Directory_and_Chronicle_1923 — Page 1001

SAMSHUI-KONGMOON

DIRECTORY

亞細亞

Tidewaiter

Do.

ASIATIC PETROLEUM Co. (SOUTH CHINA), LTD

J. W. Slatt

Do.

E. Pachis

—C. A. Dudden

-E. Dicker

局政郵國中

司公船輪和天

POST OFFICE, CHINESE

BANKER STEAMSHIP Co.

Yat Kee, agent

Agency

Ming Hing S.S. Co.

Wu Chao Ming

美

STANDARD OIL Co. of New York

T. M. Jordan, assistant-in-charge

司公船輪和濟

CHAI WO S.S. Co.

溺水三

CUSTOMS, MARITIME

Act. Commissioner-P. Kremer

Tidesurveyor and Harbour Master-

H. M. Andersson

Chief Examiner-A. P. C. Hicks

SAI HING S.S. Co.

司公榮廣

KWONG WING CO., LTD.

司公業航江西

WEST RIVER CHINESE NAVIGATION CO.

司公典西

943

KONGMOON

P Kong-moon 門江

Kongmoon was added to the list of treaty ports on 7th March, 1901, in accordance with the stipulations of Article X. of the Mackay Treaty. A British Consulate was established, but withdrawn in 1905. Kongmoon is located some three miles up a creek on the West River, in the Kwangchow Prefecture of the Kwangtung Province in Lat. 22° 34′ 49′′ N. and Long. 113' 8′ 53′′ E., and is about 45 miles distant from Macao, 70 from Canton and 87 from Hongkong. The creek on which it is built connects the West River with the sea at Gaemoon, and is a narrow and tortuous stream, the lower reaches of which, near the main river, are lined with rafts, while further up in the vicinity of the town it is crowded with native craft of every description, thus rendering navgation for steamers difficult at all times, but especially so when the current runs fast during the summer months. The steamer anchorage is in the West River at the mouth of the Creek, opposite the Chinese Maritime Customs, but the town is included in the port limits. The population of Kongmoon is about 55,000, and it has the appearance of being a more populous centre, as it extends for a considerable distance on both banks of the stream. Formerly it was a business centre of considerable importance, but various causes have arisen which appear to have lessened its commercial standing, and which have interfered adversely with the general prosperity of the port.

It was generally considered that the proximity of Kongmoon to Hongkong and Macao and its favourable situation as an outlet and distributing centre for the southern prefectures of the province augured well for its future prosperity and development. This was, to some extent, true, but it should be remembered that facts have arisen which have tended to diminish rather than increase its commercial importance. Formerly it enjoyed direct communication with Shanghai and Foochow and was the real outlet and distributing centre for the south-western district of the delta and the Southern prefectures of the province. The development of Hongkong and the opening of Kiungchow and Paklioi as treaty ports, however, have seriously