330 FOREIGNERS AXD FOREIGX FIRMS IX CI I IX A 



Toluca; ])0.?t-offife and railroail statinn, Los Aiiireles County, Cal. (Not 

 Lankeishini.) 



Wliitiuf?; post-otlice and railroad station, Ocean Connty, X. J. (Not Whit- 

 injj's.) 



FOREIGNERS AND FOREIGN FIRMS IN CHINA 



There were more Americans resident in tlie Chinese treaty ports in 1S09 tlian 

 there were persons of any other nationality except Enjrlish and Japanese. Of 

 the 17,193 foreigners of all nations living last 3'ear in the Chinese treaty ports 

 2,335 were Americans and 5,562 English. The Japanese numbered 2,440, the 

 Eussians 1,621, the Portuguese 1,423, the French 1,183, the Germans 1,1.">4, the 

 Sjianish 448, the Scandinavians 422, the Belgians 234, the Italians 124, the Dutch 

 106, and all others 161. Foreigners living in Port Arthur, Hongkong, and 

 other ports ceded to European powers are not included in this category. 



The Russians have recently Ijeen entering China in greater numbers than any 

 other nationality. In 1898 there were only 165 Russians in the treaty ports, 

 while one year later there were as many as 1,621, an increa.se f)f 882 per cent 

 during twelve months. The number of English ro.se 414, of Americans 279, of 

 Japanese 742, of French 263, and of Germans 91. In 1S99 there were 70 Amer- 

 ican firms doing business in these ports, an increase of 27 over the preceding 

 year. Of French firms there were 76, an increa.se of .39 in one year, and of Japa- 

 nese 195, an increase of 81. The English were al)Out stationary, having 398 

 firms in 1898 and 401 in 1899. The Germans had 115 firms, the Portuguese 10, 

 the Belgians 9, the Italians 9, and other nationalities 29. It is a curious fact 

 that there were only 19 Russian firms in all these ports. In 1898 there were 

 165 Russians and 16 business houses. One year later the numl>er of Russians 

 liad risen to 1,621, but of Russian Ijusiness houses there were only 19. 



The principal treaty ports, of whicii there are about 30, are Canton, with a 

 population of probably two millions; Tientsin, with about one million; Han- 

 kau, with 800,000; Shanghai, with over 400,000; Chifu. with 35,000; Amoy, 

 with 100,000: Niuchwang, with 60,000; Fuchau. with 650,000, and Swatow, 

 with 35,000. 



The Chinese farmer is the most economical of all tillers of the soil. In South 

 China he reaps at least two and usually three or four liarvests every year, but in 

 spite of such con.stant draining the .soil is as fertile as it was thou.sands of years 

 ago. He saves everything for fertilizer. Everywhere are open, odorous vats, 

 steaming with the soaked refu.se of straw, vegetable ends, leaves, and bits that 

 can serve for nothing else. When the mass is thoroughly decayed the water is 

 drained off in buckets and poured over the growing rice. The sediment that 

 settles in canals is minutely scraped up, dried, and scattered over the fields. 

 The pigsty is cleaned only once in so often, because a too frequent cleaning 

 would impair the quality of the filth. Even the dust and sweepings of the 

 liouse are hoarded by the wife, who expects to get enough from their sale to 

 keep herself supplied with brooms. 



