THE CITY OF TIENTSIN

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 20, 1900

THE CITY OF TIENTSIN.

TIENTSIN is situated at the junction of the Huei River, sometimes called the Grand Canal, with the Peiho River in latitude 39° 3′ 55″ north, and longitude 117° 3′ 55″ east. It is distant from Peking by road about eighty miles. Formerly, it was a military station only, but toward the end of the seventeenth century it became a city of great importance. To-day it is the home of one million persons, with an annual import and export trade aggregating sixty-five million taels, or $42,250,000. In former years, steamships landed their passengers and cargo at the bund in Tientsin, but for the last three years the Peiho River has been unnavigable, except for boats of very light draft, since which time cargoes have been shifted to lighters at Tangku (mouth of the river), and thence hauled to Tientsin by tugs, a necessity that adds greatly to the cost of transportation.

At one time, the volume of water flowing down the Peiho was vast; but many canals have been constructed, causing the river channel to become so shallow as to create consternation among shippers and property owners, who supplicated the consular body to devise some means for improvement. After many meetings and much consideration, it was determined to raise a fund of 250,000 taels, or $162,500, to be expended in improving the water course. The viceroy assumed the responsibility of raising 100,000 taels, or $65,000, and the consular body the further sum of 150,000 taels, or $97,500, by means of a loan to be repaid out of a bund or landing tax, levied by authority of the French and English municipalities—a scheme approved by the diplomatic body at Peking. The money has been secured, and is now in bank, and the work of improvement will begin immediately, and, it is hoped, will be successful.

The growth of Tientsin within the last few years is most astonishing. The mud holes and swamps of a few years ago have been filled in; one-, two-, three-, and even four-story brick buildings erected; streets macadamized, trees planted, gas works constructed, and now pipes, from New York, for a very elaborate and perfect water system are being laid—all due to foreign enterprise. On the other hand, the Chinese authorities have been seized with the spirit of progress, and to them is due the building and furnishing of the Imperial Military College, the Imperial University, arsenals for the manufacture of guns and ammunition, a mint for the coinage of silver, and last, but not least, three hundred and twenty miles of excellent railway. Machinery has also been purchased for a complete woolen mill, and many other improvements are now under consideration.