WUHU
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Exports of iron ore, which constitutes the most important direct trade of the port with foreign countries, increase yearly Three private concerns are now engaged in opening these mines, namely, the Yu Fan Co. of Tichiang, the Pao Hsing Co. of Manganshan and the Fu Li Min Co. of Chenchiayu. This mineral, so richly produced in Anhwei, is all shipped to Japan. Motor roads exist between Wuhu, Nanking, Tunki and Wuwei.
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The tract of land selected 30 years ago for the Foreign Settlement was definitely -ceded in 1906, and sites were allotted to the then Anhwei Railway Company and to
various shipping companies, each lot having a river frontage of 600 to 1,100 feet. 1914 the Ministry of Communications took over the Anhiwei Railway Company with its entire assets and liabilities, the property being transferred to the Kiangnan Rail- way Company in 1933. Large godowns were built by Messrs. Buttefield & Swire on their ground in the Settlement for storing rice. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. Ltd., own a large property here and the Chinese Government Salt Adinin- istration has also bought some with the intention of erecting large storage godowns. The Customs House and buildings on the bund near the Settlement were completed and occupied in 1919. The Chinese population of Wuhu and its suburbs was estimated at 328,803 in 1934. A railway has been constructed by the Kiangnan Railway Company connecting this pert with Nanking and Sunchiapu. The former line was opened to passenger and goods traffic in May 1935 and the latter in July of the same year.
TRADE IN 1936
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Both the port of Wulu and the province of Anhui enjoyed a of prosperity during 1936. Weather conditions were exceptionally favourable to the growth of the principal crops, such as rice, wheat, beans, etc., while the steady improvement in rural finances coupled with the assistance of the co-operative loan societies and the establishinent of Government-controlled granaries in various districts for a general revival' of business and an improvement in the money inarket The trade statistics recorded for the port were as follows; according to value: direct imports from abroad aniounted to $2.5 million, approximately the same as in 1935; coastwise importations of Chinese merchandise, $15.8 million as against $15.3 million; direct exports to foreign countries, $2.8 million as against $2.9 million; and coastwise exporta- tions of Chinese produce (a part of which was actually destined for abroad via Shanghai), $22.8 million as against $10.7 million. Most of the staple imports from abroad did fairly well during 1936. Purchasing power in the interior may usually be judged by the consumption of such staples as sugar and kerosene oil, both of which commodities registered advances. for consumption and importation, the former increased from 96,000 quintals in 1935 to 100,000 quintals and the latter, from 6.6 million to 7 million litres. The import of railway sleepers was nil, but the import of steel rails rose from 2,000 quintals odd to 9,900 quintals, while the importation from Czechoslovakia by the Purchasing Committee of the National Reconstruction Commission of eight Mikado-type locomotives and tenders to the value of $541.000 for the use of the Hwainan Railway deserves special mention. Iron ore remained the main item of export abroad, the quantity shipped from the local mines to Japan amounting to 7.2 million quintals, or approximately the same as in 1935. Rice is always the greatest staple of interport export and constitutes the wealth of the port. The year opened with large stocks of this commodity in hand, which were gradually absorbed by various ports during the first eight months. After August trade took & more favourable turn, as one of the best rice crops in recent years was harvested, with the result that 1.6 million quintals valued at $14.5 million was cleared under Customs Cognizance as against 861,000 quintals valued at $6.4 million in 1935. With the unprecedented demand from Japanese mills at Tsingtao the export of wheat scored a record- breaking increase from 47,000 quintals in 1935 to 249.000 quintals, whilst maize also jumped from 233 to 7,000 quintals odd. Of the other export staples, with the exception of rape seed, which registered a substantial decrease due to the
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