Directory_and_Chronicle_1924 — Page 938

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HANKOW

and the establishment of adequate godown facilities are of paramount importance, and measures calculated to improve existing conditions in this respect deserve favourable consideration. The new Custom House was completed at the close of the year 1922, and is located in an imposing position at the Southern end of the British Bund--admittedly the finest site in Hankow-and the building is in every respect worthy of the site. The fact that it has been re-constructed on such extensive lines may be taken as an index, states the Commissioner of Customs in his Annual Report for 1922, of the confidence reposed in the future development and prosperity of Hankow as the foremost trade centre of Mid-China. Its principal architectural features comprise a lofty tower and colonnade in modern Renaissance; the columns on each of the three main facades extend to the full height of the three upper floors and support the entablature resting on a boldly rusticated lower story. Tlie principal facade faces the Bund and has the main entrance on the first floor, approached by a broad and dignified flight of steps. On the central axis of this frontage the tower-152 feet high-appears; its distinguishing feature is a turret-clock, with four dials of 10 feet diameter each, and fitted with Westminster chimes. This clock is synchronised daily with Sikawei Observatory time by means of a receiving wireless apparatus, and the Chinese and foreign communities of the Wu-Han cities are thus provided with accurate zone time.

The Bund affords a very fine and pleasant promenade, and has an_imposing appearance from the river. There are a large Roman Catholic and small Protestant and Greek churches, the last-named a rather handsome structure built by the Russian residents. Several brick-tea factories owned by Russians are located in the Settle- ment, all of which were closed early in the War and have not been re-opened. France, Russia and Japan have since 1895 acquired concessions along the river front. The British concession has been extended, but the Russian concession was taken over by the local authorities on November 1st, 1920, and placed under the control of the Chinese chief of police of Hankow. The French, Japanese and British have Municipal Councils. Thus while there was formerly a bund of only half a mile in length in front of the British concession, there is now a continuous line of concessions extending in all over two miles of river frontage. Houses and godowns have been springing up fast of late years, especially in the British concession, the oldest section, which is changing rapidly, as stated above. The China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company, having completed their new and extensive bunding, started to build handsome new offices for themselves in 1919, and these were completed in December, 1920. Messrs. Butterfield & Swire have erected a four-storey reinforced concrete godown on the site of their old office, and have further improvements in mind. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., have put up a very fine modern four-storey reinfor- ced concrete godown, on the site of the buildings destroyed by fire in 1917, the total measurement of the building being approximately 74,772 square feet. The English Church was re-built, and consecrated in May, 1904. A new Union Church was built in 1916-17 in the French Concession, and opened in April, 1917. The new British school building was occupied at the end of the summer holidays in 1920 and is a vast improvement on the former accommodation.

The native city of Hankow was burnt by the Imperialist army in October, 1911, and a population of about 800,000 were thereby rendered homeless. At the end of 1914 it was estimated that fully 80 per cent. of the burnt area had been reconstructed, though unfortunately on the old lines, all the laudable plans for modernising the city having fallen through, owing to difficulties in obtaining the necessary funds. During 1919 large tracts of land in the back of the native city were reclaimed and several new roads were constructed. A scheme for the development of a Greater Hankow has been started with the backing of the Government. This new scheme can be roughly outlined as follows. The first step will be to develop the land between the Foreign Concessions and the Ching-Han Railway embankment. A boulevard is planned to start from the Yangtsze bank, north of the Japanese Concession, and run west to the railway embankment. It will then be continued alongside the embankment until it reaches а point opposite the Hankow Waterworks tower, where it will turn east and run into the existing

into the existing road near the tower. Ultimately an attempt will be made to extend it froin the water-tower, through the city, to the Yangtsze. This area will be intersected by streets and laid out properly for building purposes, with a complete drainage system. The second step of the scheme will be to develop the land on the west side of the Ching-Han Railway embankment from the vicinity of the foreign racecourse, past the Chinese racecourse, up to Kiaokow. The third step will be the development of the remaining land up to the dyke. A railway