Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 1005

SANTUAO-FOOCHOW

DIRECTORY

929

亞細

亞

ASIATIC PETROLEUM Co. (SOUTH CHINA),

LTD. Tel. Ad: Petrosilex

-

Fong Shu-fu, agent

H. Tillman, Oil Hulk "Rhamses"

關海福

Fu-hai-Kwan

CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME

Actg. Commr.-W. C. G. Howard

Assistant-Tung Wen Chin

Examiner-T. J. Macauley

Tidewaiters-H. Abbott and B. T.

Belcher

局郵澳都三

POST OFFICE

Postmaster-Chan Fong-ing

(N.B.--Letters should be addressed: Santuao via Foochow)

孚

美

STANDARD OIL CO., OF NEW YORK

H. W. Livingston, manager (Foochow

Hsü Pai-shi, agent

TELEGRAPHS, CHINESE

Wei Yü Daw, manager

Wei Yew Sing, clerk Wei Yut Sang, do.

i

FOOCHOW

H TE Fuh-chau

Foochow (or Fuh-chau-fu) is the capital of the Fukien province. It is situated in lat. 26 deg. 20 min. 24 sec. N., and long. 119 deg. 20 min. E. The city is built on a plain on the northern side of the river Min, and is distant about thirty-four miles from the sea, and nine miles from Pagoda Island, where foreign vessels anchor.

The attention of foreigners was early attracted to Foochow as a likely place where commercial intercourse could be profitably carried on in the shipment of Bahea Tea, which is grown largely in the locality. Before the port was opened, this article used to be carried overland to Canton for shipment, a journey which was both long and difficult. The East India Company, as early as 1830, made representations in favour of the opening of the port, but nothing definite was done till the conclusion of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The early years of intercourse with the natives were anything but what was anticipated. The navigation of the river was difficult, there was no market for imports, and several attacks by the populace rendered the port an undesirable place of residence for some time. It was not until some ten years after the port had been opened that there was much done in the export of tea from the interior, but after that the quantity shipped increased largely, and Foochow became one of the principal tea ports in China. Since 1880, however, when the tea trade of the port reached its highest figure, the prosperity of the place has been on the wane. A valuable trade has dwindled to the most meagre dimensions, and thousands of acres must have gone out of cultivation.

The city is built around three hills, and the circuit of the walled portion is between six and seven miles in length. The walls are about thirty feet high and twelve feet wide at the top. The streets were narrow and filthy, but during recent years re- markable improvements have been carried out, shop fronts have been set back, street stalls done away with, the old paving stones have been utilised to make drains and the roads have been macadamised. A fairly wide and well made road has been con- structed from the Long Bridge to the city, trees have been planted on either side; and the Electric Company are responsible for the excellent lighting. This Company have also established a powerful ice-making plant with a view to supplying the large: fleet of fishing junks operating in local waters.

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