Directory_and_Chronicle_1908 — Page 1042

CONSULATE, H. B. M.

KONGMOON-WUCHOW

DIRECTORY

Consul-R. W. Mansfield, residing at

Canton

CUSTOMS-IMPERIAL MARITIME

Indoor-

Acting Commissioner-G. T. Moule Fourth Assistant A.-C. A. S. Williams C.-J. E. Hartshorn

Outdoor

Do.

Harbour Master-F, J. Ailshorn Assistant Examiner-H. F. Brackstone Tidewaiters--J. S. Chubb, F. Ambroise, M. Bryan, H. Tjomsland, H. H. Scheithauer, A. H. Craig, and M. Foyn

Station Watchers-M. J. Barreira,

A. Z. de Souza

隆安門江

923

EMPRESA INDUSTRIAL DE KONGMUN, Kong-

moon Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

C. J. da Silva, manager

J. Casuso, engineer

HOI ON Co., Cargo Brokers & Comn. Agts.

Lui Cho Hing

Agencies

New York Life Insurance Co. Hamburg Fire Insurance Co.

POST OFFICE IMPERIAL CHINESE

Acting Postal Commissioner—A. H.

Hyland (Canton)

Postal clerk-Chan Ping Yu

WUCHOW

州梧

Wú-chau

Wuchow, opened to foreign trade on June 4th, 1897, by the Special Article of the Burma Convention, is situated on the Sikiang or West River at its junction with the Fu or Knei (Cassia) River. By the steamer routes at present authorised it is distant about 220 miles from Hongkong and Canton. Wuchow is the limit of navigation for ocean-going steamers, but vessels drawing not more than five feet can reach Kueihsien (150 miles beyond) and Nanning (360 miles from here) by boats drawing 2 ft. during eight months in the year; and Konghou (75 miles beyond) almost all the year round. The population of the city and suburbs is estimated at 50,000; it is steadily increasing, more especially in the riverine suburbs which comprise the business quarter. The annual 'inundations caused by the rise in the river-there is an average difference of 60 feet between the winter and summer levels-are a source of great inconvenience to the inhabitants and at times bring about a total cessation of business. To obviate this, the principal steamship offices, the foreign Custom House and the native Custonis and Lekin stations, together with numerous shops and hotels, are located on pontoons (locally known as Pais) moored alongside the river bank. The situation of Wuchow makes it the natural distributing centre for the trade between Kweichow, Eastern Yunnan, Kwangsi, and Hongkong and Canton. The hopes that were entertained at its opening have not, it is true, been realised, chiefly owing to the depression of trade in these parts caused by the political disturbances in the Kwangsi province during the last few years. But once order is restored and the principal trade routes cleared of obstructions, Wuchow bids fair to become one of the principal trading marts in South Western China. The net value of the trade coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs has steadily grown from Taels 4,214,608 in 1898 to Taels 10,554,816 in 1906, showing a falling off amounting to over half a inillion taels compared with the figures for 1904 and 1905, owing to drought and floods in the pro- vinces which draw their supplies from Wuchow. The imports were over a million taels less, but exports were stimulated. The principal articles of export are timber, oils (aniseed, cassia, wood and tea), indigo, hides, and live stock. The coal, which should form one of Wuchow's largest exports, still lies buried in the surrounding hills. There is daily steam communication with Canton, the two steamers of the British West River Steamship Co. affording excellent passenger accommodation. The round trip from Canton takes four days: the boat leaving Canton on Friday mornings remains over Sunday in Wuchow. The direct trade with Hongkong is now carried on by seven cargo steamers. During the last three years a large native passenger trade has sprung up between Wuchow and up-river towns: launches leave daily during the summer months for Konghau, Kuaiping and Kueihsien, and weekly for Nanning

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