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continued to increase, there being enhanced demand for construction purposes, particularly in connexion with new cotton mills. Under the group cereals and flour, imports valued at $64.1 million as compared with $1.7 million only during 1937. Owing to the failure of the previous year's crop as a result of the floods and to unsettled conditions, Tientsin had to depend on foreign supplies of rice and wheat flour. Of rice and paddy 846,153 quintals were imported during the year as against 8,374 quintals in 1937, Siam being the largest supplier with 484,517 quintals, with Japan and Korea following with 122,594 and 68,749 quintals respectively. Of wheat flour 2,076,580 quintals were imported, of which 1,095,394 quintals came from Japan, 890,318 quintals from Australia, and 66,983 quintals from America. The abolition of import duty on flour early in the year afforded foreign importers the opportunity to participate in the North China market, Australian flour being the first to arrive and, owing to its fine quality, winning much favour among consumers. The American product also made considerable headway.
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As has been noted, the value of foreign exports passing through the port increased from $128.9 million for 1937 to $176.1 million for 1938. The increase is the more remarkable in that the export of certain skins and wool was banned by the authorities. The export duty, however, on raw cotton, cotton seed, and linseed was abolished, from the 22nd, January, while the export duty rates on bristles, hair and wool were reduced by one-half to two-thirds. Favourable exchange also gave a favourable impetus to the export trade, while, owing to interference with the export, trade at Tsingtao, much cargo usually shipped from that port was diverted to Tientsin. Of total exports abroad valued as above, $78.2 million worth was on Japanese account. It should be noted that favourable conditions did not exist in, all items of export and that the primary increase was due to the shipment of raw cotton, which alone showed a gain in value of $62 million. In the latter half of the year, moreover, the contemplated control of exports came as a blow to exporters, while much has been heard of the enforcement of a "link system" of imports and exports in North China, a measure deemed necessary to bolster the new currency. The total value of egg
The total value of egg and egg products was well maintained, being $11.4 million for 1938 as compared with $11.5 million. for 1937. One of the outstanding features of the trade was the falling-off in shipments to the United States of America. During 1937 America took 6,605 quintals of dried albumen and 13,709 quintals of dried yolk, as compared with 1,300 quintals of albumen and 55 quintals of yolk during 1938. Of dried albumen Great Britain was the large buyer with 3,548 quintals, while Germany took 9,054 quintals of dried yolk. Germany's purchases of dried mélange and moist and frozen yolk ranked first, the figures being 1,513 and 10,498 quintals respectively. Great Britain remained the largest buyer of moist and frozen mélange with 58,853 quintals as against 30,445 quintals, with her purchases of moist and frozen yolk advancing from 4,839 to 9,212 quintals. Owing to shortage of supplies prices of raw eggs were exceptionally high, but were in measure compensated by the depreciation of the Chinese currency. Owing to the hostilities and the difficulty in obtaining sufficient quantities of eggs in China, importers in Europe have been engaged in finding alternative sources of supply, and China has now rivals in her profitable egg export business, the chief among them being Roumania, while Yugoslavia, Hungary and Latvia are also interested. Shipments of goat and sheep intestines declined as demand in
as demand in America waned, "Nojax," an artificial Substitute, machine-made, uniform, and flawless, coming into favour. Demand from Europe for pig intestines was steady, but the Chinese product compared unfavourably with the American hog casings. The total export of skins and furs was valued at $7.5 million as compared with $21.4 million for 1937. The United States of America failed to absorb the usual quantities. The export of goat skins fell from 3,090,522 to 473,421 pieces, there being a general and serious decline under all other headings. Complicating the position was the prohibition on the export of sheep, goat and lamb skins at the end of June by the "Provisional Government. Later the scope of the ban was reduced
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