A 402
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.
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TRADE IN 1939
Many adverse factors existent in 1938 continued to affect the trade of Amoy during the year. In addition to general influences, such as the falling exchange, restrictions on trade, and the outbreak of hostilities in Europe, there was a strict blockade against the Fukien coast during the second half of the year, whereby ship ping therewith was brought to a standstill. Junk traffic with Shilima and Changchow, the hinterland upon which the trade of the port now depends, was also very uncertain. In the first four months there was a fairly regular flow of com- modities; but from may to October, as a result of international complications arising out of an assassination on Kulangsu, the blockade against these inland places was tightened and trade paralysed. The situation improved after October, when the year had too far advanced for any appreciable commercial recovery to be reflected in the general statistics.
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Actual value statistics of trade for the year were as follows: direct foreign imports, $10, 2 million as compared with $9.1 million during 1938; coast wise im- portations of Chinese merchandise, $8. 4 million as against $8.8 million; direct exports to foreign countries, $.3 5 million as against $3.2 million; and coast wise exports of Chinese goods, $2.7 million as compared with $4.5 million,
The foreign import trade was dull throughout the year, and the gain in statistics over the previous year may be ascribed to two factors, viz., (1) higher values as a result, of the unfavourable exchange and (2) heavy importations of rice, which rose from 72,363, quintals in 1938 to 142,360 quintals. With this and a few other exceptions, however, reduced turnover was the predominant key-note in trade. Sulphate of ammonia dropped from 154,984 to 70,651 quintals, due to difficulties in making ship- ments to the interior and to shortage of stocks after the outbreak of war in Europe, Under petroleum products, the losses were even more marked: gasolene from over 2 million to 125,000 litres, liquid fuel from 2,000 to 600 metric tons, kerosene oil from 5. 3 million to 859,000 litres, and lubricating oil from 216,000 to 64,000 litres, all in consequence of the suspension of bus and launch traffic, the cessation in the operation of electric plants and factories in the interior, and restrictions on movements of such commodities. Of kerosene oil there were shipments from Shanghai totalling 1,200,000 litres, thereby reducing the loss shown in local statistics. The decline in paraffin wax from 17,182 to 1,439 quintals was mainly due to the closure and loss of the Chuanchow market, whereto the bulk of supplies has usually gone. The market for cigarettes was stagnant and the total importation was only about one-fourth of last year. Coastwise importations from Shanghai likewise decreased from $1,130,000 to $770,000, shipments to the interior being difficult both on account of the blockade and of Government restrictions. High exchange and native competition hit the wheat flour trade, where the figure fell from 32,000 to 16,000 quintals, the shortage being met by importations from Shanghai. Other articles such as cotton piece goods, woollen goods and yarn, metals and minerals, tinned plates, motor-cars and parts, electrical materials and fittings, etc., all suffered. Sugar increased from 3,368 to 33,698 quintals and artificial indigo from 7,830 to 55,973 kilogrammes, the bulk of these articles being subsequently re-exported to Shanghai and Tsingtao respectively, while the slight recovery in molasses from 970 to 2,200 quintals signified a corresponding revival in the local samshu and soy industries. As a result of difficulties in the North, coal rose from 2,703 to 4,576 metric tons, and matches similarly increased from 4,166 to 65,644 gross, all from Japan, following the disruption of supplies from Swatow, where they had previously been obtained,
Under coastwise imports, with the exception of a few items of foodstuff required for local consumption, such as lard in bulk from 610 to 2,734 quintals, bran from 12,156 to 30,749 quintals, wheat flour from 60,012 to 82,309 quintals, and rice from 25,106, to 43,334 quintals, there were declines in practically all important headings. Thus, beans and peas fell from 41,793 to 24,890 quintals, groundnut oil from 10,670 to 4,948 quintals, cigarettes from 4,706 to 2,375 quintals, cotton yarn from 6,512 to