Directory_and_Chronicle_1912 — Page 1293

..

SAMSHU!

* Som-sloni

The Treaty poet of Samshmi, opened in 1897 under the Burmah Conventi forty years after Consul Harry Parkes East River Expedition - is situate junction of the West and North Rivers, in lat. 23 deg. 6 min. 30 sec. N. 112 deg. 53 min. and 48 sec. E. The anchorage known as Hokow, foreigners reside, was formerly an ordinary Chinese fishing village, building as its leading industry, and a flooded state in summer as its ch peculiarity, but it is fast becoming a busy town. According to the Cony town of Samshui and Kongkén (a dirty little village situated among the hi Hokow) together constitute the port area. The formal opening took place o 1897, since which date the net value of the trade of the port coming cognizance of the Foreign Customs has grown to nearly 7 million taels in net value of the trade for 1910 was Tk. 6,708,750. The junk traffic is si mous and the lekin station is the first in the province. The district city itself is surrounded by an imposing wall built in the 6th year of C of the Ming's (about A.D. 1560), the year after the place attained to the di magistrate's cure. Within the wall the houses are poor and the place in life-a condition in which it has remained throughout the present dy in contrast (say the records) to its affluent state under the Mings. ( North Gate stands an imposing temple, femp Chia Ching (circa 1800). H town and the river is a fine nine-storied pagoda probably of the Ming d The business focus of the district is Saiñam, a large well-built town o antiquity, three miles distant, on the creek leading to Fatshan. The inhabita lacking in enterprise and there is a steam silk filature and a steam flour mill interesting occupation is the tinning of rice-birds, soles and game. The ric caught in reed patches at night in a bag net, into which they are swept drawn over the reeds. The season is short, lasting only for six weeks in the

Two sets of steamship lines converge here, from Canton and Hongk tively, and tourists in China can do many worse things than visit River, and should not fail to explore this port and its environs. The steamers entered and cleared at the Custom House during 1910 tot Since 1st May, 1905, Sainshui has been made a port of entry for foreig going up the West River. Numerous steam launches carrying passengers passenger boats ply between Samshui and neighbouring cities on the West Rivers and on the creek leading to Fatshan and Canton. A railway line fro to Samshui via Fatshan was inaugurated on the 26th September, 1904 trains run daily each way between Canton and Sanshui. The total num sengers carried during the 34th year of Kuang Hsu (1908-09) was 3,052,920, ol were foreigners. Goods traffic does not exist so far. In the Summer diseases fever, dengue, cholera, plague, etc. may occasionally appear, a other place in China; but in the Winter the air is keen, bracing, and waterways and surrounding country are picturesque and the adjacent hei 200 to 400 ft.) worthy of ascent. Game, especially suipe, duck and gee found in fair quantities. The temperature varies from 38° F. to 100° F.--dry damp in summer-but generally very supportable.

The Chinese Imperial Post Office with a branch office at Samshui is co rail with Canton and with all important cities in the neighbourhood by stea or couriers. Mails for and from Hongkong are sent via Canton

There is no telegraph station at Samshui, but telegrams are forwarded i by messengers.

There are no Consulates at Samshui. The Consuls within whose jurisd hui is situated reside either in Hongkong on in Canton.