Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 770

KIUKIANG

江九

Kiú-kiang

Kiukiang is situated on the river Yangtsze near the outlet of the Poyang Lake, and was formerly prefectural city of the province of Kiang-si. It is distant about 142 geographical miles from Hankow and 454 miles from Shanghai. Kiukiang, before the Rebellion, was a busy and populous city; but it was occupied by the Taiping rebels in 1853, and before it was given up to the Imperial troops was almost entirely destroyed. When the Foreign Settlement was established there, however, the population soon returned, and has continued to increase rapidly it is now estimated at 80,000. The city wall has been pulled down, and a maloo has been built in its place.

The city is built close to the river, along the banks of which the walls run for some 500 yards. Their circumference is about five miles, but a portion of the space enclosed is still unoccupied. The city contains no feature of interest. There are several large lakes to the north and west of it, and it is backed by a noble range of hills a few miles distant, amongst which is Kuling, some 3,600 feet high, the well-known suiuiner resort, and the existence of which, within 24 hours' of the port, gives Kiukiang a high position among the Treaty Ports. The former foreign Settlement lies to the west of the city and is neatly laid out. It possesses a small bund lined with trees, 2 clubs, and a Roman Catholic cathedral. Since the end of 1927 the foreign settlement has been under control of the Chinese authorities, and a new residential and business district, close to but outside the city, is slowly coming into being. Aeroplanes on the Shanghai-Hankow run pass through here daily-up plane about 2 p.m. and down plane about 9 a.m.

During 1921 a system of drainage of approved foreign style was initiated. Pinhing- chow now comprises either in or adjacent to it the following prominent buildings: the railway station and godowns, the electric-light power house, the Yu Sung Match Factory, the Kiuhsing Spinning and Weaving Company's factory, and a large four- storied hotel.

TRADE IN 1933

The trade of Kinkiang during the year under review was unsatisfactory and, although condition at times showed signs of improvement, on the whole the results were disappointing. Incessant communist-bandits activities during recent years were the main local factors which hampered business and trade, but the responsibility, to a certain extent, is also shared by high taxation, strictness of the embargo on supplies to bandit areas, stringency of the money market in all parts of China, reduction in the buying power of the population and world wide depression in general.

The total value of direct foreign imports amounted to $3,139,688, showing an in- crease of $656,072 as compared with the figures of the previous year. The total value of direct exports of Chinese produce abroad amounted to $1,686 as against $4,073,048 in 1932. The total value of Chinese produce shipped to Chinese ports amounted to $17,182,107 as against $17,075,015 in 1932.