Directory_and_Chronicle_1908 — Page 1039

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關北拱 Kung Pak Kwan

IMPERIAL MARITIME CUSTOMS

LAPPA-SAMSHUI

DIRECTORY

Acting Commissioner--A. H. Wilzer

Assistant-R. F. C. Hedgeland

Do. A. A. d'Eça

—A.

Do. --S. V. dos Remedios

Medical Officers—E. d'E. P. d'Almeida,

E. M. Alvares

Act. Tidesurveyor--J. F. H. Schlüter Do. Boat Officer-G. H. King Assistant Examiners-E. Trusch, A.

P. C. Hicks

Tidewaiters-H E. Trepkowski, J. A. Karkatzky, M. F. d'Assis, A. Murray, A. Johnson, A. Chanings, L. R. Jordan, C. C, N. Hansen, C. Fischer, S. Larsen, J. Boyd, F. Fontaine, J.

Baillie, C. Armstrong, H, O. Jones, A. Knobloch, G. Walford

Prob.

Tidewaiters- R. Bland, H. E. Smith, G. H. Dell, H. L. Johnson, W. Atkins, N. McMahon, T. A. Noud Watchers-A. M. Alves, T. E. Pateman,

W. A. Palmer, G. Street Cruising Launch "Lungtsing"

Officer in charge-A. Murray Launch Officer-W. Atkins Revenue Launch "Cumsing"

Officer in charge -J. Boyd Launch Officer-H. E Smith Revenue Launch "Lui Pin"

Officer in charge--G. Walford Revenue Launch “Lui Kuk"

Officer in charge—C. C. N. Hansen Stations under Lappa Customs

Malowchow, Chienshan, Shekkok, Kwanchiap, Nine Islands, Tung Ho, Mongchao, Nai Wan Moon

SAMSHUI

水三 Sàm-shui

The Treaty port of Samshui, opened in 1897 under the Burmah Convention-nearly forty years after Consul Harry Parkes East River Expedition-is situated near the junction of the West and North Rivers, in lat. 23 deg. 6 min. 30 sec. N., and long. 112 deg. 53 min. and 48 sec. E. The anchorage known as Hokow, nt which foreigners reside, was formerly an ordinary Chinese fishing village, with boat building as its leading industry, and a flooded state in summer as its characteristic peculiarity, but it is fast becoming a busy town. According to the Convention, the town of Samshui and Kongkên (a lirty little village sleeping among the hills opposite Hokow) together constitute the port area. The formal opening took place on 4th June, 1897, since which date the net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs has grown to nearly 33 million taels in 1906. The junk traffic is simply enormous and the lekin station is the first in the province. The district city of Samshui itself is surrounded by an imposing wall built in the 6th year of Chia Ching of the Ming's (about A.D. 1560), the year after the place attained to the dignity of a magistrate's cure. Within the wall the houses are poor and the place is wanting in life-a condition in which it has remained throughout the present dynasty and in contrast (say the records) to its affluent state under the Mings. Outside the North Gate stands an imposing temple, temp Chia Ching (circa 1800). Between the town and the river is a fine nine-storied pagoda-probably of the Ming dynasty.

The business focus of the district is Sainam, a large well-built town of no great antiquity, three miles distant, on the creek leading to Fatshan. The inhabitants are not lacking in enterprise and there is a steam silk filature and a steam flour mill. Here an interesting occupation is the tinning of rice-birds, soles and game. The rice birds are caught in reed patches at night in a bag net, into which they are swept by a rope drawn over the reeds. The season is short, lasting only for six weeks in the Autumn.

Three sets of steamer lines converge here, from Canton, Hongkong and Macao respectively, and tourists in China can do many worse things than visit the West River, and should not fail to explore this port and its environs. The number of steamers entered and cleared at the Custom House during 1906 totalled 2,836.

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