Directory_and_Chronicle_1930 — Page 1042

KONGMOON

門江

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 A British Consulate was established, but withdrawn in 1905.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 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.

It was generally considered that the proximity of Konginoon to Hongkong and Macao and its favourable situation as an outlet and distributing centre for the southern prefectures of the province augured well for its future prosperity and development. This was, to some extent, true, but it should be remembered that facts have arisen which have tended to diminish rather than increase its commercial importance. Formerly it enjoyed direct communication with Shanghai and Foochow and was the real outlet and distributing centre for the south-western district of the delta and the Southern prefectures of the province. The development of Hongkong and the opening of Kiungchow and Pakhoi as treaty ports, however, have seriously interfered with the junk trade and general welfare of the port, and have, besides, opened up other trade routes to districts hitherto dependent upon Kongmoon for their supplies. At present there are no indications that the sanguine expectations, based upon imperfect knowledge, entertained concerning the over-estimated commercial possibilities of the place will be speedily, if ever, realized. There is daily steam com- munication with Hongkong, and considerable numbers of vessels trading under the Inland Waters Regulations arrive and depart daily. There are also several large junks trading regularly to Hongkong, Macao, and the island of Hainan. A railway from Kongmoon to Samkaphoi on the coast, a distance of about 80 miles, was constructed in 1909-10 under the supervision of native engineers, trained in America, but it stops short three miles from the sea, as to take the line right down would involve laying out a new town on the water-front and dredging operations. A branch line of the Sunning Railway was opened in 1920 from Sunning city to Paksha. The proposed extension to Yeungkong is still under contemplation, and it is doubtful if funds will permit of work being commenced in the near future. A telegraph office was opened on the 8th December, 1907, in the town, and in November, 1911, in the Settle- ment, and telegraphic communication is now possible with the Fatshan office. A high road between Kongmoon and Hokshan, a town some 50 miles away, has been constructed, and a public company was formed, with a capital of $240,000, to make roads from Sunwui to Kongmoon and thence to Pakkai which will be suitable for motor traffic. The motor road from Hokshan to Sunwui was officially opened on January 10th, 1922.

The principal articles of export consist of prepared tobacco, joss-sticks, strawmats, paper, palm-leaf fans, fresh oranges and fresh vegetables; imports are largely represented by rice, foreign piece-goods, kerosene oil, sugar, wheat flour, and foreign sundries, including a variety of Japanese commodities of a cheap nature. Large quantities of softwood poles are floated down in the form of rafts, which are dismantled here. These mostly come from beyond Wuchow and also from the North River. The yearly value of this branch of the trade is estimated at about $750,000.