Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 1030

NANNING

南

Nan-ning

.

An Imperial Edict issued in 1899 authorised the voluntary opening of Nanning as a Trade Mart, but it was not until 1st January, 1907, that the port was formally opened to foreign trade. Nanning is situated on the left bank of the Yukiang, the most important tributary flowing into the West River from the south, and is 368 miles above Wuchow and 213 miles below Lungchow. It lies in the centre of a wide and fertile plain at a sharp bend of the river, which here describes nearly two- thirds of the arc. of a circle and, according to the report of the West River Survey of 1915, is some 400 feet above mean sea-level. The climate is healthy, the temperature in the height of summer seldom exceeding 90 degrees (F.) and in the winter not falling below 40. Nanning is the capital city of the Province of Kwangsi and the seat of the highest Civil and Military officials. About one mile south of the walled city is the area which has been set apart as the Commercial Settlement, in which are situated the foreign merchants' business offices and residences, the Customs Estab- lishment, and the Settlement sub-Post Office. The Settlement was purchased out of Provincial public funds and the laying out of roads, constructing and repairing the bund, and the maintenance of law and order within its boundaries are in the hands of a Board presided over by the Superintendent of Customs. Land within the Settlement cannot be purchased, but may be leased for a period of 30 years, and on expiry the lease may be renewed for another period of 30 years. Foreigners desiring to lease land within the Settlement must make their application through their Consul.

Next to Wuchow, Nanning is the most important port in the Province, because it is the center linking the Provinces of Yunnan, Hunan, Kweichow, and Canton. There are about 500 cars on the 5000 li of motor roads in the Province, with about twenty cars passing daily through Nanning. The motor roads, Nanning-Wuchow, Nanning-Liuchow-Kweilin, and Nanning- Lungchow are kept in good repair with a bus service running daily carry- ing mails and passengers. Nanning is also connected with the outside world by the river. During the summer months when the river is high, it takes only two days to reach Wuchow, but about four days to reach Indo-China, because we are going up-river and against the current. The work of moder- nizing the city of Nanning has made good progress, besides the two long asphalt streets completed three years ago, there are two other limestone streets already completed, and one cement street under construction, thereby link- ing the city by motor cars, from one section to the other. There is a great demand for gasoline and lubricating oils, because besides the automobiles demand for them, there is an aviation school, which uses an enormous amount of gasoline daily. Plans are under way to connect Nanning with the out- side world by air, there being about twenty planes here already. Nanning has a population of 60,000 and the outlook being very bright for trade has drawn the people from the other provinces to try their luck here, and with this increased population new and big houses are springing up everywhere to meet the demand. The civilization of the West has penetrated into Nan- ning, and although an interior town, it can claim to have foreign-style houses, fully furnished with up-to-date furniture, fittings and fixtures. A radio is no uncommon thing in the homes of the wealthier classes.

TRADE IN 1931.

During the first quarter 1931 there was practically no trade owing to the Kwangtung and Kwangsi hostilities which had not quite ceased as late as April. Communications with Wuchow were regularly resumed early in March and the Customs House which ceased to function since August 1930 was re- opened on 28th March.