Legation of the United States,
Peking, February 14,
1898.
No. 2864.]
I have now the honor to inclose a copy of a paper describing this town,
which was transmitted by Mr. E. D. Chapin.
[Inclosure in No. 2864.]
Description of Ch’ang Teh Fu.
Ch’ang Teh Fu, the largest and most important city in the western
part of the Province of Hunan, is situated on the Yuen River near
where it empties into the Tung Ting Lake. Its position is thus an
important one, commanding, as it does,
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the trade of almost the whole western part of
the province. Of this trade the most important item is the great
quantities of timber which is rafted down from the mountain
districts and exported to every part of the Yangtze Valley, also
coal, rice, oils, tea, and other products.
The population of Ch’ang Teh Fu, at a rough guess, may be between
200,000 and 300,000, and for a Chinese city it seems to be fairly
healthy.
The people are more friendly to foreigners than in almost any other
place in the province, and the past year has seen a great awakening
and a new demand for western knowledge and things. Already such
articles as condensed milk, foreign flour, lamps, glassware,
cutlery, dry goods, toys, etc., can be purchased in the shops, and
doubtless other goods would find a market as the demand for them is
created.
The literary men of the city are forming classes for the study of
English and are asking for foreign books, while there is talk among
the more progressive of a line of steam launches to ply between
Ch’ang Teh and Hankow. Owing to the insufficient depth of the Tung
Ting Lake none but small launches could be used; but all these
things are evidences of a great change and forward movement which,
we are glad to say, is not confined to matters of trade or science,
for there is also a new interest in the Christian religion. A few
have been baptized as converts, and others are showing an interest
and inquiring concerning the truth. There can be no doubt that both
for purposes of trade and for missionary work the city of Ch’ang Teh
Fu is a most important center.