Directory_and_Chronicle_1934 — Page 540

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

A142

LUNGKOW

geographical situation forces the bestowal of increased communications, to- gether with harbour improvement similar to those at Chefoo, any increase of trade will be slow and must come from an increase in exports and a gradual elevation of the scale of living with an attendant increase in imports. A handsome new reinforced concrete pier at the New Settlement has been com- pleted, but has never been used and is slowly falling into decay, while the roads leading to it have been allowed to deteriorate. During 1924 develop- ment of the town northwaids was planned with some success, but it has since been abandoned An electric light works, long anticipated, is now an accomplished fact. The town of Lungkow has a population of about 11,524 but it is estimated that within a radius of about five miles there is a population of 130,000. A level stretch of country behind Lungkow, thickly populated and very fertile, gives promise of the port some day assuming considerable importance. The proposed Chefoo-Weihsien Railway would connect. Lungkow with both Chefoo and Weihsien, thus with north and central Shantung. The Weihsien-Lung- kow-Chefoo motor highway could be easily converted into a railway. In the meantime, this new road brings more trade to the port, although closed to traffic in wet weather, the rainy season being July and August. The transport of mails and cargo is considerable in normal times. The value of land rose rapidly in the early part of 1924 but has since fallen very considerably in the old town. The beach and isthmus of Lungkow are of a loose drifting sand, which, in stormy weather, coupled with dust from the numerous coal supply depots on all sides, mar what otherwise might easily become a seaside resort for those whose work is in the near neighbourhood. The climate is slightly cooler than that of Chefoo, and ne doubt one of the healthiest in China.

TRADE IN 1932

The opening of this port to foreign trade was due to overtures made to the Chinese Government by Japán. There is a large passenger trade between Shantung Province and Manchuria.

The port of Lungkow was in rather a distraught condition throughout the year 1932. It had been used once before in history as a landing place for Japanese forces, and news of the invasion at Shanghai and the extensive military campaign going for- ward in Manchuria induced the fear that history might repeat itself at Lungkow. Fear and uncertainty do not as a rule tend to foster trade, but the statistics for the port actually do not make such a bad showing. Exports abroad and coastwise almost held their own as compared with the previous year, while direct foreign imports increased from 0.4 million Haikwan taels to 1 million taels in value. The fall in the value of the gold yen and the corresponding increase in the purchasing power of silver was one of the principal causes of the latter increase. The principal exports are vermicelli, straw hats, and fresh fruit and vegetables. Of these, vermicelli is by far the most important, and unfortunately this item showed a decrease owing partly to the poor prices offering in Hongkong and partly to the effect of competition from the growing vermicelli industry in the Chefoo district.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1934 — Page 540

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