Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 768

A380

WUHU

The tract of land selected 30 years ago for the Foreign Settlement was definitely ceded in 1906, and sites were allotted to the Anhwei Railway Company and to. various shipping companies, each lot having a river frontage of 600 to 1,100 feet. In 1914 the Ministry of Communications took over the Anhwei Railway Company with its entire assets and liabilities. Large godowns have been built by Messrs. Butterfield & Swire on their ground in the New Settlement for storing rice, and Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., have also acquired property in the vicinity. Customs buildings, on the foreshore near the Foreign Settlement were completed and occupied in 1919 The Chinese population of Wuhu is estimated at 130,706 Two new mater roads were formally inaugurated on June 24 and 25, 1933 respectively-one between Wuhu and Nanking and one between Hsuancheng and Changsin.

TRADE IN 1933

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During the year under review there were signs at last that the depression caused by the great floods of 1931 was passing away from the Wuhu district, The anti- Japanese boycott was intensified at the beginning of the year as tension in North China increased, 'so tliat imports from Japan were severely curtailed. The next thing to affect the district was a very early and abnormal rise in the level of the Yangtz accompanied by heavy local rains. Actually, nothing but good followed this state of affairs, as the river gradually subsided without doing any damage and the exceptional rains brought about excellent harvests that infused new courage into the whole country-side and resuscitated trade. Confidence was increased by the reopening of two of the port's largest factories-a cotton mill and a flour mill; by the resumption of operations at the Mantoushan, the Liehshan, and the Shuitung coal mines; by the construction of a railway from Wuhu to Chapu in Chekiang; by the extensive road building in the province; by the increase in employment opportunities provided by all the above new work; and by the generally peaceful conditions enjoyed throughout the year. The import trade was marked by a sharp decline in the arrivals of American kerosene in favour of Russian oil, and by the very great increase in the quantities of Hongkong and Java sugar electing to pay duty at Wuhu instead of on arrival at Shanghai. Exports of iron ore increased by 1.3 million piculs to 5.1 million piculs, due to a brisk demand from Japan. The shipments of rice, the most important staple of the port, amounted to 3.5 million piculs as against 1.3 million piculs during 1932. The export trade in wheat was also successful, the quantity shipped, principally to Tientsin and Chefoo, being 100,400 piculs as against a mere 2,500 in 1932. Hape seed to the extent of 170,000 piculs were exported, none being shipped in the previous year owing to the severity of the anti-Japanese boycott! Beans showed an increase from 40,000 piculs to almost 125,000 piculs, successfully competing in domestic markets with imports from Manchuria.

The success of the export trade brought an increase in shipping to the port. More than 100 steamers, of which 80 under the Chinese flag, called for rice alone,

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As regards the progress in road-building already mentioned, the Wuhu-Nanking road, 85 kiolmetres in length, was officially opened to traffic in Junes while the Suancheng Changhsing road, 124 kilometres in length, and the Hweichow-Hangchow Road, 216 kionietres long, were also opened during the course of the year. A regular motor bus service now exists between Wuhu and Nanking, and mails from down river are occasionally brought in by this route, effecting a time-saving of several hours in relation to postal matter arriving by steamer.

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