Directory_and_Chronicle_1917 — Page 1027

HANKOW

925

river. The Wuchang Cotton and Hemp mills, together with the silk filature, were leased by the Viceroy in 1902 to a company of Chinese capitalists at 100,000 taels a year, for a period of 20 years. Apart from the Hemp mill, which began operations in 1904, under Japanese management, the concern is doing a flourishing business. A tannery was started in 1906, and three flour mills. Other flour mills have since been erected, and the bean oil milling industry is also well established in the port. Paper mills, much damaged during the Revolution, are now working once more, under Government auspices.

Antimony, lead and zinc ores are crushed by machinery on the Wuchang side and exported. A large business is also done by a match factory, as well as by albumen factories. Several miles below the Foreign Concessions the Shell Transport Company, Limited, of London, have oil tanks for storing bulk oil, to be tinned on the premises. Two tanks have a capacity of 2,500 tons of oil each. During the low-water season ---small tank-steamers bring the oil from Shanghai. The Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, Langkat, also has an installation. The Standard Oil Co. had three large tank's erected at the end of 1904. Each installation added another tank in 1906. An English Company commenced an export trade in frozen pork, eggs, poultry and game in 1909, the refrigerating plant costing upwards of £30,000.

Tea is the staple export, representing about one-sixth of the total. The net value of the trade of the port in 1915 amounted to Tls. 160,904,722 as against Tls. 141,328,672 in 1914, and Tls. 154,029,939 in 1913.

During the last few years foreign interests at Hankow have undergone a marked development, the chief factor in producing the growth being the construction of the Lu Han Railway, a trunk line connecting Hankow with Peking, the contract for which was let to a Belgian syndicate in 1897. It was opened in November, 1905, when trains passed over the Yellow River Bridge, which was immediately closed again as unsafe. Since December, 1905, through traffic with Peking has continued without interruption. Early in 1906 "trains de luxe" were started. The line has diverted much of the traffic that went by water to Chinkiang. A railway from Hankow to Canton is in course of construction, and this, when completed, will link up with the Canton- Kowloon line, giving direct communication between Hongkong and Europe viâ Siberia. The right of way purchased by the Land Department has been acquired completely over the first 80 miles from the Wuchang terminus; in addition to this, some 50 or 60 miles have been acquired at intervals along the route to Changsha, also land for the branch line which will be constructed from the main line near the 7th mile to Wutaicha. The grading up to the 22nd mile and several other detached portions, amounting to about 10 miles, have been completed. Practically all the bridgework on the first 25 miles has been completed, with the exception of the steel superstructure which is being manufactured under contract in Great Britain. The bridgework on the line to Chang- sha is heavy; it includes a bridge of eight spans of 150 feet, one of five spans of 150 feet, one of 15 spans, and some 40 other large bridges, also some 250 smaller bridges. The line beyond Changsha is not yet under construction. An alternative route from Changsha via Liling, Anjen, and Yunghing to the Kwangtung border is now being surveyed, and, so far as it has been carried out, it promises to be an easier route than the first located route running through Hengchowfu.

The Hankow Race Club and Recreation Ground was incorporated in 1904, and since then has undergone a phenonienal development. At present it has more than 300 members, who enjoy facilities unrivalled in any other club in China. The property of the Club is sufficiently extensive for a race course, an eighteen hole golf course, football and cricket field, swimming pool, and in fact for every branch of sport indulged in by the members. Apart from this club, which is chiefly devoted to sport, there are the Hankow Club, the Russian Club, the German Club and the French Club, which have splendid libraries, billiard rooms, bowling alleys, etc. The Hankow Golf Club, which was instituted in 1878 and is certainly the oldest club in the port, still holds its own and boasts of a membership of considerably over 100. It is almost entirely devoted to golf and has well laid out links. There is also a Chinese Race Club with a course as good as any in China. Meetings are conducted under New- market rules, and the management is entirely in the hands of Chinese.