KWAKIUTL, a tribe of North-American Indians of Wakashan stock. They number about 2000. Formerly the term was used of the one tribe in the north-east of Vancouver, but now it is the collective name for a group of Wakashan peoples. The Kwakiutl Indians are remarkable for their conservatism in all matters and specially their adherence to the custom of Potlatch, which it is sometimes suggested originated with them. Tribal government is in the hands of secret societies. There are three social ranks, hereditary chiefs, middle and third estates, most of the latter being slaves or their descendants. Entry to the societies is forbidden the latter, and can only be obtained by the former after torture and fasting. The hamatsa or cannibal society is only open to those who have been members of a lower society for eight years.
KWANGCHOW BAY (Kwangchow Wan), a coaling station
on the south coast of China, acquired, along with other concessions,
by the French government in April 1898. It is situated
on the east side of the peninsula of Lienchow, in the province
of Kwang-tung, and directly north of the island of Hainan.
It is held on lease for 99 years on similar terms to those by
which Kiaochow is held by Germany, Port Arthur by Japan
and Wei-hai-wei by Great Britain. The cession includes
the islands lying in the bay; these enclose a roadstead 18 m.
long by 6 m. wide, with admirable natural defences and
a depth at no part of less than 33 ft. The bay forms the
estuary of the Ma-Ts‘e river, navigable by the largest men-of-war
for 12 m. from the coast. The limits of the concession
inland were fixed in November 1899. On the left bank of the
Ma-Ts’e France gained from Kow Chow Fu a strip of territory
11 m. by 6 m., and on the right bank a strip 15 m. by 11 m.
from Lei Chow Fu. The country is well populated; the capital
and chief town is Lei Chow. The cession carries with it full
territorial jurisdiction during the continuance of the lease.
In January 1900 it was placed under the authority of the
governor-general of Indo-China, who in the same month appointed
a civil administrator over the country, which was
divided into three districts. The population of the territory is
about 189,000. A mixed tribunal has been instituted, but the
local organization is maintained for purposes of administration.
In addition to the territory acquired, the right has been given
to connect the bay by railway with the city and harbour of
Ompon, situated on the west side of the peninsula, and in
consequence of difficulties which were offered by the provincial
government on the occasion of taking possession, and which
compelled the French to have recourse to arms, the latter
demanded and obtained exclusive mining rights in the three
adjoining prefectures. Two lines of French steamships call
at the bay. By reason of the great strategical importance
of the bay, and the presence of large coal-beds in the near
neighbourhood, much importance is attached by the French
to the acquirement of Kwangchow Wan.
KWANG-SI, a southern province of China, bounded N.
by Kwei-chow and Hu-nan, E. and S. by Kwang-tung, S.W.
and W. by French Indo-Chino and Yun-nan. It covers an
area of 80,000 sq. m. It is the least populous province of China,
its inhabitants numbering (1908) little over 5,000,000. The
Skias, an aboriginal race, form two-thirds of the population.
The provincial capital is Kwei-lin Fu, or City of the Forest
of Cinnamon Trees, and there are besides ten prefectural cities.
The province is largely mountainous. The principal rivers
are the Si-kiang and the Kwei-kiang, or Cinnamon River,
which takes its rise in the district of Hing-gan, in the north of
the province, and in the neighbourhood of that of the Siang
river, which flows northward through Hu-nan to the Tung-t‛ing
Lake. The Kwei-kiang, on the other hand, takes a
southerly course, and passes the cities of Kwei-lin, Yang-so
Hien, P‛ing-lē Fu, Chao-p’ing Hien, and so finds its way to
Wu-chow Fu, where it joins the waters of the Si-kiang. Another
considerable river is the Liu-kiang, or Willow River, which
rises in the mountains inhabited by the Miao-tsze, in Kwei-chow.
