Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 09.djvu/583

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
*
529
*

HANKEL. ken an Hermann Haiiktl," in tlic Mulhcmatische Aiiiiulcn (Leipzig, 1S74). HANKEL, WiLiiELM Gottlieb (1814-99). A German pliysieisl. lie vab born at Ernisleben. and studied pliysics and eliemistry at the University of Halle, where he later was appointed professor." In 1S49 he beeame professor of pliysies at Leipzig, and served there until 1SS7, when ie was forced to give up aetive duties. He devoted himself to the study of thermo-electrie proper- ties of crystals, and niade many interesting dis- coveries in this field. HanUel's researches are published for the most part in Poggcndorli's An- nalcn (Leipzig), and the Berichte and Ahhand- luiKjcit of th-? 8axon Academy of Sciences. He also prepared a German edition of Arago's works, which was published at Leipzig (1854-00). HAN-KIANG, hiin'kyiing'. The name of sev- eral rivers of t'liina, the most important of which is that which Hows into the Yang-tse at Hankow (q.v. ). It rises in the mountains in Shen-si, known as Ta-pa-ling (sometimes also called Kiu Tiao Shan, the 'mountain of nine ridges"), and flows east and south through the provinces of Shen-si and Hu-peh for a distance of about 1300 miles, for 12(30 of which it is navigable in some degree. Its i^jjier courses are through a moun- tainous region, and rapids are both numerous and dangerous. In certain seasons floods are common, the water rising in the narrower parts with great suddenness, sometimes to a heiglit of 24 feet in as many hours. On such occasions the rapids are wiped out. and the river becomes a raging torrent. From Sin-pu-wan, the limit of navigation, to Tsze-yang Hien (400 miles), only small boats can be used. At the latter place goods and pas- sengers are transshipped to larger craft, subject to a second transshipment at Lao-ho-k'ow (400 miles) or Fan-cheng (450 miles) to the ordinary river junk of the Han. At Lao-ho-k'ow the coun- try opens out, and for the remaining 400 miles to Hankow navigation is easy, though shallows and shifting banks abound. The traffic on the river is considerable, and with a little dredging it is capable of being used by steamers of light draught as far as Fan-cheng or Lao-ho-k'ow. the two most important trading centres on the river. Other cities besides those already mentioned are Hing-an-fu. a large walled city on the right bank, with a great military depot in the vicinity, and Siang-yang-fu ( also on the right bank ) , a quiet walled city opposite Fan-cheng, both of which arc noted for the long and stul)born re- sistance (1268-7.3) which they ofTered to the Mongol armies of Kublai Khan. (Consult Yule, Ulano Polo. vol. ii.. London. 1871.) Prior to 1470 the river branched otT from its present course about three miles above its present mouth and flowed through the plain behind what is now the foreign settlement of Hankow, and entered the Y'ang-tse some miles lower down. In that year it suddenly changed its course and poured its waters into the Yang-tse through its present channel. HANKOW, hiin'kou' (Chin., Han-mouth) . An important river-port an<l commercial centre of China, situated in the very heart of the country, 000 miles from the sea. on the left bank of the Yang-tse. at the point where it is joined bv the river Han in latitude .30' 32' N.. longitude' 114" 19' E. (Jlap: China. D 5). It occupies the angle formed by the junction of these two rivers. 529 HANKOW. stretching along the east or left bank of the Han for over two and one-half miles, and eastward along the left or north bank of the Yang-tse for one mile. Its streets are narrow, crooked, and dirty, and usually much crowded with the screeching, heavily laden wheelbarrows used in the conveyance of the eiKniiimis quantities of goods which here find their point of transship- ment. Adjoining the native town on the east is the foreign settlement, (jriginally a British eon- cession, but thrown open to all foreigners by the British Government shortly after the ojiening of the port in 1861. It extends along the Yang-tse for a distance of about 800 yards, a wide 'bund' or esplanade running along its entire length. It has fine streets, kept in splendid condition by a municipal council elected by the land-renters. Ground-rent is paid to the Chinese authorities through the British consul. The houses and busi- ness buildings are substantial, and are in marked contrast with those of the native town. To the east of this lie the 'concessions' more recently acquired by the French, Russians, and Germans, and the foreign water-front has now a length of nearly three miles. Another new 'eon- cession' has recently been ojiencd by the Chinese authorities on the south or Wu-chang side of the Yang-tse. where foreigners may build business places and residences on certain conditions. West of the native town, and across the Han, is the departmental city of Hanyang, to which Hankow (which is not a eity) is subordinate, and directly across the Y'ang-tse from Han-yang stands the large and imposing city of Wu-chang- fu, capital of the Province of Hu-peh, and the seat of the Governor-General (or viceroy) of the two provinces of Hu-nan and Hu-peh, unitedly known as Hu-kwang, or Liang Hu — that is, 'the two Hu.' These three centres of population are included in the port and customs district of Hankow, and sitiiated as they are in the centre of an unsurpassed network of rivers and lakes, they form the most important commercial cen- tre" of the country. Their total population is estimated at 1,500,000, of which Hankow has 800,000, or more than half. Hankow is the first of the 'Five Chin' or great conunereial emporia of the country. Its trade is chiefly distributive, but it has some indu.stries, including a cotton-mill, a hemp-factory, a mint, and an ore-crushing establishment in Wu-chang. an arsenal and great iron and steel works in Hanyang, and a few miles lower down the river are great tanks for storing oil (capacity 5000 tons) which is tinned on the premises. The mouth of the Han swarms with native shipping, and the scene presented everywhere is one of great commercial activity. Regular steam communi- cation is maintained with Shanghai an<l the other river and lake ports both above and below Han- kow. I-chang. about 500 mile.s above Hankow, being at present the limit of .steam navigation westward. The largest ocean steamers come to Hankow and load at great hulks moored off' the river-bank. The "ang-tse. o])posite the f(ueign settlement, is 1400 yards wide from brink to brink. In winter its average low-water depth is 40 feet in mid-channel, but in summer, when the rivers are in flood, the swollen waters fre- quently rise 50 feet to the brink of the bund, sometimes overflowing it, iiuindating the town. In flood time the scene oft' the native town is most exciting; many junks and boats come to