The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-10-15

~ Rdhllc area
= prepared by tho National Geographic So
u r'ats. Washington. d c.
: The region around Shanghai. wher
e the first fighting occurred In China
e latest civil war, is in the delta o
e the Yangtze Kiang a lowland as leve
n as table rising very little above tn,
sea 1t might be compared to tn,
delta Of the Mississippi If that area
instead Of being sparsely settled ant
largely given over to cane-brakes and
semi-swamps, had millions Of inhabi
tants to whom land was so valuable
that they could not afford to waste
a single square foot Of It,
Thanks to centuries of tireless la
Dor, the country surrounding Shanghai
Is the garden spot Of China. Every
bit of dry ground-much of it made
dry by main force-is intensively cul-
tfvated save the plots given over to
burying grounds. And even from
these, straw Is harvested for fuel
The fields lie about five or six feet
above the water level of the canals.
Thousands upon thousands of the lat
|
Of bayous In unimproved delta lands.
They have the tlreefold purpose of
providing drainage furnishing irriga-
ton when that is necessary and serv-
Ing at all times as highways
These canals are of economic value
In still other ways. Flood waters
from the Yangtze are made to traverse
CO oh
their threat of inflicting damage; and
the silt thus deposited In the canal
bottoms is dug out and spread on the
fields, at once fertilizing them and
raising them to q safe level. Most of
these numerous canals are about 10
or 20 feet wide so that maneuvering !,
armies over the territory has its diff |
culties.
Shanghai was once situated on the
seashore, but the land has now been
built approximately 20 miles farther
north and east, leaving 1t inland At !
another time the Yangtze ran by the
present site of the city, but has since
shifted its course, perhaps many
times until 1t now lies twelve niles
tidal river, the Huang Pu, which flows
into the Yangtze at Woosung. This
stream has been dredged to consider
able depth and tidal basin is main
tanned above the city to keep it flushed
out.
The rapid growth Of the delta which
has enclosed Shanghai is easily I'M
sediment carried by the Yangtze is
In single year the ,
stream brings down from the hills of ,
inland China enough solid material
20 construct an island one mile square r
md 90 feet deep. Much Of this was !
in great lakes and swamps S
hat once covered much of the region ,
Through the ages many of these have :
>een filled up, and as fast as land y
1t was seized and dyked by r
illers OF the SOIL Along the seashore, l.
90. the Chinese protect their new 6
and Along the coast within 100 n
niles of Shanghai are more than 300 9
niles of sea wall. q
Shanghai Really Occidental. d
Shanghai presents something Of a C
aradox. In 1t dwell upward Of two B
1lllion Chinese, yet 1t is essentially p
western. not an oriental. community. 1t
The city was small and unconsequen- a
al from the time when II first ap- II
ears In the records. 1915 A. D.. until 81
81 when 1t became one Of the five fl
hinese treaty ports opened to west II
IN commerce. A large tract of neigh al
oring ground was leased to Britons nj
nd later concessions were made to hi
tlzens of France, the United States &C
nd other foreign countries. Within &c
generation or so the native city sur re
funded by its wall was eclipsed BY
e international city" that had eli
'rung mp on the foreign concessions. en-
he growth Of the latter community sh
recent yenrs has been 80 rapid as 81
outclass American and Australian pc
,cm towns. In 1910 The combined tn
mmunIties OF Shanghai had less ma
nm half a million inhabitnnts: In stl
urteen years the population has ry
Iadrupled, practically all the in gil
ease being in the international and bill
e French territories. Of
The foreign section OF Shanghai Is Sh
lrked by broad streets, substantial tei
Instruction. cleanliness and such tyI
,dern facilities as electric and gas wa
hts, trnmways, paved streets and
fireworks. Much more potent in
liking Shanghai attractive to increas- POI
, thousands Of natives, however, are au
, honesty Of administration. reason- to
lie taxes, and protection of life prop spI
y and civic rights. The Chinese the