Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 392

A16

CHINA

The Eurosia Aviation Corporation, owing to troubles in Sinkiang province, have been operating since 1933 on the Shanghai-Sinkiang line as far as Lan- chow only. The Lanchow-Paotow line was operated without interruption, but the Peiping-Canton service was eurtailed from July onwards, flights stopping at Chengchow. A new service was operated from Sian to Chengtu. Flights on all lines were increased to two round trips per week; all planes are fitted. with wireless, and the number of wireless stations, at aerodromes and between, numbered 23 at the close of the year. The distance covered between Shanghai and Chengtu via Nanking, Chengchow, and Sian is 2,000 kilometres, necessitat- ing, in winter, flight by night, for whieh equipment has been supplied. During the year the Eurasia Aviation Corporation's planes flew 744,735 kilometres and carried 2,951 passengers, in addition to 10,382 kilogrammes of mail matter. Freight and passenger rates were considerably reduced during the year. A projected line is from Shanghai or Nanking to Yunnanfu via Nanchang Changsha, and Kweiyang, and preparations are being made to have the through service from Peiping to Canton reopened. If access to the Russian border is permitted, it will take only 5 days for the flight from Shanghai to Berlin; the alternative route via Yunnan, Burma, and India will take from 7 to 8 days.

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In South China the two air services from Canton to Lungchow via Wuchow and Nanning and from Canton to Pakhoi via Mowming and Kiungchow were maintained during the year. Plans for a new line from Nanning to Kwei- yang, to be later extended to Chengtu, are in preparation, while a further objective is to conneet Canton with Foochow. Passengers carried on Canton-Lungchow line numbered 614 and on the Canton-Kiungchew line 209.

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TELEGRAPHS AND TELEPHONES

on the

Besides the opening of some 30 new telegraph offices in Chekiang, Fukien, Kwangtung, and Kiangsi, the Telegraph offices in Chekiang, Fukien, Kwang- tung, and Kiangsi, the Telegraph Administration effected much improvement in simplifying the procedure for the despatch and transmission of telegraphic messates. A preliminary step towards the ultimate amalgamation of the Postal and Telegraph Administrations was taken when all third class postal and telegraph offices in the same locality within the three prvoinees of Kiangsu, Chekiang, and Hopeh began to function in the same building. Telegraphic communication with the four north-western provinces was formally restored on the 15th February 1935.

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Work on the Nine-province Long-distance Telephone System, designed by the Ministry of Communications to connect all the important eities in Kiangsu, Chekiang, Anhwei, Kiangsi, Hupeh, Hunan, Honan, Shantung, and Hopeh, progressed apace during the year under review. The following lines of this network were completed:-

The Nanking-Wuhu line was inaugurated in August.

The Nanking-Pengpu-Hsuehow 'seetion was opened in Oetober.

The Hsuchow-Nanking-Shanghai line was also made available in October, important eities served thereby including Chinkiang,

Chinkiang, Soochow,

Soochow, and Cuhu, besides Shanghai and Nanking.

The long-distance telephone service between Tsingkiangpu and Chinkiang was inaugurated in May. This line traverses many important cities in Northern Kiangsu.

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Installation of the trunk line between Nanking and Hankow is under way and expected to be completed shortly. Preparations for the institution of a long-distanee telephone service between Shanghai and Canton were nearing completion towards the end of the year. It is reported that over 40 distriets in Kiangsu are now linked up by long-distanee telephone, covering a toti! distance of upwards of 1,800-kilometres. In the North, long distance telephone service on the interprovincial highway linking Sian and Lanehow, the provin- eial eapitals of Sheusi and Kansu respectively, was opened to traffic in July,