Directory_and_Chronicle_1909 — Page 923

SHANGHAI

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23,153,000, and the Western District at Tls. 9,247,000, the whole raised in the Budgets for 1905, 6 and 7 by one-third to more closely approximate the actual value. The assess ment of the British and Hongkew divisions respectively was in 1880 Tls. 6,118,265 and Tls. 1,945,325, total Tls. 8,063,590; in 1890 Tís. 12,397,810 and Tls. 5,110,145, total Tls. 17,507,955. The totals now are thus over ten times those of 1880 and five times those of 1890. One piece of land in the Nanking Road, assessed in 1867 at Tls. 4,000 per mou, the then basis of assessment on the best Bund lots, in 1899 at Tls. 13,000, and in 1903 at Tis. 27,500, was recently sold for Tls. 85,000 per mow. The Overseer of Taxes in a late Report said: "On the Bund and in Nanking Road east of the Fokien Road the value per mow would be at least Tls. 100,000. Nearly all the land in the other part of the Settlement is, I consider, worth at least fifty per cent. above the present assessed value.” While the value of the land in the British Settlement has quadrupled that in Hongkew has increased to nearly eight times what it was worth twenty years ago. A great rise in values took place during the later months of 1895 and this has continued steadily ever since, chiefly caused by the influx of native capital seeking safe investment under foreign protection and by the great increase in population resulting from the establishment of numerous cotton mills, silk filatures, and other industries.

The total number of foreign houses in the four divisions of the general concession on 31st December, 1907, was 2,721, assessed at Tls. 3,928,656, against 2,567 assessed at Tls. 3,423,956, 2,472 assessed at Tĺs. 3,235,311, and 2,129 assessed at Tls. 2,189,940 on the corresponding dates in 1906, 1905, 1904 and 1903. On 49,482 native houses the assess- ment was 88,146,048, against 47,210 assessed at $7,225,491 in 1906, and 45,328 assessed at $6,830,461 in 1905, $5,218,894 on 43,792 houses in 1903, and $4,450,523 on 43,048 houses in 1902. In addition five per cent., half rate, is now collected on 182 foreign houses assessed at Tls. 140,184 and 2,772 native assessed at $214,677 outside the Settlement limits but supplied with water by the Shanghai Waterworks Co. In the Budget for 1908 of the French Concession, the land was valued for assessment at Tls. 8,400,000; the rental assessment of foreign houses was Tls. 237,500, and of native houses Tĺs. 1,067,000. The British and French Settlements, exclusive of the extensions acquired in 1899, are now all built over, and the vacant spaces in Hongkew are being rapidly covered. Many of the best foreign houses, both in the Settlements, and outside roads, are now occupied by Chinese, retired officials and merchants.

A greatly enlarged boundary for the Settlement was granted in 1901. This new territory has been thoroughly surveyed and many new roads are being formed. The area within Municipal limits is now 8 square miles, or 5,618 acres, with a population of 93 per acre. Of this area 641 acres approximately are covered by European build- ings, 1,009 by Chinese buildings and 2,720 acres are still agricultural land. There are in the whole Settlement (exclusive of the French) 2,530 occupied European houses, with an average of 5 inhabitants per house, and 46,358 occupied Chinese houses, with an average of 11 occupants. There are 87 miles of roads, and considerable additions, mostly in the extension, are planned. The Japanese Treaty of 1896 gave that Power the right to a separate Settlement at Shanghai, but although about 3,000 Japanese now reside in Shanghai, no definite claim has yet been made for such an area. Most of the land at Pootung, on the opposite bank of the river, is now also rented by foreigners, but natives have recently been considerable purchasers of landed property within the Settlements. All ground belongs nominally to the Emperor of China, but is rented in perpetuity, a tax of fifteen hundred copper cash, equal to less than two taels per mow, being paid to the Government annually. The Settlement land was bought from the original proprietors at about $50 per mow, which was at least twice its then value. Some lots have lately been sold at Tls. 80,000 to Tls. 110,000 a mow. Six mow equal one acre.

As a port for foreign trade Shanghai grew but gradually until it gained a great impetus by the opening in 1861 of the Yangtze and northern ports, secured by the Treaty of Tientsin, and a further increase by the opening up of Japan. In March, 1848, owing to an assault on some missionaries near Shanghai, Mr. Alcock, the British Consul, blockaded the port and stopped the passage outwards of eleven hundred grain junks. This drastic measure, by which grain for the North was cut off, brought the authorities to their senses, and after sending a man-of-war to Nanking the matter was arranged. The first event of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the city by the Triad rebels on 7th September, 1853, who held it for seventeen months, although repeatedly besieged and attacked by the Imperialists. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign Settle-