Directory_and_Chronicle_1921 — Page 938

HANKOW

口漢 Han-kau

Hankow is situated on the river Han at the point where it enters the Yangtsze, and is in lat. 30 deg. 32 min. 51 sec. N., and long. 114 deg. 19 min. 55 sec. E. It was formerly regarded as only a suburb of Hanyang, which it immediately adjoins and which is a district city of the province of Hupeh, but Hankow has outstripped the older city in wealth and inportance. Indeed, in his report for 1919, the Commissioner of Customs says:

"There can be little doubt that Hankow, as time goes on, will become the greatest commercial centre in China." These two towns lie immediately facing the city of Wuchang-fu. the capital of the province, which is built upon the south bank of the Yangtsze. Hankow is distant from Shanghai about 600 miles.

Attention was first drawn to Hankow as a place of trade by Huc, the French missionary. Captain Blakiston, in his work "The Yangtsze," gives the following correct description of the place and its surroundings:-" Hankow is situated just where an irregular range of semi-detached low hills crosses a particularly level country on both sides of the main river in an east and west direction. Stationed on Pagoda Hill, Hanyang, a spectator looks down on almost as much water as land even when the rivers are low. At his feet sweeps the magnificent Yangtsze, nearly a mile in width; from the west and skirting the northern edge of the range of hills already mentioned comes the river Han, narrow and canal-like, to add its quota, and serving as one of the highways of the country; and to the north-west and north is an extensive treeless flat, so little elevated above the river that the scattered hamlets which dot its surface are, without exception, raised on mounds, probably artificial works of a now distant age. A stream or two traverse its farther part and flow into the main river. Carrying his eye to the right bank of the Yangtsze one sees enormous lakes and lagoons both to the north-west and south-east sides of the hills beyond the provincial city.'

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The port was opened to foreign trade in 1861. The British Settlement is located at the east end of the city. It is well laid out, the roads being broad and all lined with well-grown trees. The Bund affords a very fine and pleasant promenade, and has an imposing appearance from the river. There are a large Roman Catholic and small Protestant and Greek churches, the last-named a rather handsome structure built by the Russian residents. Several brick-tea factories owned by Russians are located in the Settlement. France, Russia, and Japan have since 1895 acquired cou- cessions along the river front, and the British concession has been extended. The French, Russian, Japanese and British have Municipal Councils. Thus while there was formerly a bund of only half a mile in length, in front of the British concession, there is now a continuous line of concessions measuring in all over two miles of river frontage. Houses and godowns have been springing up fast of late years especially in the British Concession, the oldest section, which is changing rapidly. The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, having completed their new and extensive bunding, were starting to build extensive accommodation for them- selves in 1919. Messrs. Butterfield & Swire have erected a four-story reinforced concrete godown on the site of their old office, and have further improvements in mind. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ld., have put up a very fine modern four-story reinfor- ced concrete godown, on the site of the buildings destroyed by fire in 1917, the total measurement of the building being approximately 74,772 square feet. The Luter- national Banking Corporation are erecting a five-story building on the British Bund, opposite the new premises of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, while the Asia Banking Corporation have purchased the adjoining site, next to the China Inland Mission compound, with the intention of building there. The palatial block of buildings comprising the new Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation was opened in 1920 and dominates the whole Bund. Messrs. Liddell Brothers & Co., Ld., have added new godowns to their already extensive plant. The Taiping Road, border- ing upon the native city, is rapidly assuming the features of the Nanking Road in Shanghai. The Menkwa Building, the Bank of Taiwan and the Hankow Waterworks and Electric Light Co., Ld., were the chief additions during 1919, but a large number