Directory_and_Chronicle_1915 — Page 1005

SHASI

1001

A con-

population, of which no account is kept, may be estimated at 10,000 more. siderable amount of washing for gold is done between Shasi and Hosueh, chiefly on the Tukkechow. Formerly Shasi was an important distributing centre, but the opening of Ichang to foreign trade diverted much of the traffic to the last-named port. It was hoped that when Shasi itself was opened it would regain its importance as a point of distribution, but the experience now gained shows that the development is likely to be slow. On the 9th and 10th May, 1898, a serious anti-foreign riot occurred at Shasi.

The Customs Office and the residence of the Commissioner, the Customs boats, the premises of the China Merchants' Company and their hulk, the office of the Foreign Board, the Japanese Consulate, the premises occupied by the native agents of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire and Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., and a number of newly-erected Chinese houses were burnt by the mobs, kerosene oil being used to feed the conflagration, and the foreign residents were driven out of the port, narrowly escaping with their lives. The Custom-house was re-opened on the 1st July of the same year. In August, 1898, an area of 3,800 Chinese feet in length, by 800 to 1,200 in breadth, lying along the river side below the town, was assigned to Japan as a Japanese concession. The foreign commerce is mostly in Japanese hands.

The British Consulate was withdrawn in January, 1899, British interests being placed under the care of the Consul at Ichang. Calling steamers anchor in the river, very swift during the Summer, as well as discharging and loading at pontoons, but some bunding work, commenced in December, 1904, and finished in April, 1905, provided berths for three hulks, with jetties. Unfortunately in 1908, this bund for over two-thirds of its length went bodily into the river owing to the action of the water coming from inland carrying away sand from beneath the stone work. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs was in 1913 returned at Tls. 4,392,385. The bulk of the carrying trade is, however, carried on by junks, which do not come under the control of the Foreign Customs. In December, 1913, a contract was entered into between the Chinese Government and the British firm of Pauling & Co. for the construction of a railway from a point opposite Shasi to Singyifu in the province of Kweichow via Changteh and Kweiyang, with a branch from Changteh to Changsha.

ARNHOLD, KARBERG & Co.

Che Lee Fah, agent

ASIATIC PETROLEUM CO., LTD., THE

Tu Hsuen-chen, sub. agent Tu Yu-chen, accountant

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE

Sue Che Sing, agent

Steamer "Tung-ting

DIRECTORY

Chao Shang Sha Chuk

CHINA MERCHANTS' STEAM NAVGTN. Co.

Chu Yuan-Ying, manager

Steamers "Kwei Lee" and "Kuling"

CONSULATES

GERMANY-Tel. Ad: Germania

Consul-Dr. R. Walter (residing at

Ichang)

GREAT BRITAIN

Consul-H.F.Handley-Derry (residing

at Ichang)

JAPAN

Chancellor-in-charge-M. Hashiguchi

Police Inspector-H. Motoi

關市沙 Shasi Kwan

CUSTOMS, MARITIME

Acting Commissioner-C. A. McAllum

Assistant-G. F. A. Hemeling

Tidesurveyor-R. Henkel

Tidewaiters-E. A. Cull, A. Hutchinson

和怡 E-Wo

JARDINE, MATHESON & CO.

Chang Pao Shun, agent

Steamer "Kiangwo"

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY OF JAPAN

Meteorologist-T. Adachi

NISSHIM KISEN KAISHA

Y. K. Woo, agent

C. H. Hu, clerk

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