Directory_and_Chronicle_1913 — Page 848

WEIHAIWEI

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at the ceremony being Consul Hopkins, of Chefoo, and Captain King Hall, of H.M.S Narcissus, for Great Britain, and Taotai Yen and Captain Lin, of the Chinese war vessel Foochi, for China. Weihaiwei was leased to Great Britain "for so long a period. as Port Arthur shall remain in the occupation of Russia," but though Port Arthur was surrendered to the Japanese on January 1st, 1905, Great Britain has not announced any intention to withdraw from Weihaiwei, which the Government regards as a sanatorium for the British squadron on the China station.

The leased territory, which lies in latitude 37 deg. 30 min. N, longitude 122 deg.10min.E, comprises the Island of Lin Kung, all the Islands in the Pay of Weihaiwei, and a belt of land ten English miles wide along the entire coastline, and consists of ranges of rugged mountains and rocky hills up to 1,500 feet high, dividing the plains into valtys and river beds. The island of Lin Kung is barren and nearly treeless, and is formed by a backbone of hills rising to some 500 feet. The hillsides on the mainland, of which Port Edward is the chief port, are either barren rock or planted with dwarf pine and scrub oak trees. The valleys are mostly undulating country full of gullies and mountain river beds; the streains are all torrential, and choke up the valleys with sand and débris from the hills. During three-quarters of the year these river Leds are dry. All the hills are terraced for cultivation as far as possible. The total area of the leased territory is about 285 square miles.

The strata of the mountains are metamorphic, consisting of beds of quartzite, gneiss crystalline, and limestone, cut across by dykes of volcanic rock and granite. Gold is found in the territory, and has been worked by the Chinese, and silver, tin, lead, and iron are said to exist. Proper boring operations, under European management, for gold have now been undertaken. Good building-stone and a rich non-hydraulic limestone are found. The territory contains some 320 villages, and the population is estimated to be 150,000. There are four small market towns, where fairs are held every five days.

The Chinese inhabitants are either fishermen or farmers, and are a peaceful, law- abiding folk. The chief export trade is in salt fish, which is carried in Chinese junks to Southern China. On late years a large export trade in pea-nuts has also grown up. The import trade chietly consists of timber, firewood, and maize from Manchuria, paper, crockery, sugar, and tobacco, kerosene oil, cotton yarn, piece goods, liquid indigo and other dyes.

The Government of Weihaiwei is administered by a Commissioner appointed under the Weihaiwei Order in Council of the 24th July, 1901. Under this Order the Commissioner is empowered to make Ordinances for the administration of the territory. There is a High Court established, in which all jurisdiction, civil and criminal, is vested, subject to an appeal to the Supreme Court in the Colony of Hongkong. District Magistrates' Courts are also provided for. The Commissioner resides on the mainland at Port Edward. The village communities are administered through their headmen in accordance with Chinese laws and usages, and the people have now entirely acquiesced in the newly-established régime. All purely civil matters are left as much as possible to the village headmen. There is perhaps, no place in China occupied by foreigners where labour is so cheap. Weihaiwei is now a fairly regular port of call for many China coasting steamers sailing northwards from Shanghai, and there is a regular weekly service subsidised by Government to run all the year carrying mails and passengers between Shanghai and Weihaiwei. This enables the public to reach Weihaiwei via Shanghai at any time of the year. Weihaiwei is now the northern naval base of His Majesty's China Squadron. The harbour is well lighted by two light- houses at the eastern and western entrances. The climate of Weihaiwei is exceptionally good, and the winter, though cold, is dry and bracing. A European school has been established, to which boys from other treaty ports, Hongkong, &c., are now sent. A land and building society. formed in Shanghai, has already erected several commodious European bungalows. There is a large hotel on the mainland capable of accom- modating over one hundred people. Both on the mainland and on the island good roads have been made round the coast by the local government for the convenience of foreigners, and there are recreation and parade grounds in both places. In addition to the leased territory there is a zone of influence over which Great Britain holds certain rights. It comprises that portion of the province of Shantung lying East of the meridian 12.40 extending over an area of 1,500 square miles.

The native city of Weihaiwei (which lies on the mainland opposite the island of Lin Kung) is a walled town of about 2,000 inhabitants. By the provisions of the Wei- haiwei Convention of 1898 this town still remains under the jurisdiction of the Chinese authorities. The town is a poor one, and the greater portion of the enclosed area not