Directory_and_Chronicle_1926 — Page 954

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SWATOW-CANTON

司公生泰

TAI SANG & Co., Compradores and General Storekeepers, Ship Chandlers, Commis-

sion Agents, Import and Export Merchants

TEXAS CO., THE, Texaco Petroleum Pro- ducts-25, Customs Road; Teleph. 282; Tel, Ad: Texaco

R. M. Worley

M. T. Ko (in charge)

司公務船亨元

YUEN HENG SHIPPING Co.

Chua Siu Hong, manager

S. G. Ben

Goldenburg Kee |

Y. T. Ben

YULAN LACE AND EMBROIDERY Co.—22, Se

Hing Street; Tel. Ad: Yulan

Mrs. H. C. Best, manageress

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION-

Kialat Road

S. M. Cowles

"

CANTON

州廣 Kuáng-chau

Canton is situated on the Chu-kiang or Pearl River, in latitude 23 deg. 7 min. 10 sec N., and longitude 113 deg. 14 min. 30 sec. E., and is the capital of the province of Kwangtung. It is sometimes called the City of Rams and tlie City of Genii, both o which names are derived from ancient legends. Canton is a foreign perversion o Kwangtung, its real name. One of the first cities in China, it is also the seat of government for the province.

Owing to its favoured situation, Canton became at an early date the Chinese port te which the traffic of European countries was first attracted. The Portuguese found thei way thither in 1516, and Arab navigators had been making regular voyages between Can ton and the ports of Western Asia as early as the tenth century. The Dutch appeared on the scene about a hundred years later than the Portuguese, and these in their turn were supplanted by the English. The latter, towards the close of the seventeenth century, founded the very profitable trade which was conducted for nearly one hundred and fifty years by the Agents of the East India Company, who established a factory there in 1684, which was afterwards celebrated throughout the world. From 1684 the export of tea to England increased rapidly. The Company's monopoly terminated inf 1834. In 1839 Great Britain was led to a declaration of war with China in consequence of the oppression to which foreigners were subjected by the native authorities, and Canton was menaced with capture in 1841. A pecuniary ransom was, however, received in lieu of the occupation of the city, and hostilities were for the time being suspended The lesson, unfortunately, was without effect, and the arrogance of the Chinese author-to ities continued unabated. The British campaign in Central China ensued, and the result was the signature of the Treaty of Nanking (August 29th, 1842), by which what was called the Co-Hong monopoly at Canton was abolished and four additional ports were thrown open to foreign trade. Nevertheless, the provisions of the Treaty continued, to be ignored in the City of Rams, and foreigners were still denied admittance within its walls. The result of protracted annoyances and insults was that in October, 1856, Sir Michael Seymour, with the fleet, again opened hostilities, and some two months later a mob in retaliation pillaged and burned all the foreign residences. In December, 1857, Sir Charles Straubenzee, in command of an expedition which had been specially! despatched from England, attacked the city, and it was taken on the 29th of that month it The French also sent out an expedition, and the city was occupied by the Allied Forces until October, 1861, a period of nearly four years

The city proper extends to a breadth of about two miles, is about six miles inji 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 linester