Directory_and_Chronicle_1922 — Page 1038

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KONGMOON-WUCHOW

The surrounding country is picturesque, fertile and highly cultivated, and the inhabit- ants are prosperous and industrious. Rice is, of course, the principal crop, but mulberry shoots are very extensively cultivated for sale in the silk-producing centres, and large quantities of fresh vegetables are exported to supply the Hongkong market.

The net value of the port's trade in 1920 was Hk. Tls. 6,588,479, as compared with Hk. Tls. 4,384,902 in 1919, Hk. Tls. 4,586,923 in 1918 and Hk. Tls. 5,178,633 in 1917.

DIRECTORY

ASIATIC PETROLEUM CO.-Tel.Ad:Petrosilex

G. Ringnalda, manager

A. Melbye

BRITISH-AMERICAN TOBACCO Co. (CHINA),

LTD.

C. F. Croawell, manager

BRITISH CONSULATE

Consul-General-(residing at Canton)

CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME

Acting Commissioner H. D. Hilliard Assistant (Foreign)-A. C. H. Lay Medical Officer-J. A. McDonald Assistants-Cheung Iu-shang, Li Fuk

Tong and Leung Im

Tidesurveyor and Harbour Master-

T. H. Smith

Assist. Boat Officer-H. Connaughton Examiners-C. S. Goddard and W.

Battley Tidewaiters-F. A. Strandvig, F. E. H. Bing, T. Williams, S. Boys, W. W. Brazier and H. E. Fuller

POST OFFICE, CHINESE

Postal Commissioner- (residing at

Canton)

Post Master-Chan Chai-ming

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

Socony

C. J. Lafferty, manager

J. A. Parrish

WUCHOW

[ f 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 almost all the year round by boats drawing 2 ft. 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 Custom House and the native Customs and likin stations, together with numerous shops and hotels, are located on large house- boats (locally known as Pais) moored alongside the river bank. The floods in 1914 were the highest on record, the water in the river rising to 73′ 3", but they were eclipsed by the 1915 floods, which rose to 79′ 6′′, causing widespread ruin. The lowest winter reading was 2.5 deg. below zero in December, 1902. In winter the only local