Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 567

LUNGCHINGTSUN-HUNCHUN

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phone and telegraph line, in addition to the Chinese telegraph and tele- phone lines, connect Lungchingtsun with the neighbouring marts of Yenki, Towtaokow and Hunchun. A handsome new building for the Bank of Chosen was completed in 1923, and a particularly fine new Japanese Consulate- General in 1925.

BANK OF CHOSEN

S. Shiozawa

T. Itoh

CHINESE MARITIME CUSTOMS

DIRECTORY

Acting Commissioner A. G. Wallas

(and at Hunchun). Assistant-I. Ando

Assist. Tidesurveyor-E. A. Weekes

Do. Examiner T. Akechi and Lin

Yi Deh

Do. Boat Offices Yun Kiang Hua

and Kao Yuan Che

Tidewaiters Jen Kwang Tou and Lu-

Pao Chi

Local Watcher-Kim Shih Yeh

JAPANESE CONSULATE-GENERAL

Consul-General-K. Okada Consuls I. Shooji and C. Seino Vice-Consuls- S. Takiyama and H.

Sugiura

Chancellors-H. Yoneda, G. Hamada, K. Fujita, K. Yuge, S. Watanabe & K. Komori Police Supt.-K. Suyematsu

HUNCHUN

春琿

Hunchun is derived from Manchu, meaning frontier, and is situated in lat. 24 deg. 25 min. 5 sec. N., long. 130 deg. 22 min. 10 sec. E. of Greenwich, on the right bank of the Hung Ch'i Ho, some 35 li from the Chino-Russian frontier and about 90 li distant from Novokiewsk. In 1714 a detachment of soldiers came here from Ninguta, and this may be regarded as the beginning of Hunchun, which was to be opened to trade, by treaty with Japan (Manchurian Convention), in 1905, but the Customs staff did not arrive before December, 1909. Towards the end of 1921 an electric light plant was installed in the town by a Chinese concern. The surrounding districts are fairly fertile, and the mining possibilities (coal, gold, and copper) may, when taken in hand, prove of considerable value.

The town (earthen walled) has a population of 37,535 Chinese in addition to whom are some 1,300 Japanese and Koreans. The main exports are beans, millet and timber; and the main imports: cotton piece goods, kerosene oil, fishery products, spirits of wine, sugar, matches and flour. The general impoverishment of the Hunchun district, resulting from the destruction of crops by the disastrous floods of the summer of 1928, was manifested in a great reduction in practically every category of imports during 1929. Therelieving feature of an otherwise very poor year was the excellence of the bean and cereal crops, but the timber season could not be described as wholly satisfactory, prices obtained showing very little margin of profit. Despite the prevail- ing poverty, progress was made in the modernisation of the town of Hunchun. The standard-gauge railway from Yuki, the port of entry and shipment, for the district, was opened to traffic as far north as Shuiashan in November. The projected extension of this important line to Kunju should be of very great significance in the future development of the Hunchun area.