Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 1029

CANTON

953

:

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 P'ing gate west. Numerous buildings of an improved type have recently been erected, notably the new premises of the Sun Co., a building 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 few years to develop home industries. New factories have sprung up like mushrooms. At Honam an up-to-date cotton-spinning 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 have met with such a ready sale that the import of rubber boots and shoes has experienced a heavy fall. The production of leather locally has suffered severely from the same competition. A foundry for the manufacture of copper sheathing from ore mined in the province is working with satisfactory results. The manufacture of stoves and metal water buckets are two of the most recent local industries. Locally- made matches are exported as far as the Straits Settlements, the factories engaged in this industry in 1923 numbering sixteen. 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. The total number of foreign residents registered at the Canton Consulates exceeds 2,000. Of these, 670 are American, 500 British, 434 Japanese, 191 German, 142 Portu- guese and 115 French. British firms number 50, American 29, French 26, Japanese 25, Portuguese 24 and German 11.

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 place as to the selection of a site for a permanent British settlement, and it was