1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Wuhu

WUHU, a district city in the province of Ngan-hui, China, about 1 m. from the S. bank of the Yangtsze-kiang, with which it is connected by a straggling suburb. It is about 50 m. above Nanking, and in 1858 it was marked out as a treaty port, but was not opened to trade until 1877. It is connected by canals with the important cities of Ning-Kwo Fu, T'ai-p'ing Hien, Nan-ling Hien and Ching Hien, the silk districts in the neighborhood of the two last cities being within 50 m. of Wuhu. Coal to a considerable extent exists in the country round. At first its commercial progress was very slow, the older ports of Kiu-kiang and Chin-kiang militating against its success; but of late there has been a distinct improvement in the trade of the port, the net value of which was about £3,000,000 in 1906. The principal exports are rice, cotton, wheat, tea, furs and feathers. For the production of feathers large quantities of ducks are reared in the surrounding districts. Of imports, opium formed the most considerable item; other imports being matches, needles, sandalwood and window glass. The city, which is one of the largest of its rank in China, was laid desolate during the T'ai-p'ing rebellion, but has been repeopled, the population being estimated (1906) at 137,000. The streets are comparatively broad and are well paved. The land set apart for the British settlement, advantageously situated, was little built upon. A new general foreign settlement was opened in 1905.