Directory_and_Chronicle_1924 — Page 1007

CANTON

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to be ignored in the City of Rams, and foreigners were still denied admittance within its walls. The result of protracted annoyances and insults was that in October, 1856, Sir Michael Seymour, with the fleet, again opened hostilities, and some two months later a mob in retaliation pillaged and burned all the foreign residences. In December, 1857, Sir Charles Straubenzee, in command of an expedition which had been specially despatched from England, attacked the city, and it was taken on the 29th of that montli. The French also sent out an expedition, and the city was occupied by the Allied Forces until October, 1861, a period of nearly four years.

The city proper extends to a breadth of about two miles, is about six miles in circumference, and was formerly enclosed by walls 43 ft. thick at the base and from twenty-five to forty feet high. The desire for reform and improvement on modern lines is shown by the demolition in recent years of the old city wall and utilisation of the site for a motor road, from 80 ft. to 100 ft. wide, and six miles long, along which tramway lines are to be laid. This work was carried out by the Municipal Council, which was established in November, 1918. Since January, 1921, a continuous service of .omnibuses with trailers has been running between the Canton-Kowloon Railway Station and the T'ai Ping gate west. Numerous buildings of an improved type have recently been erected, notably the new premises of the Sun Co., a build- ing of nine stories, on the Bund. Canton has now its first park, situated in the heart of the city, and it is proposed to convert the former fortified quarters and gardens of the late official residences into a public garden. The suburbs spread along the river for nearly five miles. The entire circuit, including the suburbs, is nearly 10 miles. What is now called the New City was formerly known as the Southern Suburb. The Western Suburb stretches for miles along the river. There were 16 gates giving admission into the city, besides two water gates. Canton contains great attractions for foreign visitors in its numerous temples, pagodas, etc., and in the many curio shops to be found there. As a specimen of Chinese architecture, the Chiu Chow Club is well worthy of inspection, and the Examination Hall, the City of the Dead, the Execution Ground, the Gaols, the Arsenal, an ancient Water Clock, the Mohammedan Mosque and the fine ancestral temple of the Chan family are among other show places. The French Mission have a large and handsome Gothic cathedral, with two lofty towers surmounted by spires, in the city. The structure is built entirely of dressed granite. A Mint, constructed by the late Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, near the East Gate, and furnished with a very complete plant, commenced work in 1889, and now issues silver dollars and subsidiary coins, as well as copper cents. The buildings cover a large area. On the opposite side of the river the Honam Temple and Monastery form the principal attractions, and in the same neighbourhood the firing, sorting and sift- ing of tea, the preserving of ginger, and the packing of rattans, cassia, etc., may be seen. The founding of bells and the dyeing of paper and cotton fabrics are two of the chief industries of Fatshan, some 10 miles from Canton. There are large glass-works at Fatei, and paper-mills-these with up-to-date European machinery-near the village of Impo. At Shekwan, seven miles from Fatshan, are extensive potteries. Much has been done during the past year or two to develop home industries. New factories have sprung up like mushrooms. At Honam an up-to-date cotton-spiuning factory, equipped with modern machinery, has been erected by a local company with a capital of $5,000,000, and is expected to produce sufficient yarn to meet local requirements. Canton has now five large factories and several hundred workshops for producing hosiery and underwear, the trade in which is flourishing owing to the high cost of the foreign-made article. A rubber vulcanising factory, founded by some returned Singapore Chinese in 1921, turns out rubber tyres, rain coats, and shoe soles, which last especially meet with a ready sale. The production of leather is another fairly successful local enterprise. A foundry for the manufacture of copper sheathing from ore mined in the province is working with satisfactory results. Locally-made matches are exported as far as the Straits Settlements. The Chiao Hing Cigar Co. has the only tobacco factory worthy of note at present. The Canton Cement works are reported to have made a profit of $300,000 in 1921; and the Chukong Motorboat Company has extended its business of building launches fitted with American motors and has placed eight motor ferry-boats on the river, which ply all day between Canton and Honam Island, The population of Canton has been estimated at 2,500,000 by the Customs authorities.

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When the foreign merchants returned to Canton to establish trade after the capture of the city by the English at the close of 1857, they found the factory and the buildings along the river in ruins. Recourse for accommodation was consequently had to warehouses on the Honam side of the river. Considerable discussion subsequently took