Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 741

YOCHOW

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The province is rich in many forms of wealth, though the inhabitants say it consists of "three parts mountain, six water, and one arable soil." The staple exports are rice, raw cotton, ramie, lotus nuts, vegetable tallow and wood oil.

In past years much rice was allowed to leave the province, with the result that the Hunan people themselves have at times suffered acutely from rice famine.

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Steam launches and steamers run through from Hankow to Changsha with cargo and passengers, under river passes; and from Yochow to inland places known as the Lake Ports" under Inland Waters Steam Navigation Rules-principally to Changteh- Yiyang and Tsingshih. The business is increasing, more particularly, with the last, mentioned place.

The city of Yochow is perched on a bluff in a very picturesque way. Its site is however, not adapted for transit trade, and it offers no shelter for small craft. The port has, therefore, been opened at Chengling, five miles to the north and only a mile from the Yangtsze, where a small creek provides the needed shelter for cargo-boats and other vessels, though the steamer anchorage is bad, being fully exposed to the frequent northerly gales, while the bottom affords bad holding ground. Here the Chinese Government has set aside a place for a cosmopolitan settlement, for which they have provided roads, police, etc.; the site contains level ground for business purposes, well raised, but not too high above flood limits, while higher ground gives good and healthy sites for foreign houses. Work on the formation of the Settlement and bunding operations was commenced in 1900, and a Custom House and Quarters have been built. It is to be noted, therefore, that the Yochow Custom House is situated at Chengling and not at Yochow as the name would lead one to believe. British, Japanese and Chinese shipping firms maintain regular communications with the "Lake Ports" and have their agents stationed at Chengling. Given peace, Cheng- ling is undoubtedly one of the most healthy towns in the Yangtsze Valley. Since the occupation of this port by the Cantonese Army in August, 1926, the Chengling Bluff has twice been fortified and the Harbour mined in order to prevent a hostile army coming down river from Shasi.

A noteworthy feature of 1907 was the connection of Changteh by steamer during thehigh-water season-June to October-the resulting trade being valued at Tls. 617,000. Connection with Changteh is now maintained practically throughout the year by steamers of the river type, and tugs and lighters. Buoys and lights were established in 1907 to mark the channel across the lake. The difficulties and risks of this route are considerable, and it is probable that it will be found advisable to adopt the somewhat longer route via Lulintan; on account of the sharp bends of the River Yuan in its lower reaches, specially adapted steamers will probably have to be used.. The question of making Changteh an open port was considered in 1906 and again taken up in the spring of 1915, and Chinese officials visited the place to enquire into the conditions, but it still remains open only to vessels under Inland Water Steam Navigation rules. In 1920, a new organization for the technical control of the Middle Yangtsze Aids to Navigation and channels was instituted by the Customs.

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The Standard - Vacuum Oil Company has established an oil installation at a point about two miles below the Settlement. It has erected three tanks and contemplates erecting three more. The first oil tanker direct from California arrived. here during the high water season of 1926. This installation will be the centre of distribution for the upper Yangtsze and the "Lake Ports," such as Changteh, Yiyang and Tsingshih. Although all oil was withdrawn from the tanks in May, 1927, owing to the then disturbed conditions, the use of the tanks has been resumed since June, 1928.

TRADE IN 1938

The trade of Yochow was considerably diminished as a result of the complete severance of river communication between this port and Shanghai throughout the year under review. Direct imports from abroad completely fell off, while exports of local produce were considerably restricted owing to the Canton-Hankow Railway being the only practicable outlet to the coast. The transportation of Government supplies and dislocation of traffic occasioned by the Sino-Japanese hostilities prevented any extensive use being made of this means of transit. As hostilities approached Hankow, export trade was restricted to junk-borne shipments from Yochow and Tungting Lake ports to Changsha for transhipment into railway cars, which were more easily obtained there than at Yochow. With the farther south westerly advance of Japanese forces, all trade at Yochow came to a complete

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