Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 343

DAIREN

Dairen, the southern terminus of the South Manchuria Railway, is a commercial port in the Kwangtung Leased Territory, which forms the southern extremity of the Liaotung Peninsula, Lat. 38° 55′ 44′′ N. and Long. 121° 37′ 7′′ E. When Russia leased the place in 1898 it was only an inconsiderable fishing village. Russia intended to develop Dairen as a commercial port and had made some progress when the Russo-Japanese war broke out. But what the Japanese inherited was a mere nucleus of the present city, namely the section north of the railway tracks which to-day forms but a small corner of the city. South of the tracks, where the main part of present-day Dairen stands, was but an area of rough ground, with hills and ponds, which required a vast amount of grading and filling. The plans the Russians formed were gradually much improved upon, and the Japanese, by dint of great exertions, have brought a thoroughly western civilization here on a scale far more comprehensive than anything that has been accomplished in any other part of China. The health of the locality is exceptionally good. The highest temperature registered in summer is 35° 7′ C. (96° 3' F.), and the cold winter season is rather long but invigorating

Dairen has a population of 543,000, over two-thirds of which is Chinese. The city of Dairen, not including the suburbs, has an area of 11,266 acres. The autho rities recently completed a plan whereby the city will be enlarged so as to enable a million people to reside there. Electric tramways, of a total length of 66 kilometres, run along the principal streets, and include a suburban line to Shakako (where the South Manchuria Railway workshops are established, 4.5 miles westwards from Dairen), and one of 2.5 miles to Hoshigaura (Star Beach), the finest watering place in Manchuria. There is an excellent hotel here, managed by the South Manchuria Railway Company and also а number of bungalows which may be hired by visitors. Another suburban line runs to Rokotan, a famous summer resort commanding glorious scenery. A motor road runs to Star Beach, which is a tract of land of 392 acres including the golf links, which are approximately 122 acres. The construction of the South Coast road, 49.2 kilometres in length, connecting Dairen and Port Arthur was commenced in 1921 on three sections simultane- ously, and was completed in July, 1924. The motor road between Dairen and Chinchow was completed in 1929, and motor buses run regularly. In 1932 a new North Coast road between Port Arthur and Choushuitzu (on the Dairen- Chinchow road) was opened. There are also regular bus services between Port Arthur and Dairen. The Japan Air Transport Company inaugurated a daily mail service between Dairen and Japan on April 1, 1929, and from September onwards a passenger service was added. The daily air service between Dairen and Hsinking has been opened by the Manchuria Air Transport Company since November 3, 1932, and service between Dairen and Tientsin and Peking was put into operation in 1937.

The city of Dairen, which has been expanding rapidly owing to business prosperity and increase of population, is lighted by electricity and gas and has ample telephone facilities. The electric power-house, when completed in 1911, had a capacity of 4,500 kilowatts. This was increased in 1921 to 6.000 kws., and a second power-house of 10,000 kws. was added in June, 1923. This was increased to 48,000 kilowatts by 1932. There is also a power station at Kanseishi (across the bay from Dairen proper) of 54,000 KW. completed in 1934. The city has tar macadam roads with rows of shady trees, and is well equipped with waterworks, drainage and sewage systems. With the growth of trade, more particularly in Manchurian (soya) beans, cake, a number of influential business houses, Japanese, Chinese and foreign,