Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 847

KONGMOON

門江

Kong moon

Kongmoon was added to the list of treaty ports on 7th March, 1904, in accordance with the stipulations of Article X. of the Mackay Treaty. A British Consulate was established, but withdrawn in 1905. Konginoon is located some three miles up a creek on the West River, in the Kwangchow Prefecture of the Kwangtung Province in Lat. 22° 34′ 49′′ N. and Long. 113 8′ 53′′ E., and is about 45 miles distant from Macao, 70 from Canton and 87 from Hongkong. The creek on which it is built connects the West River with the sea at Gaemoon, and is a narrow and tortuous stream, the lower reaches of which, near the main river, are lined with rafts, while further up in the vicinity of the town it is crowded with native craft of every description, thus rendering navigation for steamers difficult at all times, but especially so when the current rnn fast during the summer months. The steamer anchorage is in the West River at the mouth of the Creek, opposite the Chinese Maritime Customs, but the town is included in the port limits. The population of Kongmoon is about 55,000, and it has the appearance of being a more populous centre, as it extends for a considerable distance on both banks of the stream. Formerly it was a business centre of considerable importance, but various causes liave arisen which appear to have lessened its com- mercial standing and interfered adversely with the general prosperity of the port.

It was generally considered that the proximity of Konginoon to Hongkong and Macao and its favourable situation as an outlet and distributing centre for the southern prefectures of the province augured well for its future prosperity and development. This was, to some extent, true, but it should be remembered that facts have arisen which have tended to: diminish rather than increase its commercial- importance. Formerly it enjoyed direct communication with Shanghai and Foochow and was the real outlet and distributing contre for the south-western district of the delta and the Southern prefectures of the province... The development of Hongkong and the opening of Kiungchow and Pakhoi as treaty ports, however, have seriously interfered with the junk trade and general welfare of the port, and have, besides, opened up other trade routes to districts hitherto dependent upon Kongmoon for their supplies. At present there are no indications that the sanguine expectations, based upon imperfect knowledge, entertained concerning the over-estimated commer- cial possibilities of the place will be speedily, if ever, realized. There is daily steam communication with Hongkong, and considerable numbers of vessels trading under the Inland Waters Steam Regulations arrive and depart daily. There are also several large junks trading regularly to Hong Kong, Macao, and the Island of Hainan. A railway from Kongmoon to Toushan on the coast, a distance of about 80 miles, was constructed in 1909-10 under the supervision of native engineers, trained in America, but it stops short six miles from the sea, as to take the line right down would involve laying out a new town on the water- front and dredging operations. The train now cross the South-West River by means of a pontoon ferry at Ngauwan (4), but the construction of a bridge across the river between Tanshuihau (*) and Kungyikfou (A) was .commenced in 1931.

Due to financial difficulties resulting from general trade depression and keen competition by bus companies which run their cars on highways cou-. structed almost parallel to the railway in whole length, very little progress, was made in the construction work of this bridge during the past few years. The date of its completion is quite remote as there is very little likelihood for the return of the former prosperity in the near future. Consequently, the work of connecting the loop line from Ssuchin (M) to Tanshuihow with the main has to be postponed indefinitely.