Directory_and_Chronicle_1930 — Page 764

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TSINGTAO (KIAOCHAU)

artisans, traders, and wealthy Chinese firms, which last, hitherto dealing with Chefoo, had until now kept aloof from the place. The total value of trade increased from Hk. Tls. 30,700,000 in 1906 to Hk. Tls. 39,700,000 in 1909, and reached a total of Hk. Tls. 56,330,321 for the year 1912, or an increase of 20% over the previous year, not- withstanding the disadvantageous conditions for trade caused by the revolutionary troubles in China. The trade of the port for 1928 amounted to Hk. Tls. 142,293,598, as compared with Hk. Tls. 140,499,859 in 1927, Hk. Tls. 135,694,264 in 1926, Hk. Tls. 126,258,906 in 1925, and Hk. Tls. 132,206,858 in 1924.

The Bay of Kiaochau is an extensive inlet two miles north-west of Cape Jaeschke. The entrance is not more than 13 miles across, the east side being a low promontory with rocky shores, with the new town of Tsingtao ("green island," from a small grassy island close to the land) about two miles from the point of the peninsula. On the west side of the entrance is another promontory with hills rising to about 600 feet. The shore here is rocky, and dangerous on the west side, but on the east side is a good stretch of sandy beach. The bay is so large that the land at the head can only just be seen from the entrance (about 15 to 20 miles away), and the water gradually gets shallower as the north side of the bay is approached. The old Chinese Kiaochau city stands at the north-west corner of the bay about 5 miles from the sea. At Tsingtao there are two anchorages for big ships; the larger and better one is round the point of the east promontory, on the north side, and the other, smaller one, on the south side. A new mole was opened on March 6th, 1904, which accommodates five vessels with berths. A second mole was opened a few months later, and a third for kerosene ships was subsequently constructed. They have direct connection with the railway. About 20 ships can be berthed simultaneously in the harbour.

The hills, in former days merely bare rocks of granite and porphyry, are now clad in fresh green owing to an extensive scheme of afforestation, which was decided upon in the early days of the colony. The soil of the valleys between the ranges and the plain country on the north-east is alluvial and very fertile, and is carefully cultivated. Wheat, barley, beans, millet, maize, and many other grains in smaller quantities are grown. The foreign residential quarter at Tsingtao has been well laid out, and there are some good foreign hotels. The first sod of the Shantung Railway was cut by Prince Henry of Prussia in October, 1899, and the line to Tsinanfu was opened on the 1st June, 1904. It has done a prosperous business from the day it was opened.

The wireless installation at the Signal Berg, originally built by the Germans, was removed by the Japanese naval authorities in June, 1921, but a powerful new wireless station has been established by the Japanese military authorities at Taisichen. It is available to the public for "urgent" telegrams.

For the European community the Government maintained a reformed modern grammar school, open to boys and girls alike. In addition to the State school there was a girls' boarding and day school carried on by Franciscan Nuns. There were also a number of village schools in which in a five-years' course of instruction the pupils could obtain an elementary knowledge of Chinese, arithmetic, physical and political geography, natural science and German. For secondary instruction in European and Chinese sciences there was the German-Chinese High School, opened on October 25th, 1901. A thoroughly equipped observatory was opened in January, 1912, with funds supplied by the Union of German Navy Leagues abroad. A Boys' Middle school, built at a cost of Yen 228,000, now stands where the Germans had erected an aero-shed on the western slope of the Yamen Forts.

The temperate climate and the excellent beach have brought Tsingtao into promin- ence as a summer resort.

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