Directory_and_Chronicle_1931 — Page 726

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LUNGKOW

The port is well sheltered by the Chimatao Peninsula, and is the most northern one in China proper open to the sea throughout the year, though the Harbour is some- times partly frozen over, greatly handicapping the movements of the clumsy cargo boats. This generally happens in January. The harbour of Lungkow (Dragon's Mouth) is seven miles wide at the entrance, and has a sand bar which forms a break- water for five miles across the opening. The inner harbour has a low-water mark of from 11 to 14 feet and storms seldom disturb the shipping inside. It is not to be expected that the Chinese Government will, for many years at least, undertake extensive harbour improvements at Lungkow; but, as it is, the inner harbour has accommodation for a great deal of shipping and, as its bottom is of clay, not sand, a considerable increase in the depth of water available could probably be brought about by dredging operations. Until such time as recognition of its favourable geographical situation forces the bestowal of increased communications, together with harbour improvements similar to those at Chefoo, any increase of trade will be slow and must come from an increase in exports and a gradual elevation of the scale of living with an attendant increase in imports. A handsome new reinforced concrete pier at the New Settlement has been completed, but has never been used and is slowly falling into decay, while the roads leading to it have been allowed to deteriorate. During 1924 development of the town northwards was planned with some success, but it has since been abandoned. An electric light works, long anticipated, is now an accomplished fact.

The town of Lungkow has a population of about 8,000 but it is estimated that within a radius of about five miles there is a population of 65,000. A level stretch of country behind Lungkow, thickly populated and very fertile, gives promise of the port some day assuming considerable importance. The proposed Chefoo-Weihsien Railway would connect Lungkow with both Chefoo and Weihsien, thus with north and central Shantung. The Weilisien-Lungkow-Chefoo motor highway could be easily converted into a railway. In the meantime, this new road brings more trade to the port, although closed to traffic in wet weather, the rainy season being July and August. The transport of mails and cargo is considerable in normal times. The value of land rose rapidly in the early part of 1924 but has since fallen very considerably in the old town. The beach and isthmus of Lungkow are of a loose drifting sand, which, in stormy weather, coupled with dust from the numerous coal supply depots on all sides, mar what otherwise might easily become a seaside resort for those whose work is in the near neighbourhood. The climate is slightly cooler than that of Chefoo, and no doubt one of the healthiest in China.

The opening of this port to foreign trade was due to overtures made to the Chinese Government by Japan. There is a large passenger trade between Shantung Province and Manchuria. Between 10,000 and 50,000 Shantung natives migrate to Manchuria each year for the summer crops, returning again in the autumn or early winter. At present the bulk of this traffic goes from Chefoo and Tsingtao. As Dairen is about 120 miles from Lungkow, it will be possible to divert much of this passenger traffic to Lungkow, where Japanese steamers will probably be prepared to take it at a lower rate to Dairen than would be possible from Chefoo or Tsingtao, especially if a railway were constructed connecting Lungkow with Weihsien.

Unsettled conditions obtained during the first half of 1929, and considerable speculation was reflected in a tight money market. Fractional crops resulted from the drought in the spring and autumn, and economic pressure caused a large migration of coolies northward. Generally, trade in exports was dull, although there was a strong demand from Hongkong for vermicelli, this commodity alone contributing 30 per cent. of the port's revenue.

The trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Maritime Customs amounted to Hk. Tls. 10,890,246 in 1929, as compared with Hk. Tls. 10,421,682 in 1928, Hk. Tls. 11,803,880 in 1927, Hk. Tls. 9,748,196 in 1926, and Hk. Tls. 7,812,349 in 1925. The staple commodity of the port is vermicelli, the local brand being, in the estimation of Chinese consumers, supreme in quality. The export of this commodity has risen from 31,000 piculs in 1917 to 262,000 piculs in 1927.