Directory_and_Chronicle_1930 — Page 1056

LUNGCHOW

州龍

Lung-chow

This city is situated at the junction of the Sung-chi and Kao-ping rivers in lat. 22. deg. 21 min. N., and long. 106 deg. 45 min. E., near the South-western border of the province of Kwangsi, and was selected as the seat of the frontier trade of that province with Tonkin. The continuation of the above-named two rivers is known as the Tso- chiang or left branch of the West River, and it enters the main stream some 30 mile above Nanning. The town is prettily situated amongst the mountains, having exits by the rivers mainly, and lies at an elevation of some 300 feet above sea level. The city wall, last repaired in 1887, is being demolished rapidly to make a circular road round the city proper. A census taken in 1929 showed the Lungchow population as consisting of 3,500 families, in all 14.796 persons, including seven foreign residents. From a military point of view Lungchow is considered to be a place of importance. Troops are stationed there and at the three frontier stations of Namkuan, Pingerh, and Shuikou, all roughly thirty miles distant in a westerly direction. The port was opened to Franco-Annamese trade on the 1st June, 1889, and has proved a valuable back door into China when strikes obstruct trade elsewhere; 1926 being a record year. Without however an extension of the Hanoi-Langson railway, any marked development of Lungchow is likely to be slow, though the line now runs through to Nasham, where stocks of kerosene were kept on hand during 1924, 1925 and 1926 for importation into China. The frontier road runs from Dongdang on the railway, through Namkuan or Port de Chine to Lungchow, and carries at the present date a considerable amount of motor traffic, the distance of 54 kilometres taking on an average of about three hours. There is now only one Company-Chinese-owned with Head Office at Langson- engaged in this cross-frontier trade, but it is expected that the opening of the Lung- chow-Nanning motor road which is to take place in the very near future will cause the number of operating companies to increase. The intervening country is very beautiful and runs through very mountainous areas, in which are a number of rock caves, formerly the habitat of natives indigenous to the neighbourhood.. Telegraphic communication exists with Canton and other places on the West River, with Mêngtsz in Yunnan viá Posé, and with places in Tonkin. The Chinese Post Office sends mails almost every day to Langson in Tonkin by Motor under contract, and to Nanning overland every second day with connections to Canton and Pakhoi. An establishment of the Chinese Maritime Customs is maintained at the port. where foreign interests are in the charge of Consuls resident on the West River and in Hongkong. France alone maintains a Consul at Lungchow and he is also Consul for Nanning. There is a Catholic Church on the South side of the Tso-chiang, and the Emanuel Mission has a small orphanage in the surburbs outside the East Gate. The net value of the trade coming under the cognisance of the Maritime Customs for 1928 was Hk. Tls. 239,774, as compared with Hk. Tls. 262,330 for 1927, Hk. Tls. 1,198,407 for 1926, and Hk. Tls. 555,804 for 1925. The trip up from Nanning usually takes from three to four days, and that down to Nanning about 30 hours, according to the water in the river, the level of which is liable to very sudden fluctuations during the rainy season of July and August. It has been known to rise as high as 75 feet, when the iron suspension bridge across the river is only two feet above the flood. Motor boats carry most of the cargo from and to West River ports, whilst frontier trade is carried by small junks and rafts, and by carts on the overland routes which usually travel in convoys of some nuniber as in Tonkin. The River scenery between Lungchow and Nanning with its succession of gorges and rapids is well worth seeing but accom- modation for Europeans on the motor boats is not of a luxurious type though each vessel has one special cabin for official travellers. The climate of the port is damp and very hot for some eight months of the year, but the winter is cold enough to be very pleasant amid such picturesque surroundings.