Directory_and_Chronicle_1916 — Page 1097

ASIATIC PETROLEUM CO.

P. H. Cobb, manager

KONGMOON-WUCHOW

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO CO,

F. A. Page-Patrick

F. E. Lyle

CONSULATES

GERMANY

DIRECTORY

Consul Dr. W. Rössler, residing at

Canton

GREAT BRITAIN

Consul--E. C. Wilton, C.M.G., residing

at Canton

ITALY

官事領總利大意大

Tai I-tai-li Ling-sz hùn

Consul General--Commendatore Z.

Volpicelli (residing in Hongkong)

CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME

1001

Commissioner--P. B. von Rautenfeld Assistants-A. A. d'Eca, A. W. T.

Palm

Medical Officer-John A. McDonald Tidesurveyor and Harbour Master-

H. G. Wittsack

Asst. Examiners--E. C. Charrington,

A. W. L. Olliver

Tidewaiters-H. E. Olsen, D. B. Izatt, E. A. C. Friedrichsen, W. Filipovitch, A. H. Craig, M. J. Barreira, H. Scrim- shaw, S. Heiberg, P. R. Neumann, E. E. Huckle, J. Chipperfield, E. Lange

POST OFFICE, CHINESE

Postal Commissiouer-C. H. Shields

(Canton)

STANDARD OIL CO. OF NEW YORK-Tel. Ad:

Socony

C. E. Meyer, manager

J. A. Murphy

WUCHOW

州梧 Wi-chau

Wuchow, opened to foreign trade on June 4th, 1897, by the Special Article of the Burmah Convention, is situated on the Sikiang or West River at its junction with the Fu or Kuei (Cassia) River. By the steamer routes at present authorised it is distant about 220 miles from Hongkong and Canton, Wuchow is the limit of navigation for ocean-going steamers; but, during eight months in the year, vessels drawing not more than 3 feet can reach Kueihsien (150 miles beyond Wuchow), and Nanning (360 miles from here) can be reached by boats drawing 2 ft., almost all the year round. The population of the city and suburbs is estimated at 50,000; it is slowly increas- ing, more especially in the riverine suburbs, which comprise the business quarter. The annual inundations caused by the rise in the river-there is an average difference of 60 feet between the winter and summer levels are a source of great inconvenience to the inhabitants and at times bring about a total cessation of business. To obviate this, the principal steamship offices, the foreign Custom House and the native Customs and Lekin stations, together with numerous shops and hotels, are located on pontoons (locally known as Pais) moored alongside the river bank. The situation of Wuchow makes it the natural distributing centre for the trade between Kweichow, Eastern Yunnan, Kwangsi, and Hongkong and Canton. The future is full of promise, and Wuchow in the course of a few years is sure to make a bold bid for second place as the largest trade mart in the south of China. Local merchants are making strenuous efforts to divert to Wuchow, via the Liuchow and West Rivers, the trade of south- eastern Kweichow, which is principally supplied via the Yangtsze. Attempts are being made to work the antimony, copper, and tin mines which abound in the Kwangsi Province. The gross value of the trade coming under the cognisance of the Maritime Customs has steadily grown from four to nearly sixteen million Taels, and the revenue is over six hundred thousand Taels, while the Native Customs co›trol a junk trade worth over nine million taels and collect approximately 100,000 taels duty. The principal articles of export are timber, oils (aniseed, cassia, wood and tea), indigo, hides, and live stock. The coal, which should form one of Wuchow's largest exports,