Directory_and_Chronicle_1936 — Page 820

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SANTUAO-FOOCHOW

TRADE IN 1934

Santuao is only some 75 kilometres distant in a straight line from the provincial capital, Foochow, and its trade is financed almost entirely through the latter port. The. Central Bank of China maintains a branch office at Santuao and there are two banks in the port doing general business for the public. During the year under review, piracy continued to chase off legitimate trade from this part of the coast, and communist bandits were roving about in the five hsien of Funing, laying waste to things coming in their way and ren- dering thousands of farmers homeless, with the result that vast tracts of land were seen uncultivated and people being destitute of subsistence of life had no alternative but to join the rank of outlaws. With the exception of the walled cities of these hsien nowhere could a traveller make a trip without military escort. The island of Santuao was visited twice by small bands of marauders, who, however, did little pillage to the villages visited. Well-to-do farmers and merchants in the neighbouring panic-stricken districts look upon the island as a place of safety, and immigration in large numbers took place during the year. According to the statistics of the local constabulary," the population increased by more than 8,000, and 56 new buildings were put up and registered. Tea continues to be the principal staple upon which the port of Santuao depends. The season turned out to be fairly good as far as volume is concerned. There was a remarkable increase in the export of black tea, while the green varieties including tea dust, etc. registered only a very slight advance.

DIRECTORY

關 海福 Fu hai Kwan

CUSTOMS, CHINESE MARITIME

Asst.-in-charge--Sia Ing K'ing

Assistant-K'o Yu-p'ing

Boat officer-J. E. Read

STANDARD - VACUUM OIL Co.-Cable Ad:

Standvac

Hsü Pai-hsi, agent

TELEGRAPH OFFICE

Fee Veng Fiang, manager

FOOCHOW

州福

Fuh-chau

Foochow is the capital of the Fukien province. It is situated in lat. 26 deg. 20 min 24 sec. N., and long. 119 deg. 20 min. E. The city is built on a plain on the northern side of the river Min, and is distant about thirty-four miles from the sea, and nine miles from Pagoda Island, where foreign vessels anchor,

The attention of foreigners was early attracted to Foochow as a likely place where commercial intercourse could be profitably carried on in the shipment of Bohea Tea, which is grown largely in the locality. Before the port was opened, this article used to be carried overland to Canton for shipment, a journey which was both long and difficult. The East India Company, as early as 1830, made representations in favour of the opening of the port, but nothing definite was done till the conclusion of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The early years of intercourse with the natives were anything but what was anticipated. The navigation of the river was difficult, there was no market for imports, and several attacks by the populace rendered the port an undesirable place of residence for some time. It was not until some ten years after the port had been

GSA

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