Directory_and_Chronicle_1909 — Page 876

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

ANTUNG

東安

An-tung

The treaty port of Antung was opened to international trade by the Commercial Treaty between the United States and China of 1903, but, owing to the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war, it was not till the spring of the year 1907 that the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs established a station here Antung is situated on the right or Chinese bank of the Yalu River, 30 miles from its mouth. The Chinese native town has a population of some 20,000 during the winter, which is swelled to perhaps three times that number during the busy months when the port is open. The floating Chinese population are chiefly emigrants from Shantung. There is also a Japanese population of some 5,000, occupying a settlement with an area of about a square mile, which is surrounded by aram- part and a moat to keep out the summer floods and is laid with good roads. The river is closed to navigation by ice from about the end of November to the end of March. The staple exports of Antung are timber, wild raw silk, wild silk cocoons, beancake and bean products; flour and oil are largely imported. The Yalu battlefield is some 10 miles further up the river and a splendid panorama of the surrounding country, embracing a fine stretch of the Yalu may be obtained from the summit of Tiger Hill, which was the position occupied by the Russians before the battle. Wulungpei, ten miles distant from Ântung, is a favourite resort on account of its hot springs. Antung is connected by railway with Mukden. The railway is a light one of 29 inches gauge and the journry to Mukden, passing the trade-mart of Fenghuangcheng and crossing over some remarkable mountain passes, notably the Motienling, is accomplished in two days. New Wiju, a mile below Antung on the Korean or left bank bank of the Yalu, is the terminus of the railway from Seoul. This is a standard gauge railway and Seoul is reached in 15 hours from Antung. The river at Antung is navigable for steamers drawing 12 feet of water, when the tides are favourable, but the channel is a constantly shifting one and erosion and silting often interfere seriously with navigation. There are several small Japanese steamers of 400 tons plying between Antung and Chefoo, Dalny and Chemulpo, and a steamer belonging to the China Marchants Steam Navigation Company does the run over to Chefoo. The larger ships anchor as a rule just below Yongampo, the Korean port at the mouth of the Yalu, or near Tatungkow which is situated on the Chinese side and has a certain import- ance in connection with the lumber trade.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1909 — Page 876

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