Directory_and_Chronicle_1924 — Page 1048

974

TENGYUEH-SZEMAO

The

by malignant forms of malarial fever. Malaria is, however, very prevalent in the town itself during the rains, when mosquitoes are plentiful and when the general health of the place is poor. The average yearly rainfall is about 65 inches, most of which falls from June to Septeniber, when the incessant dampness is somewhat trying. net value of the trade during 1922, as taken cognizance of by the Maritime Customs, was Hk. Tls. 4,491,784, as compared with Hk. Tls. 4,946,784 in 1921, Hk. Tls. 5,647,850 in 1920, Hk. Tls. 5,534,646 in 1919, and Hk. Tls. 3,952,883 in 1918. The principal local industry is the manufacture of jadestone ornaments.

The foundations of the new British Consulate, the site of which is situated outside the west gate of the city, were laid in December, 1921, and the building, which is to be constructed of stone throughout, was expected to be finished within two years.

CHINESE CUSTOMS

DIRECTORY

Acting Commissioner-H. G. Fletcher Assistant-A. N. Shone

Assist. Examiner (A)-S. R. Ambrose 2nd Class Tide waiter-J. S. Paget Medical Officer-Nihal Chand

CONSULATE GREAT BRITAIN-Tel. Ad:

Britain

POST OFFICE

Postmaster-Tye Pao-hua

SZEMA O

茅思 Sz-máu

Szemao, opened to the Tonkin frontier trade by the Gérard Convention of 1895 and to British trade by the Burmah Convention of 1896, is situated in the south- western part of the Province of Yunnan in latitude 22 deg. 47 min. 29 sec. N. and longi- tude 100 deg. 46 min. E. It is a sub-prefectural walled town built on gently rising ground overlooking a well-cultivated plain. The elevation is 4,700 feet above the sea- level, and the population is estimated to be about 10,000. The climate is delightful, the temperature rarely exceeding 80 degrees (Fahr.) during the summer and seldom falling below 50 degrees in the winter months. The plague, such a common visitor throughout Yunnan, is almost unknown in Szemao. The place is distant from botli Yunnan-fu (the capital of the province) and Mengtsz 18 days, from the French Laos frontier 6 days, and from British territory about 12 days. It was opened in the early part of 1897, and so far has not fulfilled the expectation of its potential importance as a trading centre. The value of the trans-frontier trade of Szemao in 1922 was Hk. Tls. 265,644, as compared with Hk. Tls. 301,322 in 1921, Hk. Tls. 346,970 in 1920, Hk. Tls. 222,334 in 1919, and Hk. Tls. 240,187 in 1918. The smallness of the trade statistics has been attributed partly to the fact that, owing to the various routes in the neighbour- hood of the port, effective supervision is difficult of attainment, and partly to the decline of the cotton trade the staple import article at this port-experienced during the past decade. It must be remembered, also, that the above figures only represent the value of that portion of the Szemao trade coming under the cognizance of the Szemao Customs, that is to say, goods which are imported or exported across the frontiers of Burmah and Tonkin and which alone are classed as "foreign trade" of this port.

In the country to the south of Szemao, known as the Chinese Shan States, large quantities of tea are produced, and only a small portion is exported abroad direct from Szemao across the Tonkin frontier. The rest, estimated at about 30,000 piculs per annum, is sent to different parts of China, and this "inland trade" is not con- trolled by the Szemao Customs. No foreign traders reside at Szemao, the trade being