Directory_and_Chronicle_1923 — Page 1002

944

KONGMOON

interfered with the junk trade and general welfare of the port, and have, besides, opened up other trade routes to districts hitherto dependent upon Kongmoon for their supplies. At present there are no indications that the sanguine expectations, based upon imperfect knowledge, entertained concerning the over-estimated commercial possibilities of the place will be speedily, if ever, realized. The large increase of trade in 1905 failed to alter this opinion, but it is hoped that the railway, with through cominuni- cation by steamers with Hongkong, will help to increase the volume of trade passing through Kongmoon. There is daily steam communication with Hongkong, and with Macao, and considerable numbers of vessels trading under the Inland Waters Regulations arrive and depart daily. There are also several large junës trading regularly to Hongkong, Macao, and the island of Hainan. A railway from Kongmoon to Samkaphoi on the coast, a distance of about 80 miles, was con- structed in 1909-10 under the supervision of native engineers, trained in America, but it stops short three miles from the sea, as to take the line right down would involve laying out a new town on the water-front and dredging operations which they cannot as present afford. A branch line of the Sunning Railway was opened in 192) from Sun- ning city to Paksha. The proposed extension to Yeungkong is still under con- templation, and it is doubtful if funds will permit of work being commenced in the near future. A telegraph office was opened on the 8th December, 1907, is the town, and in November, 1911, in the Settlement, and telegraphic communicationgt now possible with the Fatshan office. A high road between Kongmoon and Hokshha, a town some 50 miles away, has recently been constructed, and a public company an- been formed, with a capital of $240,000, to make roads from Sunwui to Kongmoon and thence to Pakkai which will be suitable for motor traffic. The motor road from Hokshan to Sunwui was officially opened on January 10th, 1922. The Kongmoon Electric Light Co., having imported a new plant, is extending its service to Pakkai.

The principal articles of export consist of prepared tobacco, joss-sticks, strawmats, paper, palm-leaf fans, fresh oranges and fresh vegetables; and imports are largely represented by foreign piece-goods, kerosene oil, sugar, wheat flour, and foreign sundries, including a variety of Japanese commodities of a cheap nature. Large quantities of softwood poles are floated down in the form of rafts, which are dismantled here. These mostly come from beyond Wuchow and also from the North River. The yearly value- of this branch of the trade is estimated at about $750,000. Owing to the frequent piracies in the delta, the cocoon market hitherto established at Junki has been trans- ferred to Kongmoon, and the numerous steam launches and boats employed in this line of business give the port in front of the settlement a lively and animated appearance. There are two silk filatures in the town which afford employment to about 300 women each; the total out-turn of silk amounts to about 100 catties per day. interesting local industry is the dredging of large shells, from which a good quality of lime is made. The annual production of these shells is estimated at 200,000 piculs, worth about $40,000. Quite an important industry has sprung up in Kongmoon, namely, the preserving and canning of Chinese fruit for export abroad, where it is consumed by the numerous Chinese in America, Australia and the Straits Settlements. Paper, which finds a ready market in Hongkong, is manufactured by the Kongmoon Paper Mill, whose output of 40 piculs a day has been increased recently by 50 per cent. in consequence of the installation of additional machinery from England.

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The unique opportunitics presented for transport by the unrivalled waterways of the delta have been well developed by native enterprise, and there is a large and lucrative- passenger trade with Canton, Fatshan, Sancheong, Hongkong, Macao, etc. Large, roomy native passenger boats towed by powerful launches are engaged in this trade.

The surrounding country is picturesque, fertile and highly cultivated, and the inhabit- ants are prosperous and industrious. Rice is, of course, the principal crop and it is. milled locally, 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 1921 was Hk. Tls. 8,236,251, as compared with: Hk. Tls. 6,588,479 in 1920, Hk. Tls. 4,384,902 in 1919 and Hk. Tls. 4,586,923 in 1918.