Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 898

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SANTUAO – FOOCHOW

DIRECTORY

CHINESE TELEGRAPHS

Fee Veng Fiang, manager

Wei Yü Daw, elerk-in-charge

LA ME TA

海福 Fu hai Kwan

CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME & NATIVE

Commissioner-H. St. J. Wielding Assistant Li Ko Yen

Assist. Tidesurveyor-W. Batley Tidewaiters-W. H. A. Weston nad

Lin Ton

局郵澳都三

POST OFFICE

Postmaster-Sun Tsu I

(N.B.-Letters should be addressed: Santuao via Foochow)

A 美

STANDARD OIL Co., OF NEW YORK

H. W. Livingston, manager (Foochow) T. Chubb | Miss R. M. Livingston M. Duffy, supt. of installation

(Pagoda anchorage)

Hsu Baik King, agent

FOOCHOW

州福 Fuh-chau

Foochow (or Fuh-chau-fu) is the capital of the Fukien province. It is situated in lat. 26 deg. 20 min. 24 sec. N., and long. 119 deg. 20 min. E. The city is built on a plain on the northern side of the river Min, and is distant about thirty-four miles from the sea, and nine miles from Pagoda Island, where foreign vessels anchor.

The attention of foreigners was carly attracted to Foochow as a likely place where commercial intercourse could be profitably carried on in the shipment of Balea Tea, which is grown largely in the locality. Before the port was opened, this article used to be earried overland to Canton for shipment, a journey which was both long and difficult. The East India Company, as early as 1830, made representations in favour of the opening of the port, but nothing definite was done till the conclusion of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The early years of intercourse with the natives were anything but what was anticipated. The navigation of the river was difficult, there was no market for imports, and several attacks by the populace rendered the port an undesirab le place of residence for some time. It was not until some ten years after the port had been opened that there was much donc in the export of tea from the interior, but after that the quantity shipped increased largely, and Foochow became one of the principal tea ports in China. From 1880, however, when the tea trade of the port reached its highest figure, the prosperity of the place waned until 1928, when a steadily increasing trade revival was apparent.

The eity is built around three hills, and the circuit of the walled portion is between six and seven miles in length. The walls are about thirty feet high and twelve feet wide at the top. The streets were narrow and filthy, but during recent years re- markable improvements have been carried out.

The elimate of Foochow is mild and delightful for about nine months of the year, but in the summer it is rather trying, the range of the thermometer then being from 74 deg. Fahr. to 98 deg.

The seenery surrounding Foochow is very beautiful. In sailing up the Min river from the sea vessels have to leave the wide stream and enter what is called the Kimpai Pass, which is barely half-a-mile across, and, enclosed as it is by bold, rocky walls, it presents a very striking appearance. The Pass of Min-ngan is narrower, and with its towering cliffs, surmounted by fortifications and cultivated terraces, is extremely pie-

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