St. Landry democrat., 1884-12-06
FOO CHOW.
One of the Few Ports in China Open to
Foreign Trade.

One of the Few Ports in China Open to
Foreign Trade.
Foo Chow is the capital city Of the
province of Fob Kien, annd one of the
few. ports in China open to foreign
trade. The Chinese name of the city is
Hok Chin, which signifies "happy re-
gion. Foo Chow is situated in latitude
26 degrees 5 minutes north and longi-
tude 119 degrees 20 minutes east, about
APO miles northeast of Canton, and 375
miles southwest of Shanghai 1t stands
on plain about two and a half Riles
from the north bank of the River Min,
and twenty-five miles from its mouth.
An ampitheater of hills surrounds the
city about four miles distant, and it is
protected by one of the peculiar walls
of China, which is seven miles in cir
conference, from twenty to twenty-five
feet high, and from twelve to twenty
feet in thickness at different points.
Seven gates afford entrance to the city
proper through this high wall, and over
each Of the gates is a high tower which
is jealousy guarded by watchmen. The
whole district between the city and
River Min, the island of Nantai, and the
southern bank of the river are occupied
by extensive suburbs, and the river it.
self is occupied by large floating pop
ulation which lives in the boats which
crowd its waters. Communication from
bank to bank of the river is afforded by
a stone bridge, which is about q quarter
of a mile long, and is supported by
forty piers, placed at unequal distances.
Across these piers are laid immehse
stones, three feet square and about
forty-five feet long, and over these a
granite platform extends. This bridge
IS known to the natives as the bridge of
ten thousand ages, and is said to be
over eight hundred years old. 1t is
lined along the sides with shops, and is
constantly filed with the people of Foo
Chow.
The cirf proper of Foo Chow is reg
ularly built, but the streets, though
paved with granite, and in many in
stances planted with trees, are filthy,
narrow, and infested with beggars.
The population of the city has been
yarionsly. estimated ed by ira travellers ede in
China at from 100000 to 100000 souls.
The most remarkable establishment of
the city is the arsenal, situated about
three miles down the River Min, at
Pagoda Island, where the sea-going
vessels usually anchor. It was founded
in 1867, and has been conducted, under
the direction of French engineers, ac-
cording to European methods. In 1870
it employed about one thousand work
men, besides fifty European superin-
tendents. Foo Chow is known in China
as city of the first class, and is the
seat of the Viceroy, Or Governor Cen
eral, whose Jurisdiction extends over
Fokien and Cheklang, the province adj
joining Fokien to the north. The city
is also a great literary center, and nu-
merous gentry who have retired from
office in other parts of the Empire and
men of high literary attainments reside
there. It has several cotton, paper and
hardware manufactures, several hum
dred factories for making porcelain,
and factories of blue cloth, screens and
combs. Near by are productive lead |
mines, and great tea-growing district |
lies within seventy miles of the city. |
The commerce of Foo Chow is princi-
pally with Japan and the maritime |
provinces of China. The chief exports
are black teas, timber, bamboo, fruits,
orange-peel, tobacco, potash, spices,
grain, copper and lead. The imports
are opium, which sometimes amounts |
to $5,000,000 in value for year, salt, |
sugar and European manufactures
Chicago Times,
(. 4 III