Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 620

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SHANGHAI

in 1921 a piece of land near the Bund sold for the high figure of Tls. 300,000 per mow, which, at the exchange of the day on which the deal was closed, represented approximately £300,000 per acre.

The total number of foreign houses in the four divisions of the General Concession on 31st December, 1923, was 4,021 assessed at Tls. 11,851,174, against 3,119 assessed at Tls. 4,809,155, and 2,472 assessed at Tls. 3,235,311, on the corresponding dates in 1910 and 1905. On 64,979 native houses the assessment was $16,260,090 against 52,008 assessed at $8,332,449 in 1910, and 45,328 assessed at $6,830,461 in 1905. In addition, six per cent. (half rate) is now collected on 1,267 foreign houses assessed at Tls. 1,350,718 and 2,165 native houses assessed at $192,196 outside the Settlement limits, but supplied with water by the Shanghai Waterworks Co., with electricity, or with telephones. For 1923 the land of the French Concession was valued for assessment at Tls. 40,000,000; the rental assess- ment of foreign houses at Tls. 1,316,500, and of native houses at Tls. 2,541,650. The British and French Settlements, exclusive of the extensions acquired in 1899 and 1901, are now all built over, and the vacant spaces in Hongkew are being rapidly covered. The Captain-Superintendent of Police in a late report said that nearly the whole area "may be described as densely populated: how crowded few residents can have any conception." Many of the best foreign houses, both in the Settlements and outside roads, are now occupied by Chinese retired officials and merchants.

A greatly enlarged boundary for the Settlement was granted in 1901. The area. within Municipal limits is now 8 square miles, or 5,584 acres, with a population of 152 per acre. There are in the whole Settlement and outside roads (exclusive of the French) nearly 6000 occupied European houses, and approximately 70,000 occupied Chinese houses. There are 140 miles of roads and 637,562 feet of footways, and con- siderable additions, in the extension, are planned. It is of interest to note that in the International Settlement Shanghai Tls. 4,344,197 have been spent upon the pur- chase of land for road widenings and extensions during the past 23 years. According to the records of the French Municipal Council there were in the French Settlement 1,666 foreign houses and 18,908 Chinese houses in 1923 as compared with 532 and 10,506 respectively in 1918. The Japanese Treaty of 1896 gave that Power the right to a separate Settlement at Shanghai, but although it is estimated that 12,000 Japanese are now residing in Shanghai no definite claim has yet been made for such an area. All ground belongs nominally to the Republic of China, but is rented in perpetuity, a tax of fifteen hundred copper cash, equal to less than two taels per mow, being paid to the Government annually. The Settlement land was bought from the original proprietors at about $50 per mow, which was at least twice its then value. Six mow equal one acre.

As a port for foreign trade Shanghai grew but gradually until it gained a great impetus by the opening in 1861 of the Yangtsze and northern ports, secured by the Treaty of Tientsin, and a further increase by the opening up of Japan. In March, 1848, owing to an assault on some missionaries near Shanghai, Mr. Alcock, the British Consul, blockaded the port and stopped the passage outwards of eleven hundred grain junks. This drastic measure, by which grain for the North was cut off, brought the authorities to their senses, and after sending a man-of-war to Nanking the matter was arranged. The first event of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the native city on 7th September, 1853, by the Triad rebels, who lield it for seventeen months, although repeatedly besieged and attacked by the Imperialists. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign Settlements, and the price of land rose very considerably. At that time a Volunteer force was formed among the foreign residents, under the command of Captain (afterwards Sir Thomas) Wade, which did really good service. The battle of "Muddy Flat" was fought on 4th April, 1854, when the Volunteers in conjunction with the Naval forces, consisting in all of 300 men with one field piece, drove the Imperialists, numbering 10,000 men, from the neighbour- hood of the Settlements and burned their camps. Two of the Volunteers and one American were killed, and ten men wounded. Owing to the occupation of the city the authorities were powerless to collect the duties, which for a short time were not paid and it was, in consequence, agreed in July, 1854, between the Taotai and the three Consuls (British, French, and American) that they should be collected under foreign control. This was found to work so much to the advantage of the Chinese Government that the system was, subsequently to the Treaty of Tientsin, extended to all the open ports. The Foreign Inspectorate of Customs was established in 1861, the headquarters of which were for some years, and, according to the original regulations, ought still to be, at Shanghai. In 1861 the Taipings approached Shanghai, occupied