Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 618

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SHANGHAI

visited the district doing much damage. The mean of the barometer is from 29'769 in the third to 30-245 inches in the first quarter. The annual average of rainy days in Shanghai during eight years was 124; 55 wet days occurred in winter, and 69 in summer; the annual rainfall averages 49'57 inches, about 15 in winter and 30.2 in suininer. The mean degree of humidity is from 786 in the winter to 826 in the summer months.

DESCRIPTION

The streets of the International and French Settlements run north and south and east and west, mostly for the whole length of both, crossing each other at right angles. They were when first laid out twenty-two feet wide, but have since at very great expense been mostly made much wider. In spite of this, however, and the more stringent regulations, the traffic problem is becoming increasingly acute in Shanghai as elsewhere. Notwithstanding the soft nature of the soil the roads are kept in remarkably good order, despite the heavy motor traffic. With the introduction of trams the whole track of the Maloo, one mile in length, was laid with Jarrah hardwood blocks, and the section of Nanking Road between Kiangse Road and the Bund was paved with the same material. Owing to the nature of the ground, expensive piling or concrete foundations are necessary before any building over one storey in height can be erected, and all stone has to be brought from a long distance. The Soochow Creek, between the British Settlement and Hongkew, is now crossed by nine bridges, seven of which are adapted for carriage traffic.

Many foreign houses, surrounded by gardens, have been erected near the outside roads, especially on the Bubbling Well, Avenue Haig, Yuyuen, Great Western and Sinza Roads, which are the main outlets from the Settlement, and from which most of the other roads branclı off. These roads are planted with trees on both sides, forming fine avenues of five to six miles in length. Building activity of late years may be described as remarkable and unparalleled in the history of the port.

TRADE AND COMMERCE

Shanghai is the great emporium for the trade of the Yangtsze and Northern and Corean ports, and to some extent for Japan. The total import and export trade of 1868 amounted to sixty-five million taels. It steadily increased each year until 1881, when it reached Hk. Tls. 141,921,357, but afterwards showed a great decline, the total for 1884 having been twenty per cent. less than that for 1881. There was, however, a rapid recovery up to 1905.

The gross value of the trade of the port in 1930 was Hk. Tls. 1,549,482,978 as compared with Hk. Tls. 1,472,613,676, in 1929, Hk. Tls. 1,465,407,174 in 1928, Hk. Tls. 1,262,663,393 in 1927 and Hk. Tls. 1,469,893,484 in 1926.

Mr. H. D. Hilliard, the Statistical Secretary of the Chinese Maritime Customs writes in retrospect of the year 1930:-

By reason of her position as the largest commercial port in China there are few events which occur even in the most remote provinces which do not have some bearing on the trade of Shanghai. Apart from that grcat volume of trade for which she acts as a transhipping centre, 51 per cent. of the direct import trade and 35 per cent. of the direct export trade to and from foreign countries was concentrated in this port. No apology should therefore be needed if, in attempting a brief synopsis of her trade during 1930, to avoid repetition, many events and incidents, with which from a geographical point of view Shanghai is unconnected, are referred to here in fuller detail rather than elsewhere. With the suppression of the revolt. along the Peiping-Han- kow and Tientsin-Pukow Railway lines at the close of 1929, the year 1930 opened with better prospects after one of the most depressing periods in the recent commercial history of Shanghai. Unfortunately, the revival of trade proved to be momentary only. The concentration of Government troops on the Tientsin-Pukow and Lung-Hai lines and the declaration by Northern militarists demanding the retirement of the Commander-in-Chief soon deve- loped into open warfare, and with the irruption of Kwangsi insurgent armies

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