Directory_and_Chronicle_1926 — Page 705

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ANTUNG

東安

An-tung

The treaty port of Antung was opened to international trade by the Commercial Treaty between the United States and China in 1903, but, owing to the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war, it was not till the Spring of the year 1907 that the Chinese Maritime Customs was established here. Antung is situated on the right or Chinese bank of the Yalu River, 23 miles from its mouth. The Chinese native town has a population of some 84,000 during the winter, which is swelled to perhaps twice that number during the busy months when the port is open. The floating Chinese population are chiefly emigrants from Shantung. There is also a Japanese population of some 11,600 occupying a settlement with an area of about a square mile, which is surrounded by a ram- part and a moat to keep out the summer floods, and is laid with good roads. Most of the Japanese carry on business in a small way, and very little is done in their settle- ment. The river is closed to navigation by ice from about the end of November to the end of March. The staple exports of Antung are timber, wild raw silk, wild silk cocoons, beancake and bean products; oil and flour are largely imported. New buildings are going up on all sides both for dwelling and industrial purposes, The Yalu battlefield is some 10 miles further up the river and a splendid panorama of the surrounding country, embracing a fine stretch of the Yalu, may be obtained from the summit of Tiger Hill, which was the position occupied by the Russians before the battle. Wulungpei, 14 imiles distant from Antung, is a favourite resort on account of its hot springs. Antung is connected by railway with Mukden. The splendid steel bridge, 3,097 feet long and consisting of 12 spans, including a swivel-span, over the Yalu, from Antung to New Wiju (on the Korean side), connecting the South Manchurian Railway with the Chosen (Korean) Railways, was opened to traffic on 1st November, 1911, having taken three summers to erect, no work being possible during the winter. The river at Antung is navigable for steamers drawing 12 feet of water when the tides are favourable, but the channel is a constantly shifting one and erosion and silting often interfere seriously with navigation. Attempts to dredge the channel in the years 1913 and 1914 were not successful and were discontinued. With a view to better control of navigation, fresh charts and future conservancy operations, a survey was started by the Hydrographic Bureau of the Japanese Navy in the spring of 1921, and subsequently undertaken on a larger scale by the Marine Department of the Chi- nese Maritime Customs during the summer and autumn. In September, 1922, the survey was completed and soundings were taken from the sea to Antung. There are several small Japanese steamers plying between Antung, Chefoo and Dairen, and as trade with Tientsin has developed considerably a regular and frequent service with that port is carried on by larger vessels of from 700 to 1,200 tons. The larger ships in the China Coast trade anchor at Santaolangtóu, six miles down river, and there are other anchorages at Wentzuchien, 14 miles down river, and at Tatungkow.

The value of the trade of the port in 1924 was Hk. Tls. 65,649,259, as compared with Hk. Tls. 87,186,033 in 1923, Hk. TÎs. 70,961,277 in 1922, and Hk. Tls. 63,359,464 in 1921. A large part of railway shipments simply pass through Antung en route to places farther north in Manchurià, find an outlet abroad from the interior.

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