Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 780

YOCHOW

Yochow, with a population of some 500,000 is situated in latitude 29° 26′ 29′′ N. and longitude 113° 11′ 6′′ E. at the outlet of the Tungting Lake. Past it ebbs and flows practically the whole of the trade of Hunan, which, however, adds little to the pros- perity of the place, as it simply passes by after having paid its dues and duties. The city being the gateway of the province holds a very strategic position from a military point of view and consequently has always been a bone of contention among the warring factions, whenever there is internicine strife in this centre. The opening of Changsha in July, 1904, took away much of Yochow's transit trade. The trains between Changsha and Wuchang (Hankow) on the Hankow-Canton Railway run regularly in normal times. Like most railways in this country, however, this line has suffered enormously from military movements and, owing to negligence and disrepair, is in rather a dangerous condition.

The province of Hunan used to be to foreign commerce what Tibet has been to the explorer-a Forbidden Land-and it is only two decades ago that foreigners were stoned out of Yochow. In 1904, the people were described as showing a "friendly attitude" to all foreigners, which attitude is now well maintained in spite of the recent activities of the extremists in this province.

The province is rich in many forms of wealth, though the inhabitants say is consists of "three parts mountain, six water, and one arable soil." The staple exports are rice, raw cotton, ramie, lotus nuts, vegetable tallow and wood oil.

In recent yeart much rice has been smuggled under the name of "for military use" with the result that the Hunan people themselves have at times suffered acutely from rice famine.

Steam launches and steamers run through from Hankow to Changsha with cargo and passengers, under river passes; and from Yochow to inland places known as the "Lake Ports" under Inland Waters Steam Navigation Rules-principally to Changteh, Yiyang and Tsingshih. The business is increasing, more particularly, with the last- mentioned place.

The city of Yochow is perched on a bluff in a very picturesque way. Its site is, however, not adapted for transit trade, and it offers no shelter for small craft. The port has, therefore, been opened at Chengling, five miles to the north and only a mile from the Yangtsze, where a small creek provides the needed shelter for cargo-boats and other vessels, though the steamer anchorage is bad, being fully exposed to the frequent northerly gales, while the bottom affords bad holding ground. Here the Chinese Government has set aside a place for a cosmopolitan settlement, for which they have provided roads, police, etc.; the site contains level ground for business purposes, well raised, but not too high above flood limits, while higher ground gives good and healthy sites for foreign houses. Work on the formation of the Settlement and bunding operations was commenced in 1900, and a Custom House and Quarters have been built. It is to be noted, therefore, that the Yochow Custom House is situated at Chengling and not at Yochow as the name would lead one to believe. British, Japanese and Chinese shipping firms maintain regular communications with the "Lake Ports" and have their agents stationed at Chengling. Given peace, Cheng- ling is undoubtedly one of the most healthy towns in the Yangtsze Valley. Since the occupation of this port by the Cantonese Army in August, 1926, the Chengling Bluff has twice been fortified and the Harbour inined in order to prevent a hostile army coming down river from Shasi. The shore-batteries by firing on foreign gunboats have been the cause of a bombardment by foreign warships, to which this port has been subjected on no less than five occasions within a period of a year. It is fortunate to be able to record that no casualties have so far been reported.

In order to have a general idea of the trade of this port, the figures of the revenue collected by the Yochow Customs during the last ten years are given below in round numbers:-1917, Hk. Tls. 63,000; 1918, Hk. Tls. 138,000; 1919, Hk. Tls. 100,000; 1920, Hk. Tls. 126,000; 1921, Hk. Tls. 142,000; 1922, Hk. Tls. 215,000; 1923, Hk. Tls. 224,000; 1924, Hk. Tls. 200,000; 1925, Hk. Tls. 221,000; 1926, Hk. Tls. 261,000.

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