614
TIENTSIN
The Racecourse is situated about 3 miles to the west of the Gordon Hall and comprises a very valuable property to which about 350 mow of land have recently been added. New betting buildings of reinforced concrete, which surpass anything of the description in the Far East, were constructed in 1921. Grand-stands for the members. and for the general public are to replace the existing stand, and the course is to be widened and lengthened. It is proposed, also, to lay out a 9-hole golf course.
Distilling is one of the largest local industries; it is chiefly from kowliang (sorghum) or millet. Although a spirit, it is called "wine," and is exported to the south in large quantities. The manufacture of coarse unrefined salt by the evaporation of sea water is also carried on near Taku; the produce is stacked some distance down river at the first cutting, where all the salt junks now go. The trade in salt is a Govern- ment monopoly. In 1909 the salt export was valued at nearly Tls. 6,500,000. It is estimated that 200,000 piculs of raw cotton grown in the neighbourhood are absorbed by the local spinning mills. Of these there were six in Tientsin and vicinity in 1920, with an aggregate capital of $12,000,000 and a total of 132,000 spindles, shortly to be increased to 300,000. Five more mills, with 122,000 spindles, were in course of construction. The yarn produced is of 14, 16, and 20 counts. Carpets, shoes, glass, coarse earthenware, and fireworks are also made in large quantities in the city, but Tientsin is at present essentially a centre for distribution and collection rather than for manufacture. The exports include coal, wool (from Kokonor, Kansuh, etc.), bristles, straw braid, goat skins, furs, wine, etc. The export trade is a creation only some 15 or 20 years old, and is largely due to foreign initiative. Wool cleaning and braid and bristle sorting are the chief industries in the foreign hongs except those of the Russians, who are exclusively engaged in the transit of tea. The imports are of the usual miscellaneous nature: arms, tea for the Desert and Siberia, mineral oil, matches, and needles figure next to piece-goods. The fine arts are unknown to the Tientsinese except in the shape of cleverly-made mud-figures; these are painted and make really admirable statuettes, but are difficult to carry away, being remarkably brittle.
Tientsin is the principal sea outlet for the entire trade of the provinces of Chihli, Shansi, Shensi, Kansuh, and part of Honan, with a population not far short of 100,000,000. Following are the comparative trade statistics for the years 1919, 1920, and 1921:-
Imports :-
Foreign (net).. Native (net)
Exports
...
...
...
1919
1920
1921
Hk. TIs. 85,348,380 Hk. Tls. 89,201,524 Hk. Tls. 113,791,298
""
"}
32,877,521 71,550,033
""
39,692,488
"
44,588,53C
"
47,369,373 63,618,531
Value of trade of Port... Hk. Tls. 189,775,934 Hk.Tls. 173,482,542 Hk. Tls. 224,779,202
DIRECTORY
清美 Mei-ching
AMERICAN MACHINERY and EXPORT CO.
Mining and Engineering Equipment and
General Import and Export-Teleph.
1328; Tel. Ad: Meiching
E. K. Lowry, president, manager
H. K. Chang, vice-presdt. and assist.
manager
Export Dept
C. B. Thiess
H. Hauser
H. C. Urantz
•
A. May
G. 4. Zagor
C. G. Amona, tech. dept.
P. Y. Loo, engine dept.
T. M. Collester, chief accountant Miss E. Hopkins, stenographer
昌惧 Sun Chung
ANDERSEN, MEYER & Co., LTD., General
Merchants, Engineers and Contractors
-Telephs. 376 and 374, Private Switch
to all depts.; Tel. Ad: Danica
L. Kampf, manager Railway Dept.
H. March
Engineering Dept.
G. Kearney
Thos. N. Miller
N, Sokol
T. M. Lee
J. T. Hemperly | Miss I. A. Wilson
Textile Dept.
A. W. Turner
T. A. Tucker N. L. Rashin
T. F. Chen
Miss L. M. Hansen