proclaimed King of Formosa. Though a mere village, it has long carried on a considerable native trade with Amoy, Chin-chew, and Foochow. Its staple product used to be coal, but the quantity at present produced is largely absorbed by local requirements. Kelung was opened to foreign trade at the same time as the other Formosan ports. The limits of the port are defined to be within a straight line drawn from Image Point to Bush Island. On the 5th August, 1884, the port was bombarded by the French under Admiral Léspes, when the forts above the town were reduced to ruins, and the place captured. It was then garrisoned by the French, who held it until after the Treaty of Peace had been signed at Tientsin in June, 1885. The place was occupied by the Japanese on the 3rd June, 1895.

At Kelung the harbour works authorities have prepared plans for proposed improvements, and actual work commenced in November 1900, when two dredgers started work deepening the bottom of the harbour. The construction of a break- water is included in the programme. A slipway is at Kelung for vessels of 400 tons but a project is on foot to enlarge it to accommodate vessels up to 1,600 tons. Designs for another slipway are under consideration by the naval authorities. The Japanese Budget for the current year includes a suin of 3,500,000 yen for harbour improve- mentsat Kelung. During 1900 a lighthouse was completed on Pak-sa Point, a low headland on the west coast, some 20 miles south-west of Tamsui. A pier has recently been built in conjunction with the railway, alongside which most steamers are now berthed. The depth of water alongside of same is 25 feet at low tide, and in the channel of the inner harbour, 26 feet at low tide.

The railway line between Tamsui and Daitotei (Twatutia) was opened on 25th Aug- ust, 1:01, and has been of great benefit to the people of the district. The actual cost of construction was insignificant, the line having been laid upon a practically level sur- face for nearly the whole of its route. Over 100 miles of railways are now in working order in this district, which are to extend from Kelung to the south of the island, and now reach to Hakkoko, the remaining 13 miles constituting the line between Taihoku and Tamsui. In the south the line has been completed and is in working order as far north as Koroton. The capital, called by the Chinese Taipeh, is now under the Japanese nomenclature, called Taihoku. Twatutia will be found in the Japanese postal guide as Daitotei. It is here, on the outskirts of Taihoku, and on the Tamsui River which flows past Daitotei, that the foreign merchants have their residential and business quarters. At the mouth of the Tamsui River lies the town of Hobé, in Japanese Kobi, but now most usually called Tamsui to avoid confusion with Kobe in Japan proper. The population of Daitotei at the last census (1905) was 53,766 and of Keelung 20,647.

TAIHOKU (TAIPEH) AND DAITOTEI

(TWATUTIA) DIRECTORY

利華 Hwa Lee

AVERILL & Co., Merchants

W. Hohmeyer, signs the firm

Vail Blydonburg, signs per pro.

行銀灣台社會式株

BANK OF TAIWAN, LIMITED, THE(Kabushiki-

Kwaisha Taiwan Ginko); Head Office,

Taipeh: Tel. Ad. Taigin

Branches: Kobe, Tainan, Amoy, Hong-

kong, Kelung and Tamsui

President-K. Yagiu

Directors-M. Tatsuno, I. Kaziwara Auditors-K. Okura, K. Otani, S.

Nishimura, C. Kada, Lin Lee Ka

N. Nagao, manager head office

T. Shimosaka, manager Kobe branch K. Yamanari, do. Osaka do.

T. Ikerla,

do. Tainan do.

J. Kobayashi, do. Amoy do. Y. Yoshiwara, do. Foochow do. S. Shigenaga, do. Hongkong do. I. Muramatsu, do. Kelung doe

itized by

20

:

D

#