Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 819

WENCHOW

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outlay of fully $20,000. The building consists of a central block and two wings after the style of Hunt's Block, Guy's Hospital, and can accommodate about 200- patients. Among the objects of greatest interest and curiosity are two pagodas situated on Conquest Island, abreast of the city. They are both of great antiquity, and the temples between them were for some time the retreat of Ti Ping, the last. Emperor of the Sung dynasty, when seeking to escape from the Mongols under Kublai Khan. His Majesty Ti Ping has left behind him, autographs preserved to this day in one of the temples. A few members of the Customs staff occupy foreign- built houses on the island. There were Boxer troubles in the Pingyang district several Christians being murdered, in 1900, and all the missionaries left. Wênchow, where, however, the othicials were able to maintain order. During the summer months some of the foreign residents repair to the Northern Hills (*), across he river where several bungalows have been built.

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There is no foreign settlement at Wênchow, and the foreign residents are a mere handful, consisting entirely of officials and missionaries. There is a consider- able native export trade in tea, bitter oranges, tobacco, timber, charcoal, bamboos and kittysols, but manufactures do not flourish, though some excellent floor-matting and cross-stitch work are produced by local factories. The firms engaged in the timber trade are located in the west suburb, where are also the timber yards, Immense quantities of timber and bamboos are kept on hand.

During August and September of 1912 two abnormal freshets occurred in the Wênchow river, causing immense destruction of life and property. In the upper reaches of the main river the water rose 60 fect above normal level, washing away villages and carrying away houses bodily. Some 30,000 people are reported to have been drowned in the Yungchia, Chingtien, Ch'uchow and Juian magistracies. Such a calamity was unprecedented within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. Two particularly severe typhoons in the summer of 1920 caused enormous damage in the neighbourhood. Haimen, a neighbouring city, about 85 miles by sea north-east of Wenchow, was partially destroyed on July 15th by a tidal wave with great loss of life; while in the Nanchi River valley, opposite Wenchow, an equally large loss of fife was reported in the second typhoon between September 4th and 6th. In August 1923 and 1926 this port was. visited by severe typhoons, although they did not cause much damage either afloat or ashore.

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TRADE IN 1933.

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As a result of the anti-Japanese boycott, the Japanesc steamer and motor launch service between Wenchow and Formosa ceased to function, and Wenchow lost its export markets in the latter island and in Japan for charcoal, wood oil, and rape seed. The principal products upon which Wenchow depends for its prosperity, and the percentage contributed by each item to the total value (6 million dollars) of the port's export trade for the year under re- view, are as follows kittysols, 15 per cent.; tca, 12 per cent; charcoal, 6 per cent leaf tobacco and prepared tobacco, 5 per cent softwood tim ber, 5 per cent., rush mats, 5 per cent.; cotton piece goods, 4 per cent. In the case of kittysols, lost markets in Manchuria and North China were offset by a better demand from Amoy and Swatow for ultimate export to the Strait Settlements and Philippine Islands: 1.7 million more pieces than in 1932 were shipped. Tea also had a better year, nearly 19,000. piculs being exported through Wenchaw, besides further quantities shipped from inland ports near the plantations. The lost markets for charcoal were offset by a recovery, in sales to Shanghai and the Yangtze ports, and an increase in shipments was recorded under this heading also. At last there are signs of some road development taking place in this section of Southern Chekiang, nd the following highways have been projected or are actually under con- struction (1) A road from Wenchow, through Chingtien to Lishui, called he Li-Ching-Wen Road (2) A road octween Lishui, Yunho, and Lungchuan, alled the Li-Yun-Lung Road; (3) A road between Taishun and Pingyang, alled the Tai-Ping Road; (4) A road between Lishui, Sungyang, and Sui- hang, called the Sui-Sung-Li Road; and (5) A road, between Lungchuan nd Chingyuan, called the Lung-Ching Road.

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