Directory_and_Chronicle_1919 — Page 552

494

FORMOSA

present there are four gold mines in the vicinity of Taihoku (Taipeh), at Kinkaseki, Zuiho and Botanko. The gold mines and alluvial washings are situated in the Keelung and Zuiho districts,and the industry from all accounts allows of considerable expansion. There are many coal mines near Keelung, and sulphur springs also exist in the north of the island. The interior of the island is becoming gradually explored, but many years must pass before it becomes thoroughly known. On the east coast settle- ments are springing up at Karenko, Giran and Pinan.

One great drawback to the island is its want of good harbours, which is more especially felt on account of the strength of the monsoons in the Formosa Channel. Those on the eastern side are few and neither commodious nor accessible, while on the west coast most of the harbours are little better than open roadsteads. Harbour improvements are still being carried out in Keelung and at Takow. Taipeh is the capital of Formosa, and Tainan is the chief city in the South of the Island. The open ports are four in number, viz., Takow and Anping in the south, and Tamsui and Keelung in the north. The latter was held for some months in 1884-5 by the French, under Admiral Courbet, but was evacuated on the 21st June, 1885. The rivers of Formosa are few, shallow, and winding, only navigable to small flat-bottomed boats. The scenery is delightful, and the climate is very pleasant in the winter, but hot in some parts of the island and malarious in the wet season. A railway traversing the westside of the island, from Keelung in the north to Takow in the south, a distance of 259 miles, was officially opened by H. I. H. Prince Kan-In on 24th October, 1908, but since then extensions to Ako, a distance of about 16 miles, have been made. A short line also connects Taipeh and Tamsui in the north. The total length of Government Railways in existence at present approximates 332 miles, but light railways or tramways, mostly privately owned, have a mileage of nearly 900 miles. A line along the east coast is likewise in course of construction, a portion from Karenko south being already completed. Work on the northern portion is in progress but is likely to take some years to complete. The trade of the island shows a steady development, and municipal improvements are noticeable. In Keelung, Tamsui, Takow, and Taipeh water-works have been completed, and amongst numerous new buildings are large markets, and a first-class European hotel. In Taichu practically a new city is being built, and much the same applies to Takow, where large reclamations have been made. Stone quays have been erected, extensive dredging is being undertaken, a breakwater outside the harbour entrance is in course of construction, and it is estimated that by 1922 it will be possible to handle 900,000 tons of cargo annually there. It is estimated, too, that the harbour will be of sufficient capacity to accommodate 10 steamers each of 10,000 tons at the quays, and 12 steamers below this tonnage at the buoys.

From the north of the island tea forms the principal export, its value in 1916 being Yen 6,327,647. In 1917, owing to difficulty of shipping this fell off to Yen 4,546,848. The camphor export was valued in 1916 at Yen 4,669,009, and in 1917 at Yen 4,628,633. The rice export was valued at Yen 1,152,974 in 1916, but in 1917 was Yen 339,965 only- The Government is endeavouring to encourage the manufacture of black tea for export to Europe, and is said to have been successful in the experiments so far made with that object. Flax, hemp and jute are amongst the articles of export, and there is now a factory at Koroton erected under official auspices for the manufacture of jute bags for packing rice. Sugar is becoming a most important industry, and is now the leading export of the island. There are now 41 large factories, equipped with the most modern machinery, in running order, their location being the central and southern districts, and a 750 ton mill is now in course of erection at Giran, besides 54 factories of improved Formosa style. The value of the sugar crop in 1916 exported amounted to Yen 11,426,960 and the Government is sparing no pains to push the manufacture of refined sugar. In 1917 the export of sugar was-to foreign countries Yen 15,774,989, to Japan Yen 68,344,719. Amongst other schemes under way is a vast plan of irrigation estimated to run into over Yen 30,000,000, and to require several years for completion. Of imports opium is the most important, its value in 1915 amounting to Yen 2,190,897, in 1916 to Yen 3,724,131, and in 1917 to Yen 3,857,849. Kerosene is an article of some importance, and there is also considerable business in white shirtings and sundry other classes of dry goods; it is, however, noticeable that there has been a steady decline in the enquiry for Chinese cotton tissues since 1898.