Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 1519

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SOURABAYA

Sourabaya's position is naturally protected and it lies on the low alluvial delta of the Kali Mas river which empties into the Madura strait. This strait is the narrow division between the island of Java and that of Madura. Sourabaya, therefore, is the outlet in a trade way for exceptionally rich districts. It has been pointed out else- where that Java is naturally divided into three producing districts, each of which, while yielding much the sanie products, yields a different grade. This is due to climate as well as to soil. Much of the soil of Java is of volcanic origin and therefore exceedingly rich in deposits of a nutritive value. The eastern portion of the island, of which Sourabaya is the seaport proper, contains about 2,000 square miles of agricultural land, most of which has been under cultivation for many years. About 71 per cent. of the population is agricultural. Among the foreigners the Chinese play an important part. Next in importance come the Arabs, who are shopkeepers, coast navigators and money lenders. Of Europeans there are some 20,000.

The climate is typically tropical there being only three quarter of an hour's difference between the longest and the shortest day. The climate, however, shows one marked difference from that of other tropical regions for the influence of the sea and mountain-breezes moderates the heat during the day and prevents too fast cooling- off at night. The pressure is constant with a mean temperature of 80 F. maximum 95° F. and a rainfall of 130 inches. The wet season covers the period from November to January, the dry one from May to August.

Sourabaya is extremely fortunate in point of shipping, thanks largely to its geo- graphical position. Besides a modern, well equipped harbour, Sourabaya is provided with an excellent and safe roadstead. The entrance to the roads is 1,500 feet in width at the west, and the depth of water at low-tide is 32 feet. At the East entrance, which widens to the open sea, the depth is about 16 feet and in the roads about 42 feet. Since 1910 very important works, such as a broad breakwater, warehouses, etc., have been constructed. The break water, with later constructed piers, encloses a basin of about 197 acres in area, leaving a channel of about 1,150 feet, which forms the entrance from the roads. The outer quay, from the north pier, called the Rotterdam quay, is about 3,900 feet long with a depth of water of above 50 feet, while the inner quay, called the Amsterdam quay, is about 2,620 feet long and admits ships with a draft of 25 feet. With another small quay (the Ymuiden quay) there is at present in use for ocean-going vessels a length of 7,200 feet. Other harbour works are in course of construction. The harbour is equipped with all modern facilities, including three floating docks, with lifting capacity of respectively 1,400, 3,500 and 14,000 tons, which are electrically driven, warehouses, and cranes up to 50 tons.

Convenient roads and railroad tracks, too, have been constructed.

BANKS

BANK VOOR INDIË, DE

DIRECTORY

JAVASCHE BANK

A. Praasterink, agent

A. H. Giel en J. H. A. Lammers, MERCANTILE BANK OF INDIA, LTD.

manager's

CHARTERED BANK OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA

AND CHINA

H. E. Smith, agent

ESCOMPTO MAATSCHAPPIJ, NED. IND.

G. J. Govaers, agent

HANDELSBANK, NED. IND.

C. R. P. Schäffer, agent

HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING COR-

PORATION

A. Boyd, agent

F. W. Harris, agent

NEDERLANDSCHE HANDEL MIJ.

A. A. Pauw en J. H. H. Schuurman,

agenten

TAIWAN, LTD., THE BANK OF

S. Ichikawa, agent

TIONG HWA BANK

Kho Lie Siap, agent

UNIE BANK VOOR NEDERLAND EN Ko-

LONIEN

A. Herdes, agent