418
TIENTSIN
ment of Tls. 20 per annum in respect of land-tax on the occupation of pre- mises of an assessed value of Tls. 480 per annum, and for Chinese the payment of Tls. 240 per annum in respect of land-tax or the occupation of premises of an assessed rental of Tls. 3,000 per annum-the discrimination between foreign and Chinese electors being intended to prevent the possibility of the foreign vote being completely swamped in an area set apart primarily for foreign residence and trade.
Upon the entry of China into the Great War in 1917 the Chinese Authori- ties took over the German and Austrain Concessions on the 16th March of that year. In the autumn of 1920 the local Chinesc authorities assumed charge of Russian Consular functions and the policing of the Russian Concession, leaving the Municipal Council, however, to continue to function in minor municipal affairs.
A feature of Tientsin which arrests the attention of visitors is the open-air storage of cargo on the British and French Bunds, which have thus become in effect a "general godown." A great deal of confusion and congestion formerly existed from this practice, but the British Municipality has since elaborated an excellent scheme whereby the Bund is divided into numbered steamer-sec- tions and storage-spaces, and the roadway is now kept clear of cargo. The result has more than justified expectations, and the orderly storage of goods in marked-off spaces not only allows a proper control to be kept over all such cargo but has facilitated communications by keeping the carriage-way clear of obstructions.
The Racecourse is situated about 3 miles to the west of the Gordon Hall and comprises a very valuable property to which about 350 mow of land have recently been added. New betting
New betting buildings of reinforced concrete, which surpass anything the description in the Far East, were constructed in 1921.
TRADE
Following are the comparative trade statistics for the years 1927, 1928 and
1929:
Imports:-
Foreign (net) Native (net)
Exports
...
•
...
...
...
Value of trade of Port
1928 Hk. Tls. 136,121,064
1929 Hk. Tls. 145,095,553
1930 Hk. Tls.
133,246,191
98,469,955
82,250,857
71,642,482
108,284,739
110,225.213
342,631,149
315,113,886
113,659,636
348,250,655
The following extract is taken from a revue of the trade of Tientsin for the year 1930 by Mr. H. D. Hilliard, the statistical secretary of the Chinese Mari- time Customs:--
During the entire year trade at Tientsin and, in fact, in North China generally was seriously handicapped by internal disturbances. From the very commencement threats of a breach between the Northern Generals and the Nank- ing Government were prevalent, and preparations for the impending outbreak of hostilities interfered with the free movement of trade, although actual hostili- ties did not break out until April. In the middle of June the Yen Hsi-shan faction seized the Custom House in Tientsin and set up an independent ad- ministration, thus depriving the Nanking Government source of revenue. During the summer, when severe fighting was in progress, all commercial acti- vities in the district, except sales of war materials to the rebellious troops, were practically suspended. The revolting military leaders, however, having met with decisive defeat in September, were forced to give up the attempt to maintain an independent government in the North, and the Tientsin Cus toms was again taken over by the regular administration in October, but the complete disruption of the regular means of transportation could not be re- paired at once, and the year closed with the railway authorities still strug-
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