SHANGHAI
line west to Hankow and south as far as Lungchow, on the Kwangsi border. A railway constructed by a foreign company was opened to Woosung in June, 1876, but after running for sixteen months it was purchased and taken up by the Chinese Authorities. During the short time it was running the passenger traffic alone covered the working expenses, leaving sufficient profit to pay a small dividend. A scheme for Tramways in the settlements was sanctioned some years ago, but they have not yet been commenced. There are four locally owned lines of steamers running on the coast and the river Yangtsze. Several manufactories under both native and foreign auspices have sprung up of late years, and would considerably increase were it not that the native authorities are offering the most determined opposition to any manufactures uuder the control of foreigners.
The "Astor House" in Hongkew, the "Central" in the British, and the “Hotel des Colonies" in the French Concession, besides many second class inns, give hotel accom- modation unexcelled by any port in the East. There are two daily newspapers, the North China Daily News, morning, and the Shanghai Mercury, evening; also three weeklies, the North China Herald, Celestial Empire, and Temperance Union. There are two native daily papers, the Shun-pao and the Hu-pao. These are sold at the prices of ten and eight cash, equal to a farthing and a half, and have a very large circulation. In one matter, that of Postal accommodation, Shanghai is perhaps over-supplied, there being British, French, American, Japanese, German, Local, and Customs l'ost-offices. A proposition was recently made by the Chinese Government through the Foreign Customs to take over the Foreign Agencies and Local Post Office, as a preliminary to the establishment of a National Postal Departinent, but the community are almost unanimously opposed to giving up the present facilities until they have experience of the working of a Chinese office, and can feel more confidence in the good faith of the Chinese Government. Shanghai was made a port of Registry for British ships in 1874. All foreign hongs and even private houses have to give themselves fancy Chinese names, by which only they are known to the natives. The system is, however, found to have its conveniences. Jinrickshas to the number of 2,730, 2,348 passenger wheelbarrows, and 258 horse vehicles ply for hire in the Settlements.
The currency of Shanghai is the tael weight of silver, cast into "shoes" of fifty taels, more or less. The foreign banks issue notes of the value of one dollar and upwards for both taels and dollars. Sinaller transactions are conducted in clean Mexican dollars and copper cash. There are seven foreign and numerous native banks in the Settlement.
Shanghai is the great emporium for the trade of the Yangtsze and northern ports, and to a considerable extent for Japan and Corea. The export of Tea from 1846 to 1850 averaged sixteen million pounds, and Silk during the same period seventeen_thousand bales. The total import and export trade of 1868 was sixty-five million taels. It steadily increased each year until 1881, when it reached Hk. Tls. 141,921,357 but afterwards shewed a great decline, the total for 1884 having been twenty per cent. less than that of 1881. It has since, however, shewn a rapid recovery, the total trade in foreign bottoms, import and export, for the year 1889, as given by the Customs Statistical Department, being Haikwan Tls. 145,649,999, equal to, at Ex. 1.54, Mex. $210,300,998, or at Ex. 4s. 8 d., nearly thirty-four and a half millions sterling, a decrcase of a little under one per cent. on the previous year, which was Hk. Tls. 146,917,846, equal to, at Ex. 1.45, Mex. $226,253,482, or at Ex. 4s. 83d., slightly over thirty-four and a half millions sterling. The total in 1887 was Hk. Tls. 138,234,600. This was in spite of the rapid and heavy fall in silver, which necessarily restricted business. The value of foreign Opium imported was Hk. Tls. 1,607,031 less than in 1888 and for several years previously there has been a falling off, owing to increased production of and demand for native opium, the quality of which is now much superior to what it formerly was and the taxes on which are very much lighter than on the foreign drug. The import in 1881 was 51,522 chests, which gradually declined to 36,003 chests in 1888 and to 33,576 chests in 1889. The imports of Cotton Piece Goods were 21, Woollen Goods 26, and Metals 7 per cent. less than in 1888. There was a falling off in the export of Black Tea of 14,143 piculs, in Green Tea of 18,821 piculs, and in Brick Tea of 84,715 piculs compared with 1888. The export of Silk amounted to 53,803 piculs and 63,288 piculs waste, etc., against 48,653 piculs and 51,368 piculs waste, etc. the previous year. The import trade in Foreign Goods for 1889 may be summarised as follows:-
From Great Britain
*
Tls. 20,989,013 From Straits
15,687,252
From British America
...
Tls. 1,146,284
From Hongkong
937,000
From India
•
7,874,030
From Australasia
309,977
From Japan
5,640,809
From other Countries
*
276,165
From United States
3,786,713
From Continent of Europe
2,700,426
Hk. Tls. 59,347,669