SHANGHAI, siding/hi' (Chin., above the sea). A city and treaty-port in the Province of Kiang-su, China, situated at the junction of the I iwang-p'u with the Wu-sung-kiang (here known to foreigners as Soochow Creek), 12 miles above the entrance of the united stream (which bears the name of the smaller constituent, the Wu-sung) into the estuary of the Yang-tse (Map: China, F 5). It stands in latitude 31° 14' N., longitude 121° 28' E., on the eastern edge of the great alluvial tract known as the 'Great Plain of China.' The surrounding country is low-lying, and intersected by countless creeks and watercourses, which furnish easy means of eommunieation, and are invaluable for irrigat ing purposes. the climate is generally health ful. The mean annual temperature is 59° F. The native city is a hien, or district city, and is surrounded with walls, which have a cir cuit of 31 miles and are pierced with 7 gates. Its streets are narrow and filthy, and as regards its shops, temples, dwellings, and institutions, it differs little from any other city of the same class. It was at one time noted for its cotton industry, but its chief distinction now eonsists in giving name to and sharing the prosperity of the cosmopolitan town, called the 'Model Settlement of the East,' which has grown up outside its walls on the north since 1842, when this spot was chosen by the British Government as one of the five ports to be opened to foreign residence and trade in accordance with the Treaty of Nanking. The nucleus of this important town was the 'British Concession,' then chiefly a marsh, laid down by the British consul in 1843. It stretches along the Hwang-p'u for three-fifths of a mile, is bounded on the north by Soochow Creek, and on the south by the Yang king-pang, a narrow creek parallel with the northern boundary. At an early date this was thrown open by the British Government to all treaty nations, but in 1849 the French ob tained a separate 'concession.' which lies to the south of the British settlement and reaches to the walls of the native city. The United States never obtained by treaty any exclusive concession, but the Hong-kew district, to the north of Soochow Creek, is popularly known as the 'American Concession,' because the first United States consul took up his abode there. In 1863 this was surveyed and incor porated with the British settlement for munici pal purposes. The French settlement has its own municipal government, but, as in the other settlements, there is no restriction as to the nationality of residents. or of land-renters, who are the voters. The settlements now have a combined area of 8.35 square miles, and the har bor has been extended up the river 6 miles, in order to provide adequate wharf accommodation. The chief native suburb lies between the east gate of the native city and the river (above the French settlement), and here the junk trade con centrates.
The river bank, originally a tow-path, was reserved for a bum/ or esplanade. The streets
parallel with it are named after Chinese prov inces; the cross-streets after Chinese cities. They are all well made, well kept. watched, and lighted. and are lined with imposing foreign establishments — commercial, residential, and public. Here are hospitals. schools, colleges, dis pensaries. clubhouses, theatres, reading-rooms, libraries, the chambers of commerce. Trinity Ca thedral, a fine lloman Catholic church, a Union church, Masonic Hall, the buildings of the Mixed Court, etc. There is a small park on the band op posite the British consulate, and there are several monuments. In the western part of the set tlements there is is very large native population, allmbering several hundred thousand, and stead ily growing. In 1901 the total population of the port was estimated at 620.000. The foreign pop ulation of the settlements was 6774. As else where in China, under the 'exterritoriality' clauses of the treaties, all foreigners are subject to the jurisdiction of their own consuls in civil, criminal, and political matters. Great Britain and Germany, however, have provided special courts, to which persons of other nationalities sometimes resort by agreement.
In P'u-tung, the distriet on the east bank of the river, are the shipyards, dry docks, found ries, engineering establishments, machine shops, etc., and the river bank is lined with wharves and great warehouses and stores. The manu facturing establishments include a nuntbet• of extensive cotton mills, silk factories, ginning factories, packing houses, a paper mill, match factories, flour mills, and many others, A Con siderable number of these establishments are owned by native companies.
In 1901, 4182 vessels (5,395.925 tons) entered, and 4719 (5,3S5,200 tolls) cleared, and the gross trade of the port (as given by the Imperial Maritime Customs) was 293,454,780 haikwan taels, or about $220,000,000.
The principal imports are cotton yarn and cot ton goods, opium, kerosene oil, metals, sugar, coal, and woolen goods. The native exports are composed chiefly of silk, tea, raw cotton, rice, wool, beans, cereals, paper, and oils.
Shanghai played a prominent part during the Tai-ping rebellion. The native city was taken by the Triad rebels in 1853 and held by them for seventeen mouths. Owing to the presence of a British squadron, however, the foreign settle ments were linharmed, and multitudes of native refugees flocked into them for protection. In 1860 British and French troops were landed, cleared the country of rebels within a circle of 30 miles, and remained in possession for five years, until the rebellion came to an end.
The first railway in China-6 miles in length —was constructed here in 1S76. After running successfully for a time it was purchased by the native authorities, torn up, and the plant shipped to Formosa, and there allowed to rust.