New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-15
THE DISPUTE IN SHANGHAI.
FRANCE DESIRES AN EXTENSION OF ITS
CONCESSION OF LAND.
SUCH PROCEEDING is OPPOSED BY THE
BRITISH AND AMERICAN SUPPLEMENTS
COSMOPOLITAN CHINESE CITY.

BRITISH AND AMERICAN
A COSMOPOLITAN CHINESE CITY.
Recent reports from China that the French
have asked for an extension of their territory
IN Shanghai and that the British and American
settlements there have protested strongly
against the granting Of such an extension, have
emnhasized anew the strangely cosmopolitan
character which has come over that ancient
Chinese town Within the last half century,
since the treaty OF Nankin first ACCORDED 10
foreigners the right to settle In Shanghai' do
in certain other seaports OF the EMPIRE ue
city has expanded from its antique Orien'ai
limits into a congomeratcn OF colonies IN
habited by various nationaltes and speaking
several languages. The old portion OF the to"h'
II Is true still retains It's purely chinese chal-
bcter 1t Is shaped like somewhat irregular
pyaI and Is surrounded by wall three anu
half miles in circuit. Seven gates give entrance
through this wall at various points. Within,
the narrow crooked streets. dirty and lli-Kep'
after the usual native fashion; the typical
Chinese architecture on every hand; the CURIOUS
little shops the opium dens and the swarmng
Aopulation. testify to the absence OF foreign
influence there Even beyond the limits OF the
wall in certain directions notably. between the
east gate and the river near which Is the
anchorage for junks-there are populous native
suburbs.
THE FOREIGN QUARTER.
But Just outside the north gate Of the WALL
and extending thence north and northeast TOT
two Mules along the Woosung River, Is
stretch of territory which contrasts oddly with
the Oriental portion Just mentioned. This Is
the foreign quarter-or, more properly, the three
foreign settlements belonging respectively as
they are approached from the Chinese quarter
70 France Great Britain and the United States
The British settlement was the first OF these 10
he established AS the foreign trade along .the
Yang-tse-K iang River OF which Shanghai Is the
port of entry, began to develop. European mer-
chants came in increasing numbers 10 se.''e !"
the town. They built little huts or shantes y"
<hs edge of the swamp between the native
ldarter and the river. but the malariai si'ua-
tion of this spot soon made necessary some I'M
provement in the way OF drainage. A river wall
was built and hundreds Of acres were reclaimed
from the marsh. Along the bank or the river
The magnificent Yang-tse Road. or The Bund'
Is 1t is called Is OF the finest driveways
and promenades in the East Large and beau
Gful buildings line its entire length, and IL
dvals the best streets of European or American
rites Following the example OF the English,
French and American traders also came to live
much the same scale. The French quarter con-
sists OF narrow strip just outside the walled
town and bounded the north by canal
called the Yang King -Pang. Then comes the
British settlement just described and then the
American quarter About thirty-fve years ago
the British and American settlements we're
consolidated in order to secure a more efficient
municipal government. The French however
declined to come into the arrangement, and
their territory, which is separated from British
Shanghai by a small creek, has distinct char
acter OF it's own
TIE POLICE FORCE.
IN the well ordered British-American quarter
the strong force of police Is an interesting feat
ure Some OF these are Englishmen: others are
Chinese who have been trained to deal firmly
with the great coolie class which throngs In all
parts OF Shanghai; and there besides the
Sikh police. chosen men from the Punjaubi
regiments. who patrol the city and its lonely
outskirts on horseback. In the French settle
ment the guardians OF the peace are wholly
different. being fairly faithful copies of the
typical gendarmes OF Paris. They assisted
by certain number of Gallicized Chinese but
the affairs OF the French quarter are not on
tie whole, so well administered those Of its
Anglo-Saxon neghbors.
Although the three foreign colonies are
usually all spoken OF as CONCESSIONS there Is
a difference In the system OF tenure between
the French quarter one hand and the British
and American quarters the other. The last
two are, correctly speaking, settlements, the
principle being that the land Is leased from its
owners. In the OF the made ground or
that reclaimed from the swamp the owners
are the municipal council; elsewhere most OF