Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 699

LUNGCHOW

州 龍 Lung-chow

1

This city is situated at the junction of the Sung-chi and Kao-ping rivers in lat. 22 deg. 21 min. N., and long. 106 deg. 45 min. E., near the South-western border of the province of Kwangsi, and was selected as the seat of the frontier trade of that province with Tonkin. The continuation of the above-named two rivers is known as the Tso- chiang or left branch of the West River, and it enters the main stream some 30 miles above Nanning. The town is prettily situated amongst the mountains, having exits by the rivers mainly, and lies at an elevation of some 300 feet above sea level. The city wall, last repaired in 1887, is being demolished rapidly to make a circular road round the city proper. A census taken in 1929 showed the Lungchow population as consisting of 3,500 families, in all 14,796 persons, there being no foreign residents in 1931. From a military point of view Lungchow is considered to be a place of importance. Troops are stationed there and at the three frontier stations of Namkuan. Pingerh, and Shuikou, all roughly thirty miles distant in a westerly direction. The port was opened to Franco-Annamese trade on the 1st June, 1889, and has proved à valuable back door into China when strikes obstruct trade elsewhere Without however an extension of the Hanoi-Langson railway, any marked development of Lungchow is likely to be slow, though the line now runs through to Nasham, where stocks of kerosene were kept on hand during 1924, 1925 and 1926 for importation into China. The frontier road runs from Dongdang on the railway, through Namkuan or Port de Chine to Lungchow, and carries at the present date a considerable amount of motor traffic, the distance of 54 kilometres taking on an average of about three hours, There are several motor car companies-all Chinese owned-engaged in regular traffic between Lungchow, Shuikon (a frontier mart) as well as Langson in Tonkin. The Lungchow-Nanning motor road has been opened to traffic since March, 1932, with several motor cars engaged in the regular run between the two cities, taking 8 hours to cover the whole journey of about 200 miles. The intervening country is very beautiful and runs through very mountainous areas, in which are a number of rock caves, formerly the habitat of natives indigenous to the neighbourhood. Telegraphic communication exists with Canton and other places on the West River, with Mêngtsz in Yunnan vid Posé, and with places in Tonkin. The Chinese Post Office temporarily maintains their mail service between Lungchow and Langson in Tonkin by regular couriers instead of by motor under contract as before owing to the irregular running of trans-frontier motor cars, and sends mails to Nanning daily by a motor driven mail-car run by the Lungchow-Nanning Public Road Control Bureau since December, 1932. An establishment of the Chinese Maritime Customs is maintained at the port where foreign interests are in the charge of Consuls resident on the West River and in Hongkong. There was a Catholic Church on the South side of the Tso-chiang, the small orphanage established by the Emanuel Mission in the suburbs outside the East Gate having been removed to Hong Kong since February, 1930. The Consulate, Cus- toms buildings and Missionary Church were completely looted and badly damaged during a Communist uprising in February, 1930. Through the prompt action on the part of the Kwangsi troops under General Wei Yun Tsung to restore peace and order in the district towards the end of 1930, the city of Lung- chow, though practically deserted after the communist uprising, has gradually returned to its former prosperity, with a large population and

and a number of new shops. The trip up from Nanning usually takes from three to four days, and that down to Nanning about 30 hours, according to the water in the river, the level of which is liable to very sudden fluctuations during the rainy season of July and August. It has been known to rise as high as 75 feet, when the iron suspension bridge across the river is only two feet above the flood. Motor boats carry most of the cargo from and to West River ports, whilst frontier trade is carried by small junks and rafts, and by carts on the overland routes which usually travel in