CHINA
All
Further analysis of the shipping trade shows the percentage share of the total entrances and clearances taken by the leading flags during the year under
review:
FOREIGN TRADE. Per cent.
DOMESTIC
TRADE. Per cent.
TOTAL TRADE. Per cent.
British Japanese
Chinese (excluding Junks)
Norwegian
German
...
Italian
...
41.97
54.65
48.33
+
22.03
7.62
14.80
2.69
15.82
9.28
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
6.28
5.80
6.04
...
...
...
4.92
4.03
4.48
...
...
...
2.47
3.40
2.93
Netherlands
Portuguese
...
...
3.39
...
2.19
2.79
...
...
3.24
1.91
2.57
French
...
...
Danish
American
...
...
...
3.42
1.18
2.29
...
...
...
2.13
1.59
1.86
...
1.12
...
...
...
0.33
0.72
Freight rates on the China coast were increased by 10 per cent as from the 1st May 1937. Since then freight rates have been increased during 1938 by 15 per cent in April, 10 per cent in June and by a further 15 per cent in October. These increases of 40 per cent during 1938 have, however, been in the nature of compensation for the declining value of the Chinese dollar, which vis-a-vis foreign currencies have fallen by approximately the same percentage.
TRANSPACIFIC FREIGHTS
With but a few minor alterations and additions no revision in rates of freight, either upwards or downwards, was made, Tariff No. 8, which became effective on the 6th October 1937, still remaining in force.
FREIGHTS VIA SUEZ
Rates of freight per ton to Europe via Suez remained steady and unchanged from those ruling at the close of 1937, with the exception that during April of 1938 the China Homeward Freight Conference announced that freight rates in Shanghai dollars would be converted for payment into Hongkong dollars, pesos or pounds sterling.
RAILWAYS
Of the 10,000 odd kilometres of China's railways, some 6,000 kilometres run over areas affected by the Sino-Japanese hostilties. Among the principal lines affected in the North are the Peiping-Liaoning Railway from Peiping to Shan- haikwan; the Tatung-Puchow line running north to south in Shansi, some 1,000 kilometres in length; the Lung-Hai line of 1,200 kilometres; the Tientsin-Pukow line of 1,100 kilometres; the Peiping-Hankow line of 1,214 kilometres; the Peiping-Suiyüan line of 876 kilometres; the Tsingtao-Tsinan line of 453 kilo- metres; the Shihkiachwang-Taiyuan line of 278 kilometres; and in Anhwei, the Hwainan line of 215 kilometres. In Central China the Japanese dominated the Shanghai-Nanking line of 311 kilometres, the Shanghai-Hangchow-Ningpo line of 273 kilometres, the branch Soochow-Kashing line, and the line 178 kilometres in length running from Nanking through Wuhu to Sunkiapu.. Despite the hos- tilities continuing over a period of 17 months, the Chinese Government has con- sistently pursued a policy of maintaining and improving her lines of communi- cation in the West and South-west, while, incidentally, losses of rolling-stock from those lines affected were minor, most of the railway equipment and machine shops having been successfully removed to the interior. During the year 1936 1,700 kilometres of railways were completed, including the 1097 kilometres Canton-Hankow Railway, the 245 kilometres Yüshan-Nanchang section of the Chekiang-Kiangsi Railway, and the 215 kilometres Hwainan Railway from Tienkiaan in Northern Anhwei to Yükikow on the northern bank of the Yangtze River below Wuhu. Encouraged with its success during 1936 the Government mapped out a five-year construction plan, providing for the building of 8,477
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