Directory_and_Chronicle_1917 — Page 1083

CANTON

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form the principal attractions, and in the same neighbourhood the firing, sorting and sift- ing of tea, the preserving of ginger, and the packing of rattans, cassia, etc., may be seen. The founding of bells, and the dyeing of paper and cotton fabrics are two of the chief industries of Fatshan, some ten miles from Canton. There are large glass-works at Fatei, and paper-mills-these with up-to-date European machinery--near the village of Impo. At Shekwan, seven miles from Fatshan, are extensive potteries. The population of Canton has been estimated at 2,500,000 by the Customs authorities.

When the foreign merchants returned to Canton to establish trade after the capture of the city by the English at the close of 1857, they found the Factory and the buildings along the river in ruins. Recourse for accommodation was consequently had to warehouses on the Honam side of the river. Considerable discussion subsequently took place as to the selection of a site for a permanent British settlement, and it was eventually determined that an extensive mud flat known as Shameen should be filled in and appropriated. In 1859 an artificial island was created there, a canal constructed between the northern side of the site and the city, and solid and extensive embankments of masonry built. It took about two years to complete this undertaking, and cost no less than $325,000. Of this sum four-fifths were defrayed by the British, and one-fifth by the French Government, to whom a portion of the reclaimed land was given. Up to 1889 most of the French concession remained unutilised, but in that year a number of lots were sold and are now built upon. The French also received a grant of the old site of the Viceroy's Yamên, on which the Catholic Cathedral now stands. Shameen is pleasingly laid out, and the roads are shaded with well-grown trees. Christ Church (Church of England) stands at the western end, and there is also a Roman Catholic church on the French Concession. There is good hotel accommodation. During an anti-foreign riot on the 10th September, 1883, sixteen houses and the Concordia Theatre on the settlement were burned by the mob.

In consequence of the decline in the importance of Canton as a place of trade caused principally by the opening of some of the northern ports, many of the merchants by whom lots were purchased there in 1861, at enormous prices, withdrew from Canton altogether. For many years the trade transacted there by foreigners has been limited, but since 1900 an appreciable increase has been noticeable. Tea and Silk are the staple exports. The export of Tea for the year 1915 was about 24,800 piculs; in 1901 the export was as low as 6,653 piculs. The extent to which this trade has fallen off will be seen in a comparison of the above figures with those for 1888, when the export was 131,141 piculs. The quantity of Silk exported in 1915 was 33,225 piculs, which shows a falling off in comparison with previous years, largely due to the floods which caused considerable destruction of property in the districts where there are Silk filatures. The Shameen and the City of Canton were submerged under several feet of water for some days and during this time a very serious fire broke out in the native city. A survey of the West river by foreign and native engineers is now in progress under the auspices of the Chinese Government with a view to the preparation of a project for averting these calamities in the future. Both Tea and Silk are carried in large quantities to Hongkong by junk for transhipment. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs during the past nine years has been as follows: Hk. Tls. 103,817,195 in 1915; Hk. Tls. 105,296,323 in 1914; Hk. Tls. 112,285,888 in 1913; Hk. Tls. 96,170,631 in 1912; Tls. 102,224,621 in 1911; Tls. 113,766,687 in 1910; Tls 107,067,267 in 1909; Tls. 103,696,530 in 1908; Tls. 103,782,947 in 1907 and Tls. 94,108,696 in 1906.

Ample means of communication exist between Canton and Hongkong, a distance of 112 miles by railway and about ninety-five miles by water. Foreign steamers and a large number of native craft ply daily between the two ports. There is daily steam communication with Macao and regular connection with Wuchow and West River ports, and with Shanghai, Newchwang, and Kwangchauwan. The steam- launch traffic under the Inland Steam Navigation Regulations has proved a great success, though since rules were enforced in December, 1901, compelling all Chi- nese launches to undergo inspection at the hands of an engineer appointed by the Customs before obtaining licences to ply, the number of launches is not so large as previously. There is a safe and commodious anchorage within 150 yards of the river wall at Shameen. Canton was connected by telegraph (an overland line) with Kow- loon in 1883, and another overland line was completed froni Canton to Lungchau-fu, on the Kwangsi and Tonkin frontier, in June, 1884. The electric light and the telephone system have been introduced into a portion of the city. Through Railway com- munication between Canton and Kowloon was established in October, 1911. The British section of the line extends from Kowloon Point to Lowu, a distance of