New Directory of North China for 1923
The most welcome publication of the year to Shanghai's business men has just been received—the "North China Desk Hong List for 1923." It is the largest and most comprehensive volume yet compiled for the purpose and comprises no less than 936 pages, exactly 100 more than the 1922 issue, and though a voluminous work, is bound and thumb indexed in such a handy method as to enable the user to drop upon the name of any person in Shanghai and the northern Outports in an instant.
Of these 100 extra pages, 55 are accounted for by Shanghai hongs, with a total number of 2,436 entries against 1,987 last year, or 449 more hongs, clubs and other institutions than about January 1922. It seems incredible, but figures are facts in this case. '"Who's Who' occubies five pages more as might he expected, while Outport hongs take up 26 pages more than the 1922 edition. All other sections of the book are slightly on the in crease making the total of 100 extra pages.
The. whole book has evidently been compiled and edited with great care and reflects credit on those who are responsible for such an exhaustive and tedious publication.
Much useful matter is to be found besides actual directory information, such as English, Chinese, Jewish and Mohammedan. calendars, festivals and general holidays, diplomatic and consular services, postal rates, fire districts of Shanghai, harbour regulations, time signals, English and Chinese weights and measures with metrical equivalents, and tael and dollar exchange tables.
In the Shanghai section of the hook is a list of hongs with staffs, trade and agents' directory, who's who, railways, street directory, list of roads in the two Settlements and their Chinese names, and a residential directory, besides a list of coastal and riverine steamers and officers.
In the Outport section there is a list of hongs in all the Treaty Ports, from Foochow in the south to Mukden in the north and Chungking in the west, a complete list of all residents as a Who's Who, the whole of the Missions under their various denominations, besides a Who's Who of Missionaries.
The Hong List has now become so important to all firms in North China that it is almost impossible to do without it. It has been termed "The Business Man's Bible," and is said to be referred to much oftener in most offices than any other book in circulation. It has taken many, many years to perfect the system that is demanded io keep the Hong List up to date. The first publication of the ''North China Herald" was on August 3,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.