Directory_and_Chronicle_1931 — Page 703

LUNGCHINGTSUN-HUNCHUN

643

Exports of miscellaneous textile products, such as hemp cloth, more than trebled them- selves, while timber showed an all-round increase. Rice cultivation in the regions of Lungchingtsun and Towtaokow appears to be a growing industry, and it is estimated that some 650,000 mou are now devoted to this crop. On the Chinese side of the frontier no local developments in railways have to be reported, but the extension to Mosan, on the banks of the Tumen River in North Korea, of the light railway which formerly ran from Komosan to Shinten is expected to open up new trade routes. The Korean side of the frontier of this district is rich in timber, coal, and iron ore, and, with a view to a better control of the frontier trade at this point, arrangements have been made to establish a Customs post at Nanping, on the Chinese bank of the river. The value of the trade coming under the cognisance of the Customs in 1929 was Hk. Tls. 7,178,888, as compared with Hk. Tls. 8,106,729 in 1928, Hk. Tls. 9,420,810 in 1927, Hk. Tls. 7,169,289 in 1926, Hk. Tls. 3,933,790 in 1925, and Hk. Tls. 4,647,450 in 1924. Telephone and telegraph lines, in addition to the Chinese telegraph and telephone lines, connect Lungchingtsun with the neighbouring marts of Yenki, Towtaokow and Hunchun. A handsome new building for the Bank of Chosen was completed in 1923, and a particularly fine new Japanese Consulate-General in 1925.

BANK OF CHOSEN

S. Shiozawa

T. Itoh

CHINESE MARITIME CUSTOMS

DIRECTORY

Acting Commissioner-A. G. Wallas

(and at Hunchun)

Assistants-C. Ogiwara and Chung

Ping Cheng

Chief Examiner-G. Ohta

Tidewaiters-Yun Kiang Hua, Lin

Yi Deh and J. S. Dong

Local Watcher-Kim Shih Yeh

JAPANESE CONSULATE-GENERAL

Consul-General-K. Okada Consul-J. Higashi Vice-Consul-S. Takiyama

Chancellors-Y. Idzichi, H. Yoneda,.

G. Hamada, K. Fujita, Y. Takahashi, K. Yuge and N. Hayashi Police Supt.-K. Aiba

HUNCHUN

春琿

Hunchun is derived from Manchu, meaning frontier, and is situated in lat. 24 deg. 25 min. 5 sec. N., long. 130 deg. 22 min. 10 sec. E. of Greenwich, on the right bank of the Hung Ch'i Ho, some 35 li from the Chino-Russian frontier and about 90 li distant from Novokiewsk. In 1714 a detachment of soldiers came here from Ninguta, and this may be regarded as the beginning of Hunchun, which was to be opened to trade, by treaty with Japan (Manchurian Convention), in 1905, but the Customs staff did not arrive before December, 1909. Towards the end of 1921 an electric light plant was installed in the town by a Chinese concern. The surrounding districts are fairly fertile, and the mining possibilities (coal, gold, and copper) may, when taken in hand, prove of considerable value. The net value of the trade in 1929 was Hk. Tls. 1,920,435, as compared with Hk. Tls. 3,090,776 in 1928, Hk. Tls. 2,363,231 in 1927, Hk. Tls. 2,155,295 in 1926, Hk. Tls. 1,690,636 in 1925, and Hk. Tls. 1,603,651 in 1924. The town (earthen walled) has a population of 37,535 Chinese in addition to whom are some 1,300 Japanese and Koreans. The main exports are beans, millet and timber; and the main imports: cotton piece - goods, kerosene oil, fishery products, spirits of wine, sugar, matches and flour. The