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MOULMEIN TOWN 7
The town, which has an area of 15 square miles, is laid out on a fairly
regular plan, but is not altogether worthy of its gorgeous setting. It
stretches, long and narrow, along the bank of the Salween. Three main
roads run north and south, parallel to the river, two throughout the
entire length of the town, and one for about 2 miles. Numerous crossroads,
mostly unmetalled, run east and west, one being continued by
means of the Nyaungbinzeik ferry into the country beyond the Ataran,
thus forming the main avenue by which food-supplies are brought into
Moulmein. The European residences are situated to the west of the
central ridge, for the most part in spacious and well-kept grounds.
The most notable buildings are Salween House, the official residence
of the Commissioner, built on the ridge ; the masonry law courts and
Government offices, at the foot of the rising ground; the General
Hospital; the Government schools ; and three churches, St. Matthew's,
St. Patrick's, and St. Augustine's. The old cantonment, from which
the troops have now been removed, centres around a parade-ground
towards the north of the town. The business quarter adjoins the
river bank in the west. The new jail lies at the foot of the ridge
towards the northern end of the town in the old cantonment area.
A blot on Moulmein at present is the indiscriminate way in which cooly
barracks, native hamlets (bastis), and lodging-houses have been allowed
to spring up in all the quarters. The bastis are composed of long
narrow houses on three sides of a square, divided into small windowless
compartments. The back-yard is common to the inmates of all
the houses, and contains a shallow well from which both bathing and
drinking water is obtained. Near it are cesspits ; goats and calves find
a hospitable refuge in the living rooms and cooking-places, and a herd
of cows is usually accommodated under a lean-to shed in the back-yard.
Reconstruction and improvements in sanitation are now, however,
being undertaken.
The population of Moulmein was 46,472 in 1872 ; 53,107 in 1881 ;
55,785 in 1891; and 58,446 in 1901. The last figure includes 8,544
Musalmans and 19,081 Hindus, the increase of population in the last
decade being almost entirely due to Hindu immigration from Madras.
The chief native industries pursued are gold- and silver-work and ivorycarving;
but Moulmein also contains 14 steam saw-mills, 3 rice-mills,
and 4 mills in which both sawing and milling are carried on, besides
a steam joinery (also dealing with rice), and a foundry.
The port of Moulmein has an interesting history. Between the years
1830 and 1858 ship-building was carried on to a considerable extent,
ample supplies of teak being drawn from the rich forests in the surrounding
country. The advent of the iron ship and the steamer has
destroyed the larger branch of this industry, which is now confined to
the construction of small country craft. Of late a great obstruction to