Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 641

AMOY

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In Amoy electric energy is supplied at 110. a.c. and on Kulangsu at 220. a.c. There is little demand for power. All telegrams or wireless messages are transmitted through the Chinese Telegraph Administration. As telegrams are transmitted over land lines and are therefore often subject to delay, it is always preferable to use Wire- less, the Radio service being more efficient and more reliable. Since 1933 Amoy has been a port of call of passenger and mail planes operated by the China National Aviation Company and since 1st September, 1936 the twice weekly service has become a three times a week service.

There is a dockyard at Amoy, formerly owned by foreigners and later belonging to the Chinese Navy, but now belonging to a private Chinese company, over which the Chinese Navy exercises supervision. The Standard Vacuum Oil Company have erected several oil tanks at Sung-Su on the mainland, close to the site of the station of the Amoy-Changchow railway, and the Asiatic Petroleum Co. have built a new installa- tion on an adjacent site with oil tanks and a can factory capable of turning out 4,000 tins a day. In June, 1921, the proposal to reconstruct a pier between the hulk of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire and the shore aroused oppositi on on the part of the Amoy public. The matter having been referred to Peiping, no further trouble was experienced. In the late autumn, however, the recommencement of the work resulted in a boycott being declared against the steamers of the firm. A settlement was reached and the boycott was withdrawn in March, 1922. In 1932 the firm was requested by the local Chinese Authorities to assist in the development of the port facilities by moving their hulk and pier to a site some half a mile to the South where they have now acquired at considerable expense a suitable site and obtained permission to construct two piers. The work was concluded in the early summer of 1935 and has added considerably to the loading and unloading facilities of Amoy. This improvement is evidence of a pro- gressive spirit on the part of the modern Chinese authorities. It is to be hoped that other firms will follow this example. The foreign residents number about 280, apart from Japanese and Formosans who together number between 20,000 and 30,000.

Frequent and regular steamer communication is maintained with Hongkong, Swatow, Foochow, Formosa and Shanghai, and steamers run direct to the Straits Settlements, Sumatra, Manila, Japan, Rangoon and Calcutta. There has always been a comparatively good trade done at Amoy, and notwithstanding that the tea trade, for which it was long famous, has now practically disappeared, it is significant that the shipping tonnage employed by the port has quintupled since the decade 1864-73, and almost trebled since the decade 1874- 83. Until the shortage of shipping caused by the European war the tonnage figures for many years topped the million mark. In former times, before the glory of Amoy had departed, the staple export was Tea-the local product as well as the superior blends brought over from Formosa- but, largely owing to the deterioration of the local pro- duct and the indifference of the grower to the changing conditions of the foreign market, tea has long since ceased to be exported. Before the Japanese obtained possession of Formosa the Formosan teas were "settled" and warehoused in Amoy, whence they were shipped to the foreign markets. Now no Formosan tea is "settled" in Amoy, and with Keelung still unimproved to any considerable extent quite 50 per cent. of the Formosan product is being shipped direct to America from Kee- lung. The foreign tea merchant at Amoy has practically lost his occupation, and we are witnessing the fulfilment of the prediction that "the row of quaint, rambling, old hongs on the Amoy side, and many picturesque residences on Kulangsu will be offering for the occupation of the wealthy returned emigrant or the missionary school." University has been established at Amoy in a fine range of buildings with ample playing grounds, funds for the purpose having been provided by a native of the district who made his fortune in British Malaya; and thanks to the civic patriotism of an- other native of the district who amassed great wealth in Java, a contract was signed in 1922 with the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Co. for the installation of a complete new telephone system. Bunding, drainage, jetties, roads, recreation grounds and similar public works, are in progress, many of the main streets have been widened and concrete paved, and a fine public garden has been laid out with facilities for all forms of sport, including a football ground, running track, and hard tennis courts. Reclamation work (filling in without bunding) was started in 1922 to the north of the city and the Amoy Dock. A solid stone bund has been completed along the whole waterfront of Amoy.

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Amoy has an up to date waterworks system, in excellent running order, operated by the Amoy Waterworks Co.