30 THE GROWTH OF THE YANGTZE DELTA 



a Delta to the Yangtze, i.e., that the Yangtze had several, 

 at least three, probably more, mouths. 



To put more value on it than this seems to me to be 

 very unsafe. 



The paper on the Ancient Mouth of the Yangtze Kiang by 

 Pev. J. Edkins, 1860, is very interesting in calling attention 

 to the many explanations in Chinese literature of the subject, 

 but- as it does not apply the test of the exact sciences — 

 neither geology nor hydrology, it gives no opinion on the 

 value of those statements, and Eichthofen's acceptance of 

 the statements must have depended on their not having 

 been able actually to verify existing conditions. 



History and Dates of Establishment of Cities. 



In Mr. Ting's report the following interesting analysis 

 is made : — 



If we draw a N.S. line from the north of Kiangsu through 

 the district of Tungt'ai, and then prolong it to the S.E. 

 through T' ait' sang Chiashan, and south to the sea, we see 

 that all the cities to the east of this line were established 

 after the 5th century A.D. See Plate 8. Of the 34 cities 

 established in the Christian era, 18 are to> the east of that line. 

 On the other hand, of the 49 cities west of the line only 

 17 are dated after the 3rd century A.D. ; all the other cities 

 go back to 200 years B.C. 



East of the line no city goes back further than the 

 fifth century A.D. 



Moreover the dates of establishment of cities vary as 

 the distance from the sea. 



In this connection some wrong information as to 

 Shanghai is current. As late as 1916, before this Society, 

 Shanghai was said to exist in the year B.C. 221 as a distinct 

 city. This must be an error, as it cannot be identified with 

 any actual records. 



Shanghai became a district city (Hsien) 1290 or 1264, 

 but has probably existed since A.D. 1075 or 1130. 



Sea Dykes and Sea Wall. — The building of a complete 

 and continuous system of earthen embankments known as 

 "tang" or dykes, ^is one of the factors of the Delta's growth. 

 Along the south shore of the Yangtze practically a con- 

 tinuous dyke runs from Kiangyin, round the Yangtze Cape, 

 past Chapu and Haining almost to Hangchow. See Plate 9. 



The sea dyke built along the coast of Southern Kiangsu 

 and Northern" Chekiang extends from Hangchow to the 

 Southern part of Ch'angshu opposite the Ch'ungming island. 