Leaving its source it takes a south-easterly direction, and enters
Kwang-si, in the district of Hwai-yuen. After encircling the
city of that name, it flows south as far as Liu-ch’ēng Hien,
where it forms a junction with the Lung-kiang, or Dragon
River. Adopting the trend of this last-named stream, which
has its head-waters in Kwei-chow, the mingled flow passes
eastward, and farther on in a south-easterly direction, by
Lai-chow Fu, Wu-suan Hien, and Sin-chow Fu, where it receives
the waters of the Si-kiang, and thenceforth changes its name
for that of its affluent. The treaty ports in Kwang-si are
Wu-chow Fu, Lung-chow and Nanning Fu.
KWANG-TUNG, a southern province of China, bounded N.
by Hu-nan, Kiang-si and Fu-kien, S. and E. by the sea, and
W. by Kwang-si. It contains an area, including the island
of Hainan, of 75,500 sq. m., and is divided into nine prefectures;
and the population is estimated at about 30,000,000. Its
name, which signifies “east of Kwang,” is derived, according
to Chinese writers, from the fact of its being to the east of the
old province of Hu-kwang, in the same way that Kwang-si
derives its name from its position to the west of Hu-kwang.
Kwang-tung extends for more than 600 m. from east to west,
and for about 420 from north to south. It may be described as a
hilly region, forming part as it does of the Nan Shan ranges.
These mountains, speaking generally, trend in a north-east
and south-westerly direction, and are divided by valleys of
great fertility. The principal rivers of the province are the
Si-kiang, the Pei-kiang, or North River, which rises in the
mountains to the north of the province, and after a southerly
course joins the Si-kiang at San-shui Hien; the Tung-kiang,
or East River, which, after flowing in a south-westerly direction
from its source in the north-east of the province, empties
itself into the estuary which separates the city of Canton from
the sea; and the Han River, which runs a north and south course
across the eastern portion of the province, taking its rise in
the mountains on the western frontier of Fu-kien and emptying
itself into the China Sea in the neighbourhood of Swatow.
Kwang-tung is one of the most productive provinces of the
empire. Its mineral wealth is very considerable, and the
soil of the valleys and plains is extremely fertile. The principal
article of export is silk, which is produced in the district forming
the river delta, extending from Canton to Macao and having
its apex at San-shui Hien. Three large coal-fields exist in the
province, namely, the Shao-chow Fu field in the north; the
Hwa Hien field, distant about 30 m. from Canton; and the
west coast field, in the south-west. The last is by far the
largest of the three and extends over the districts of Wu-ch‛uen,
Tien-pai, Yang-kiang, Yang-ch‛un, Gan-p‛ing, K‛ai-p‛ing,
Sin-hing, Ho-shan, Sin-hwang, and Sin-ning. The coal from
the two first-named fields is of an inferior quality, but that in
the west coast field is of a more valuable kind. Iron ore is found
in about twenty different districts, notably in Ts‛ing-yuen,
Ts‛ung-hwa, Lung-mēn, and Lu-fēng. None, however, is
exported in its raw state, as all which is produced is manufactured
in the province, and principally at Fat-shan, which
has been called the Birmingham of China. The Kwang-tung
coast abounds with islands, the largest of which is Hainan,
which forms part of the prefecture of K‛iung-chow Fu. This
island extends for about 100 m. from north to south and the
same distance from east to west. The southern and eastern
portions of Hainan are mountainous, but on the north there is a
plain of some extent. Gold is found in the central part; and
sugar, coco-nuts, betel-nuts, birds’ nests, and agar agar, or sea
vegetable, are among the other products of the island. Canton,
Swatow, K‛iung-chow (in Hainan), Pakhoi, San-shui are among
the treaty ports. Three ports in the province have been ceded
or leased to foreign powers—Macao to Portugal, Hong-Kong
(with Kowloon) to Great Britain, and Kwangchow to France.
KWANZA (Coanza or Quanza), a river of West Africa,
with a course of about 700 m. entirely within the Portuguese
territory of Angola. The source lies in about 13° 40′ S., 17°
30′ E. on the Bihe plateau, at an altitude of over 5000 ft. It
runs first N.E. and soon attains fairly large dimensions. Just
north of 12° it is about 60 yds. wide and 13 to 16 ft. deep.
From this point to 10° it flows N.W., receiving many tributaries,
