Directory_and_Chronicle_1934 — Page 810

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HANKOW

Matheson & Co., Ltd., put up a very fine modern four-storey reinforced concrete godown, on the site of the buildings destroyed by fire in 1917, the total measurement of the building being approximately 74,772 square feet. The English Church was re-built, and consecrated in May, 1904. A new Union Church was built in 1916-17 in the French Concession, and opened in April, 1917. The new British school building was occupied at the end of the summer holidays in 1920 and is a vast improvement on the former accommodation.

The native city of Hankow was burnt by the Imperialist army in October, 1911, and a population of about 800,000 were thereby rendered homeless. At the end of 1914 it was estimated that fully 80 per cent. of the burnt area had been reconstructed, though unfortunately on the old lines, all the laudable plans for modernising the city having fallen through, owing to difficulties in obtaining the necessary funds. During 1919 large tracts of land in the back of the native city were reclaimed and several new roads were constructed. A scheme for the development of a Greater Hankow was tarted with the backing of the Government.

The Hankow Race Club and Recreation Ground was incorporated in 1904, and developed in a remarkable way. The property of the Club is extensive enough to embrace a racecourse, an 18-hole golf course, football and cricket field, swimming pool, and, in fact, every branch of sport indulged in by the members. Apartfrom this club, which is chiefly devoted to sport, there are the Hankow Club, the Russian Club and the French Club, which have splendid libraries, billiard rooms, bowling alleys, etc. The Hankow Golf Club was instituted in 1878. There is also a Chinese Race Club and an International Race Club with courses as good as any in China.

The success of the northern expedition of the Canton Government and the capture of the Wuhan cities and the establishment of the Nationalist headquarters at Wu- chang late in 1926, altered the position entirely from the point of view of foreign trade. A mob, aroused by agitators, stormed the British concession and, in order to avoid bloodshed, the unarmed British marines who were defending the place were ordered to withdraw and British women and children were evacuated. All British business firms closed down for a time and the Nationalist Government took possession with a Committee of Administration. Following upon protracted negotiations the British concession was handed over to the Chinese Authorities and is now adminis- tered by them. The Chen-O'Malley agreement provided that the municpal adminis- tration of the former British concession should be taken over by a Sino-British Council. This arrangement took effect on March 16th, 1927, and the administration of the cx- British concession has worked with remarkable smoothness and efficiency.

TRADE IN 1932.

The year opened under very discouraging conditions at Hankow. Hupel, which was still in a very impoverished state as a result of the extensive floods of 1931, suffer- ed severely from the activities of the communist forces which had overrun considerable areas of the province, retarding the already difficult enough and somewhat uncertain process of recovery. Conditions along the Han River were exceptionally bad, communist-bandit armies being in occupation of almost the entire province to the north-west. Trade along that river was almost brought to a standstill and traffic along the Ping-Han Railway was also constantly interrupted. To the south and south- west of Hankow communist-bandit armies were also making great inroads into the province, hindering transportation on the middle river. The communist menace can- tinued to grow until the cessation of the Sino-Japanese hostilities at Shanghai enabled the Government to despatch troops to suppress it.

The outbreak of hostilities at Shanghai seriously interfered with trade between that port and Hankow, and for a short period in the spring completely disrupted transport on the Lower Yangtse. The bitter feeling engendered by the fighting added fuel to the anti-Japanese boycott instituted in 1931, with the result that only small consignments of Japanese goods found their way into Hankow during the first half of the year. In spite of the boycott, however, a certain revival of trade with Japan was ap- parent in the Autumn, but this must be attributed in a large measure to the drastic fall in the value of the yen, which enabled Japanese goods to be placed on the local market at prices quite beyond competition. In the field of finance considerable disorder reigned throughout the year, due primarily to erratic fluctuations of silver and the absence of ready capital funds. This accounted in large measure for the extreme inertness noticeable in industrial constructional undertakings. Bad general conditions

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