A380
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HANKOW
ing are the trade statistics recorded for Hankow in 1933 and the year under review according to value: direct foreign imports, 32.2 million dollars as against 34.3 million in 1933; coastwise importations of Chinese produce, 86.1 million dollars as against 101.2 million; direct exports to foreign countries, 9.8 million dollars as against 7.6 million; and coastwise exportations of Chinese: produce, 141.1 million dollars as against 135.2 million in 1933. These figures. tend to show that the port's import trade declined appreciably, while the combined export statistics (direct exports abroad plus the coastwise export trade, of which latter a great deal eventually finds its way abroad via Shanghai) appreciated by 8.1 million dollars: it must be remembered, however, that these figures do not cover the whole trade of the port but only the steamer-borne trade controlled by the Customs (and actually only that part of the steamer- borne trade for which Customs statistics are now recorded, i.e., excluding the coastwise movements of foreign goods). The market for imports was rather duli and lifeless on the whole, and the statistics for this section of trade would have looked worse had it not been for the heavy arrivals of metals and railway materials, principally for the work going forward on the Canton-Hankow Rail- way, which are not a normal trade item. Buying power in the interior usually inay be judged by the consumption of such staples as sugar and kerosene oil, both of which commodities registered declines for consumption and importation. Again it must be stated, however, that the Customs statistics are not a sure guide in this matter. Particularly in the case of sugar, it should be pointed out that goods can now be conveniently distributed in Honan by the improved. system of through traffic on the railway, via the Nanking-Pukow train ferry, from Shanghai; while, in the case of kerosene, the import trade was feeling the effects of the cheaper locally distilled product, and demand for the imported oil was further reduced by reason of the fact that dealers had laid in extensive- stocks at the low prices ruling during 1933. A feature of the year in the import trade was the further penetration, of the market by low-priced Japanese cottons. Business in exports, with the exception of wood oil and tea, was also dull during the first half of the year, but it became much brisker in the second half, due to the substantial reductions in the tariff rates introduced by the Government in June and to the failure of certain crops abroad. From this time cargoes began to move in quantity, and this section of trade remained encouraging for the rest of the year. Attracted by the heavy outward move- ments of bulk cargo (beans, tea, seeds, and refrigerated products), some extra shipping visited the port. The total tonnage entering and clearing under General Regulations amounted to 7 million, an increase of approximately 300,000 tons as compared with the figures for the previous year; and ocean. tonnage accounted for some 205,000 tons of this increase. River shipping increased by some 95,000 tons, but, except for a few short periods, the available tonnage was in excess of requirements. Conditions on the Yangtze below Hankow were good throughout the year, and, owing to the enforcement of the usual draught-limiting regulations, there were few groundings of vessels on the lower river. In January and February, however, navigation became very difficult and at times impossible above the port on account of exceptionally low water. At one time the draught limit at Sinti was only 4 feet 9 inches, inter- fering considerably with traffic to Ichang and Changsha. The River Inspec-- torate of the Customs sold 4,235 copies of their survey prints of the Yangtze during 1934, an increase of 1,460. The Peiping Hankow Railway had a profit able year, but several bandit disturbances (insignificant in themselves) interfered with receipts on the Hupeh-Hunan section of the Canton-Hankow line. The Hupeh Reconstruction Bureau made considerable progress with road-building in the interior, and the province now possesses 2,695 kilometres, of motor highway, of which 948 kilometres were constructed during the year under review. The two main achievements of the year in this connexion were the completion of the Ichang-Hankow road and the opening to traffic of the highway between Laohokow and Paiho on the Hupeh-Shensi border. The main road between Wuchang and Tayeh is expected to be finished early in 1935.
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