Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 768

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HANGCHOW

of impressive size. Several hotels, in semi-foreign-style, have been opened, including one near the City Railway Station and others near the Public Garden on the Lake, besides one with western accommodation on the lake-shore near the Imperial Island. A fine Y.M.C.A. building was completed early in 1920 The excursions around Hang- chow_are numerous and extraordinarily picturesque; and any person who can allow a month for the trip should not fail to explore the rapids of the Ch'ien-t'ang River as far as the Anhwei border. The green crystalline water and constant alternation of gorges and park-like rolling country, the lofty heights, heavily afforested right down to the sandy banks with every variety of conifer, camphor tree, scrub oak, maple, tallow tree, bamboo, etc., combine to form a series of landscapes scarcely equalled in Japan. Sport of all kinds is to be had in profusion, including excellent fly-fishing.

The site selected for the Foreign Settlement extends for half a mile along the east bank of the Grand Canal; it covers over half a square mile and is four miles from the nearest point of the city wall. The Japanese Settlement adjoins it on the north and is about the same size. The Custom-house and Commissioner's and Assistants' residences are built on the Customs Lot, and there is also a Chinese Police Station in a modern building. The Hangchow Electric Light Company has erected outside the Kên Shan Mên a large installation for the supply of current to the suburbs.

Some three or four miles south-west of Hangchow city lies the rising little town of Zakow, situated upon the Ch'ien-t'ang River at the railway head. The Socony- Vacuum Corporation, the Asiatic Petroleum Co., and several missionary establishments (including a large College) have their headquarters here. For residential purposes the hilly sites in the vicinity, overlooking the broad estuary and open to the sea breezes, afford far more sanitary locations than the low-lying malarial Settlement 10 miles away.

Halfway between Hangchow and Shanghai is Kashing, where the Grand Canal joins the Whangpoo River on which Shanghai is situated. Kashing is a Customs Sta- tion under Hangchow and was first opened in 1898 for collecting duties on foreign opium, owing to the fiscal arrangements being against the collection at Hangchow.

A railway from the Settlement to the further end of Hangchow City near the Ch'ien T'ang river was completed in September, 1907. It was built solely by Chinese and with Chinese capital. There is now railway connection with Shanghai viđ Kashing. Twenty-eight miles north of Hangchow is situated the well-known summer resort of Mokanshan which is now connected with the motor road leading from Hangchow to Nanking and it can be reached in one hour's time from Hangchow. Special bus service is also maintained along this line during the hot season. It can be reached from Shanghai by way of the railway and a motor-launch service in ten hours. There are now over 500 houses on the slope of a hill about 2,250 feet high. The scenery is magnificent and the views are very grand. Bamboo forests cover the mountain and afford shade to all the roads, and clear mountain springs abound. Chairs and coolies for baggage are always available, and are under contract with the Mokanshan Association. Houses more or less completely furnished can be rented. The difference in temperature from the plain amounts to 10° F. in the day and 15° F. at night.

Save for the prevalence of malaria-which, however, is not of a virulen type-the climate of Hangchow is fairly salubrious. July and August are hot, the sptng months. are wet and raw, but the autumn is delightful, and the winter is cold and bricing.

TRADE IN 1937

Statistics as recorded by the Customs for Hangchow are only partially indicative of trade of the district, since they cover only merchandise moving by. launch on the Grand Canal. Furthermore, during the year under review, this traffic was suspended from the middle of August, due to hostilities. The value of direct foreign imports for the year 1937 was $3.1 million as compared with $2.8 million during 1936, while exports coastwise of Chinese produce were valued at $2.1 million only as compared with $12.3 million, or a decline of $10.2 million. Of direct foreign imports, artificial silk yarn ranked first, with a total of 8,518 quintals as compared with 7,775 quintals for 1936, followed by sugar, with a total of 70,33 quintals, or 25,245 quintals less than in the previous year. A total quantity of 5,389,376 litres of kerosene oil and gasolene was imported as against 5,001,078 litres. Exports of tea for aboard via