The Coolidge examiner., 1938-01-06

n NF IHE tour ChlneSe
Y cities to which the gov
ernment Of the re-
public moved due to the
pressure of the Sino-Japa-
nese conflict, Hankow stands
out as the city of most impor-
tance. Because of its excel
lent communications with
Canton and Hong Kong,
many of the important gov
ernment activities were
moved to this inland port.
Hankow lies about 500 miles up
the Yangtze. The city proper
sprawls over a wide area of the
north bank Of the river where the
Han pours its muddy torrent.
Across the Han lies Hanyang, and
across the mile-Wide Yangtze, WI
chang. The latter city is older than
Hankow for it was fourishing when
Hankow was a mere fishing hamlet.
Both Hanyang and Wuchange are
now a part of Greater Hankow"
with more than a million and half
inhabitants.
Hankows harbor seethes with ac-
tivity. Ungainly junks move about
the water manned by expert river
men nearly as easily as modern
giants of the sea in our busy sea-
ports. They range from craft with
rotten hulks and gaping holes above
the water line to huge high-pooped
craft, adorned with brightly painted
carvings and plates that make
them look like floating circus wag-
ons.
Small matting-covered sampans
dart here and there by the muscle
power of perspiring coolies whose
families fill the air along the shore
with the singsong chatter of the Ori-
ent. 1t is estimated that $4,000
native boats ply in and out of Han
kow and its sister cities. Mean
while modern steamboats, from low
er Yangtze points come and go on
schedule.
The Hankow Bund Looks Occidental.
The Hankow Bund, stretching
along the Yangtze for two miles, is
disconcerting to the traveller seek
ing purely Chinese panoramas.
Trees shade the wide boulevard
while the landward side is flanked by
modern banks and business build
ngs that are not unlike those Of
New York, London, Paris and Ber-
lin.
Beyond the Bund, upstream, the
roofs of concrete warehouses form
a portion of the city's skyline. Here
hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth Of cotton, silk, tea, wood oil,
beans and many other products
Of vast area of China served by
the Yangtze and Han usually are
stored, awaiting shipment.
Beyond the warehouses begin the
foreign concessions. The British
concession. oldest of all, was estab-
! lished in 1861 when Hankow was
opened to foreign trade. Then, in
order. came the Russian, the
French and the old German conces-
sions, each marked by wide streets
and modern residences and shops.
There are several electric light and
power stations in the city.
A native city in the background
also seethes with commercial ac-
tivity to the tune of noises that
strain the visitors eardrums. Some
of the narrow lanes are paved with
fiagstone while others are mere
ruts. Nevertheless. they are the
Fairgrounds of thousands of chill
dren, and the busy streets of city
which has been called the Hub of
the Universe"
To the foreigner, the pedestrians
in their loose-fitting clothing resem-
BILE pajama-clad citizens on parade,
but the wearers are by no means
ready to retire. Business in Han
know is almost religion, and
nearly every man seen on the street
has to do with the enormous amount
of commerce that flows through and
past the port.
If a traveller knows the advertis-
ING code in Hankow, he can locate
any type of business by reading the
shapes and colors of the shop signs
which project over the narrow thor
oughfares. For instance, gold plat
ers use salmon-colored boards with
bright green characters. Druggists
boards are gilded. Black. gold, red,
and green are the predominating
colors. On each sign is a motto
and when store changes hands,