Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 839

LAPPA

Lappa is the large, hilly island which shelters the inner harbour of Macao on its western side. It is also called by the Chinese Kung Pak or Tui Lien Shan, and by the Portuguese Patera Island. The island itself, which is within the jurisdiction of the Shekki (Chungshan) Magistrate, possesses no features of interest; but it has given its name to the chain of stations under the control of the Chinese Maritime Customs which were established around Macao, by agreement with the Portuguese Government,. in the year 1887. Of these stations, the two principal-from a revenue collecting point of view are at Malowchow, an islet close to Lappa, and Chienshan, north of Green Island. There are also two stations beyond the Barrier Gate (Portas do Cerco) of Macao, and another is maintained at Tungho, one of the Ladrone group of islands. The trade passing through the Lappa Customs stations is chiefly junk-borne, and its net value in 1926 was Hk. Tls. 10,391,394, as compared with Hk. Tls. 22,470,368 in 1925, and Hk. Tls. 27,398,467 in 1924. It may be noted that much of the cargo which formerly came from Luichow and the southern coast towns of Kwangtung to Macao, and reported at Malowchow, now avails itself of the more convenient and doubtless safer steamer carriage from the French trade base of Kwangchowwan to Macao or Hongkong, whilst an increasing amount of interior produce, whether destined for Hongkong or Canton goes via Kongmoon, with the result that the erstwhile important junk trade of this region is gradually diminishing.

DIRECTORY

* Kung-pak-sun-kwan

CHINESE MARITIME CUSTOMS (Lappa District)-2, Rua dos Prazeres, Macao

Commissioner-F. W. Carey Assistants-H. J. de Garcia, Leung

Shi-nam and Leung Cum Chiu Chief Tidesurveyor-T. H. Smith Examiners, etc.-W. M. Komaroff, E. A. C. Friedrichsen, O. Smith, J. J.

Lovelock, W. W. Brazier, O. E. Segerholm and A. Luiz

Cruising Launches

"Paktou"

Officer-in-charge-G. Flynn Launch Officer-S. F. Z. Siegfrids "Lungtsing"

Officer-in-ch.-W. H. P. Weston Launch Officer-M. B. Hoffman

KONGMOON

P Kong-moon

Kongmoon was added to the list of treaty ports on 7th March, 1904, in accordance with the stipulations of Article X. of the Mackay Treaty. A British Consulate was established, but withdrawn in 1905. Kongmoon is located some three miles up a creek on the West River, in the Kwangchow Prefecture of the Kwangtung Province in Lat. 22° 34′ 49′′ N. and Long. 113° 8' 53" E., and is about 45 miles distant from Macao, 70 from Canton and 87 from Hongkong. The creek on which it is built connects the West River with the sea at Gaemoon, and is a narrow and tortuous stream, the lower reaches of which, near the main river, are lined with rafts, while further up in the vicinity of the town it is crowded with native craft of every description, thus rendering navigation for steamers difficult at all times, but especially so when the current runs fast during the summer months. The steamer anchorage is in the West River at the mouth of the Creek, opposite the Chinese Maritime Customs, but the town is included in the port limits. The population of Kongmoon is about 55,000, and it has the appearance of being a more populous centre, as it extends for a considerable distance on both banks of the stream. Formerly it was a business centre of considerable importance, but various causes have arisen which appear to have lessened its commercial standing and interfered adversely with the general prosperity of the port.