A 408
AMOY
Built in 1923 the reservoirs are capable of holding 400,000,000 gallons of water, enough for one year's consumption: The Company have now provided Kulangsu with water. The water is carried over from Amoy to Kulangsu in boats and pumped to reservoirs on the high points of the Island. The quality of water supplied compares very favourably with any supply in the Far East and is extensively used by visiting 'steamships.
TRADE IN 1937
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The trade of Amoy for 1937 opened under very favourable auspices, and it looked as if the year would be a record one. There was increased political and financial stability; banditry was almost completely suppressed; rehabili tation of the hinterland continued, in many cases assisted by earnest Govern- ment efforts; harvests in the interior were excellent, with better prices ruling for farm products; and remittance from overseas Chinese increased. During the first seven months of the year major lines were selling briskly and trade in all branches flourished. Unfortunately, as in other parts of the country. the Sino-Japanese hostilities intervened and seriously crippled trade, the statistics of which for the year were as follow: direct foreign imports, $13 million as compared with $13.3 million in 1936; coastwise importations of Chinese merchandise, $17.8 million as against $19.1 million; direct exports to foreign countries, $4.6 million as compared with $4 million; and coastwise exportations of Chinese produce, $2.3 million as against $3.8 million. The decline in the foreign import trade, apart from the effects of the Sino-Japan- ese hostilities, was partly owing to the decreased importation, due to abundant local crops, of foreign rice from 777,478 to 21 quintals. Cotton piece goods also fell off in view of the complete disappearance of Japanese manufactures from the Customs statistics for the last quarter of the year.
Cotton yarı. however, rose from 1 to 11,008 kilogrammes, entirely from Hongkong and India, as a result of shortage of Shanghai supplies. The trade in woollen goods and yarn from Formosa was very active during the first part of the year, when its value rose appreciably. Increases were also gazetted in im- portations of iron bars, cement, and tinned plates, the last item for local canning industries, which enjoyed good demand from overseas markets all through the year. The continued development of highway transportation en couraged a larger importation of motorcars and parts, while the inactivity of the local fishing fleet in the face of the Japanese blockade of the coast was responsible for the slight increase shown in dried sea products. Wheat flour was higher by 1,782 qintals, or by more than 30 per cent, because of difficulties in obtaining supplies from Shanghai, but this gain was not commensurate with the decrease in importation of the native article, which fell by 60,773 quintals. The increase in molasses may be ascribed to better demand from the soy and samshu industries, while the loss in sugar was the effect of native competition. Cigarettes jumped in value from $2,240 in 1936 to $27,247 follow- ing the inclusion in the returns of tax-paid cigarettes imported from Hong- kong, to which place manufacture was transferred from Shanghai in the second half-year. There was a further advance of 46,077 quintals, or more than 16 per cent, over the 1936 figures in the import of sulphate of ammonia because of agricultural rehibitation in the hinterland coupled with the dis- ruption of the native beancake trade since the commencement of the Sino- Japanese hostilities. Taken on the whole, the kerosene oil trade during the year was more or less normal. The Asiatic Petroleum Company had their tanks bonded during the year, and the decline in statistics may be attributed to stock movements. With
With the exceptions of oranges and vermicelli, there were increases under practically all important headings in the foreign export. trade consequent upon improved conditions in the South Seas and better mar- kets. The orange crop was a good one, but the season began late and part of the export was not included in the year's statistics. The trade in vermicelli suffered from certain local restrictions in addition to competition from Hong- kong. In coastwise imports, there were increases in groundnuts, shelled and in shell, beer, cigarettes, leaf tobacco, and cement. Beans, however, dropped