Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 630

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SHANGHAI

extremely cold and biting. On January 17th, 1878, the river was frozen over at Woosung. The heat during July and August is sometimes, excessive, but generally lasts only a few days at a time. In late years very severe, gales have become. more frequent. On 27th and 28th July, 1915, a typhoon of extraordinary violence 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 summer. The mean degree of humidity is from 786 in the winter to 826 in the summer months.

DESCRIPTION

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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 crected, 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 branch off. These roads are planted with tices on botli 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 ports og hol

Mention should be made of the many 10 and even 20 storied apartment houses in the central as well as western districts. Foreigners for the most part have migrated to these. These are now two numerous to enumerate off-hand.

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. 141,912,357, 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.

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The gross value of the trade of the port in 1931 was Hk. Tls. 1,344,803,490 as com- pared with Hk. Tls. 1,549,482,978 in 1930, Hk. Tls. 1,472,613,676, in 1929, and Hk. Tls. 1,465,407,174 in 1928.

The Statistical Secretary of the Chinese Maritime Customs writes in retrospect of the year 1931:-

Although the year 1931 opened hopefully it proved to be one of the most depress- ing periods, perhaps, in the commercial history of Shanghai. The fluctuations in exchange were particularly disturbing, since both importers and exporters were held back from making commitments owing to the fear that exchange might turn to the advantage of their competitors. The latter part of the year brought further mis- fortunes, disastrous floods in the Yangtze Valley occurring in late July and a strenuous anti-Japanese boycott movement coming into being as the result of the Japanese military occupation of Manchuria in September. Both occurrences had considerable influence on the market of Shanghai, the main centre of distribution for this country. According to an official estimate, 26 per cent. of the population of the thickly popu- lated provinces bordering on the Yangtze was directly affected by the flood. In the destruction of crops it is estimated that 5,000,000 short tons of foodstuffs were lost, and the damage to property such as houses, live stock, etc., cannot at present be assessed. The extent to which the buying power of the masses has been reduced by this catast roplie may perhaps be imagined. Many Shanghai dealers, being unable to collect on spoiled cargo shipped on credit to up-river points prior to the floods, have been forced

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