Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 536

A158

SHANGHAI

·

!

Roman Catholic Cathedral at Tungkadoo was laid. The French were, in 1849, granted the ground between the city walls and the British Settlement on the same terms; and, in exchange for help rendered in driving out the rebels who had seized the city in 1853, got a grant of the land extending for about a mile to the south between the city walls and the river. They have since by purchase, extended the bounds of the Concession westward to the "Ningpo Joss House," a mile from the river. Negotiations were instituted I for an extension of the Concession to Siccawei, a village chiefly occupied by the Jesuits and their converts, situated at the end of the French Municipal Road and five miles from the French Bund, but in this the French were only partially successful, a small extension as far as the Old Cemetery being granted them in 1899 In the later fifties the Americans rented land imme- diately north of Soochow Creek, in the district called Hongkew: A greatly enlarged boundary for the Settlement was granted in 1901.

.

:

As a port for foreign trade Shanghai grew but gradually until it gained a great impetus by the opening in 1861 of the Yangtsze and northern ports, secured by the Treaty of Tientsin, and a further increase by the opening up of Japan. In March, 1848, owing to an assault on some missionaries near Shanghai, Mr. Alcock, the British Consul, blockaded the port and stopped the passage outwards of eleven hundred grain junks. This drastic measure, by which grain for the North was cut off, brought the authorities to their senses, and after sending a man-of-war to Nanking the matter was arranged. The first event of importance since the advent of foreigners was the taking of the native city on 7th September, 1853, by the Triad rebels, who held it for seventeen months, although repeatedly besieged and attacked by the Imperialists. This caused a large number of refugees to seek shelter within the foreign Settlements, and the price of land rose very considerably.. At that time a Volunteer force was formed among the foreign residents, under the command of Captain (afterwards Sir Thomas) Wade, which did really good service. The battle of "Muddy Flat" was fought on 4th April, 1854, when the Volunteers in conjunction with the Naval forces, consisting in all of 300 men with one field piece, drove the Imperialists, numbering 10,000 men, from the neighbour- hood of the Settlements and burned their camps. Two of the Volunteers and one American were killed, and ten men wounded. Owing to the occupation of the city the authorities were powerless to collect the duties, which for a short time were not paid and it was, in consequence, agreed in July, 1854, between the Taotai and the three Consuls (British, French, and American) that they should be collected under foreign control. This was found to work so much to the advantage of the Chinese Government that the system was, subsequently to the Treaty of Tientsin, extended to all the open ports. The Foreign Inspectorate of Customs was established in 1861, the headquarters of which were for some years, and, according to the original regulations, ought still to be, at Shanghai. In 1861 the Taipings approached Shanghai, occupied the buildings of the Jesuits at Sicawei, and threatened the city and settlements. The capture of Soochow on 25th May, 1860, had driven a large number of the inhabitants of that city and the surrounding districts to Shanghai for protection, so that the native population increased rapidly. It was variously estimated at from four hundréd thousand to a million, but the smaller number is probably nearer the truth. By 1861 provisions had increased in price to four times what they had been somey ears previously. Efforts were made to keep the rebels at a distance froin Shanghai; a detachment of British Royal Marines and an Indian Regiment garrisoned the walls, while the gates on the side towards the French Settlement were guarded by French Marines. In August, 1861, the city was attacked, and the suburbs between the city. walls and river were in consequence destroyed by the French, the rebels being ultimately driven back. In December the rebels to the number of one hundred thousand again threatened the Settlements. The approaches were barricaded and the Defence Creek constructed and fortified at an expense of forty-five thousand taels. Before the close of 1862 the rebels had been driven by the British Forces beyond a radius of thirty miles around Shanghai. So immensely did the price of land rise that it is stated ground which had originally cost foreigners fifty pounds per acre was sold for 'ten thousand pounds. At this time the old Race Course and Cricket Ground, situated within the British Settlement, was sold at such a profit that after the share holders had been repaid the original cost there was a balance of some forty-five thousand taels, which the owners generously devoted to the foundation of a fund for t the use of the public, to be applied to the purposes of recreation only. Unfortunately thirty thousand taels of this amount were lent by the treasurer on, his own

.

""