Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 829

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SHANGHAI

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America. The Health Officer in a late report says that "out of the seventy-five deaths registered there were but nine which can in any sense be termed climatic." There were reported 6,443 deaths amongst the natives in the "Anglo-American Settlement 1905 (against 10,801 in 1902 and 7,380 in 1904), which makes the rate 14.2 per thousand (against 30.9 in 1902, 21.2 in 1903 and 19.2 in 1904). Small-pox, which in 1901 claimed only 31 victims, was the cause of 434 deaths in 1902, 241 in 1903, 759 in 1904, and 246 in 1905; cholera, responsible for 1,50 deaths in 1902, and 162 in 1903, was entirely absent in 1904 and 1995; scarlet fever for 1,500 in 1902, only 2 in 1903, and none in 1904 or 1905 ; and tuberculosis for 2,000 in 1902, 1,978 in 1903, 1,872 in 1904, and 1,414 in 1905. The thermometer ranges from 25 deg. to 103 deg. Fahrenheit, the mean of eight years having been 59.1 deg.; the average being 41.0, 65.1, 77.8 and 52.5 for for first, second, third and fourth quarters respectively. Shanghai approaches nearest to Rome in mean temperature, while the winter temperature of London and Shanghai are almost identical. The mean daily range averages 15.69, being from 13.3 during the first to 16.6 during the second quarter. In October and November there is generally dry, clear, and delightful weather, equal to that found in any part of the world; but when the winter has fairly set in the north-east winds are extremely cold and biting. On January 17th, 1878, the river was frozen over at Woosung. The heat during July and August is sometimes excessive, but generally lasts only a few days at a time. In late years very severe gales have become more fre- quent. The mean of the barometer is from 29.76 in the third to 30.26 inches in the first quarter. The annual average of rainy days in Shanghai during eight years was 124; 55 wet days occurred in winter, and 69 in summer; the annual rainfall averages 43.46 inches, 13.77 in winter and 29.68 in summer; the heaviest shower was on the 24th Octo- ber, 1875, when 7 inches fell in 3 hours. The mean degree of humidity is from 77 in the winter to 80 in the summer months. Earthquakes occasionally occur, but have not been known to inflict any serious injury.

DESCRIPTION

The streets of the British and French Settlements all run north and south and east and west, mostly for the whole length of both, crossing each other at right angles. They were when first laid out twenty-two feet wide, but have since at very great expense been mostly made much wider. Under the new Regulations power to compel the sale of land required for public purposes has been secured. Not- withstanding the soft nature of the soil the roads are now kept in remarkably good order, at least the main thoroughfares. The Municipal Council now leases a stone quarry at Pingchiao, in Chekiang, about 150 miles south-west of Shanghai, from which they obtained about 32,403 tons of good stone and 4,623 tons decomposed sand and stone for road making in 1905. Owing to the nature of the ground, expensive piling or concrete foundations are necessary before any building over one story in height can be erected, and all stone has to be brought from a long distance. The Soochow Creek, between the British Settlement and Hongkew, is now crossed by seven bridges, six of which are adapted for carriage traffic, and the French concession is connected with the other settlement by eight bridges crossing the Yangking-pang. Six new bridges were erected in 1901 to connect the extended settlements,

It has been proposed to culvert and fill in the Creek between the General and French Settlements and to make a broad throughfare along its line, but the scheme is in abeyance. There are several good driving roads extending into the country, two leading to Sicawei, a distance of about six miles, and one to Jessfield by the banks of the Soochow Creek, for five miles with an extension measuring some thirteen miles to the extreme limits of the Shanghai Hsein district. A scheme for the construction of a road from Sicawei to the hills, eighteen miles, has been sanctioned, and marked out, but owing to official obstruction it has not yet been commenced. Another broad thoroughfare, Yangtzepoo Road, runs by the side of the river for five miles, which it is intended ultimately to extend to Woosung. The termini of Jessfield Road and Yangtzepoo Road now mark the limits in their separate directions of the Foreign settlement.

The land for a new road from Sicawei to Jessfield was acquired in 1905.

Several other roads have been proposed, but although foreigners are prepared to pay high prices for the land, the opposition of the officials has hitherto prevented their construc- tion. Now, however, by the granting of the extension of the Settlements the Muni- cipal Council has the right to build and police roads in certain adjacent districts. At the time the Taipings approached Shanghai, some roads for the passage of artillery were made by the British military authorities at the expense of the Chinese Govern- ment one of them extending for seventeen miles into the country; but, excepting

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