Directory_and_Chronicle_1936 — Page 769

HANKOW

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Matheson & Co., Ltd., put up a very fine niodern 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. A fourth oil installation, belonging to the Kwang Wha, Petroleum Co., Ltd., was completed in 1934.

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 reelaimed and several new roads were constructed. A scheme for the development of a Greater Hankow was started 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. Apart from tlis 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.

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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.

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TRADE IN 1934

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The port of Hankow and the province in which it is situated, Hupeh, probably have not enjoyed such stable and tranquil conditions since 1926. The military forces in the province were swelled by the arrival of several extra divisions from Hopeh, and this may have had something to do with the marked absence of major disturbances. Weather conditions at the beginning of the year left nothing to be desired from an agricultural point of view and good' harvests seemed assured, but these early hopes were dissipated by the incidence- of a drought in the central and castern areas during the hottest season of the year, July and August, and the occurrence of floods in the Han River valley.. According to an early official estimate, some 30 million quintals of various crops, valued at 90 million dollars, were ruined by these calamities, while a population of 3.5 million people were affected by the damage done. As some of the drought-stricken crops partially recovered under the influence of a provi-. dential rainfall somewhat later, however, the extent of the harm done may have been overestimated. However that may be, the rice and sweet potato, crops certainly suffered severely by the long spell of dry weather, while an area of 200,000 mou of land under cotton was inundated and the crop thereon ruined. The rice harvest was estimated to be only about 30 to 40 per cent. of the normal yield. As an exception, wheat did exceedingly well. The financial market was undisturbed by any very untoward events throughout the year, although foreign exchange rates fluctuated considerably for a time while the Shanghai market was adjusting itself to the new conditions brought about by the measures: imposed in October to restrict exports of silver from the country. The follow-

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