Directory_and_Chronicle_1916 — Page 1050

954

CHUNGKING–HANGCHOW

堂學精求

UNION HIGH SCHOOL

C. B. Rape

G. G. Harris

WIDLER & Co., E., Import and Export

E. Widler, manager

YOUNG BROTHERS BANKING CORP.

S. E. Yang, manager

E. Nettle, engineer

T

YOUNG BROTHERS TRUST Co.

Yong Tsan Shan, manager

HANGCHOW

J thì Hàng-chau

州杭

Hangchow, the capital of the province of Chekiang, is situated 120 miles south- west of Shanghai, and 110 miles south of Soochow, on the Chien-tang River, at the apex of a bay which is too shallow for the navigation of steamers. The mouth of the river is, moreover, periodically visited by a bore, or tidal wave, which further endangers navigation. Haining is the best place for observing this famous bore, which is formed by the north-east trade wind heaping up the water of the Pacific on the China coast and causing enormous tides. Hangchow Bay is shaped like a funnel, and the mass of water rushing up, more and more concentrated as it advances, is sud- denly confronted by the current of the river. The momentary check causes the water to assume a wall-like formation; then, growing to a height of 15ft. at spring tides and gathering momentum with the immense pressure behind, forcing its volume into the comparatively narrow waterway, it tears past the sea-wall with a roar like thunder at a rate sometimes reaching 12 miles an hour. Before the Taiping rebellion Hangchow shared with Soochow the reputation of being one of the finest cities in the Empire on account of its wealth and splendour, but it was almost destroyed by the rebels. It has since rapidly recovered and is once more populous and flourishing, though it has not yet regained its former pitch of prosperity. The population is estimated at 600,000, although a census taken lately by the local Government gives a total a little below that figure. As a manufacturing centre Hangchow takes place even before Soochow. Its three great trades are silk weaving, including several kinds of crape and gauze, the production of fans of all kinds, the manufacture of scissors, and the making of thin tinfoil, from which are formed the imitation ingots of silver, burnt in such immense quantities by the Chinese. In addition, it sends out thread, string, colours, drugs, lacquer, and many other articles in small quantities. Coarse paper is also manu- factured. The communication by water with Shanghai is particularly good, and might be much improved with very little trouble by a small amount of dredging at a spot in the Grand Canal twenty miles from Hangchow. Ningpo, about 120 miles distant, can also be reached by boat from Hangchow with several tran- shipments only: it is quicker to go via Shanghai. Hangchow was declared open to foreign trade on the 26th September, 1896, in accordance with the terms of the Japanese Treaty. Steam launches ply regularly to and from Shanghai and to and from Soochow with passenger boats in tow, making the trip in from 18 to 24 hours. An express launch towing only one passenger barge, in which cabins can be hired, now leaves Hangchow and Shanghai at 2 p.m. daily and reaches its destination at 6 a.m. next morning. There are also two launches daily to Huchow and other places en route; also on Chien Tang river daily launches to Fuyang, Tunglu, Linpu, etc., started in 1912. There is hardly any cargo, carried by the latter between Hangchow and Soochow. One of these launches goes via Kashing and the other via Huchow and Nanzing. The Hangchow-Shanghai companies are Tai Sun Chong (practically Japan- ese), the China Merchants' Inland Steam Navigation Co. (Chinese), and the Nisshin Kisen Kaisha (Japanese). The Hangchow-Soochow companies are Tai Sun Chong and China Merchants' Inland Steam Navigation Co., on alternate days via Kashing, and Taito Steam Navigation Co., daily, via Huchow; these three companies formed a combination some years ago and have a monopoly of the trade. Several attempts

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