282
THE FOREIGN TRADE OF JAPAN AND THE SILVER QUESTION.
•
In the annual report of the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce an interesting review of the foreign trade of Japan is given. The value of exports and imports for all Japan during the years 1894 and 1893 was as follows:-
Total value of exports.
Yokohama
1993.
$ 73,015,678 55,209,586 Kobe and Osaka... 30,202,481 26,181,866 Nagasaki, Hako-
1894.
date, and other
porta..
10,027,927 8,321,413 113,246,086 80,712,865
Total value of imports.
1893. $
Yokohama
Kobe and Osaka Nagasaki, Hako. date, and other ports
1894.
Increase
of exports.
17,806.092 4,020 615
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
eru
(April 17, 1895.
civilization, have allowed her coal "Sunday in the waters of the colony.” It was deposits to remain unworked or refrained notcontemplated that any appreciable revenue from establishing manufacturing industries should be derived from the Ordinance, But as she progresses her trade will increase the intention being that the fees im- inports will have to be accepted in payment posed for working on Sunday should for exports, and it will remain for the British be, as the Harbour Master says, pro- manufacturer to take his share in the in- hibitive. If experience shows that they have creased trade by introducing new descrip- been fixed on too low a scale to serve the tions of goods as he finds himself cut out by purpose intended it is desirable they should native competition in the lines on which he be raised, if the Ordinance is to be kept in has hitherto depended. The conditions force. Thirty of the permits issued last year of trade, like everything else in this were, however, issued free of charge in ac- world, are subject to change, and the cordance with the Government's policy of British merchant and manufacturer may showing favouritism to the mail lines, and be trusted, we think, to adapt themselves while that policy is continued it would be to future changes as they have to past unfair to increase the burden on other changes. Trade has gone on increasing steamers. while exchange has fallen from 59. to 2s., and although a stable rate must be re- cognised as a desideratum the lack of it will not kill trade, though it no doubt hampers it, The suggested likelihood of a transfer of the shipbuilding trade of the Clyde and the Tees 1,950,438 to the Far East, of which meation has been made at meetings of steamship com- panies, appears to us as chimerical as the soliloquy of Macauley's New Zealander. At any rate we may comfort ourselves with the thought that, like the extinction of the sun and the general smash up of the universe, it will not happen in our day.
1,706,514 23,533 221 Increase of imports.
50,447,372 36,305,069 14,142,303 60,925,316 47,799,274 13,120,042
6,100,267 4,152,829
117,431,955 88,257,172 29,224,783
.$230,728,041 177,970,03
52,758,001
เ
THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT. The Harbour Master's report for last year
Total exports and imports 1894.. Total exports and imports 18:3.. Total increase of the trade in 1891 It may be thought, the report says, that "this great increase in the foreign "trade was
due chiefly to the unusual "demand for vessels and munitions of war; "out upon reference to the table it seems "that less than $12,000,000 of the total "gain can be attributed to such pur-touches on a number of interesting subjects. "chases." This is an excellent showing and suggests visions of what might happen in China were that country to enter on a similar progressive policy to that of Japan. It is satisfactory, too, to note in these days, when the critical condition of British trade with the Far East is under discussion, that of the total increase of $29,224,783 in the value of imports no less than $14,260,246 is credited to Great Britain, the value of the imports from that country bying $42,189,874 in 1894 as against $27,929,628 in 1893. ||
#1
which may
It is too long to reproduce in full, but the portion of it dealing more directly with the trade of the port will be found in another column. It is satisfactory to note that not withstanding the plague and the war the total falling off in the tonnage arriving and leaving amounts to less than one per cent., Le taken as an indication of the natural vigour of a trade which can sustain such blows with so little loss. But had it not been for the plague, and possibly in a secondary degree the war, the trade of the port would in all probability have shown a large increase, for the arrivals of steamers during the first quarter showed an increase on the corresponding quarter of 1898 of 94
in humber and 114,149 in tonnage, which represents roughly about 14 per
Another interesting question dealt with by Commander RUMSEY is that of the in- cidence of light dues. A larger revenue, he says, might be raised, and a more equitable tax levied, by the substitution of a periodical payment for the present system. The light dues fall more heavily on coasting steamers which enter the port at intervals of a few days than on the large trunk liners, which visit the port only at longer intervals, and Commander RUMSEY suggests a quarterly or half-yearly tax. But a vessel entering the port at longer intervals presumably derives less benefit from the lights than vessels making more frequent use of the port, and it would seem that their payments should be in proportion. Before any alteration is made the Chamber of Commerce will no doubt be asked to state its views, when the equities of the case will be duly considered, but we should hardly think the Chamber will adopt Commander RUMSEY's views. He says that one of the results of his proposal would be the collection of B larger revenue, and at the same time he tells us that the light dues are considerably in excess of what is required for the main- tenance of the lighthouses for which the colony is responsible. The mercantile com- munity strongly holds the principle that shipping should not be taxed at all, or cer- tainly not in excess of what is required for the maintenance of the lights. If they agreed, therefore, to any alteration of the system under which the dues are collectel it would only be on condition that the total amount of the tax should not be increased.
**
*
OFFICER OF HEALTH.
The Hon. A. G. WISE cannot he congratu- lated on the first Bill he has introduced in the Legislative Council, which is entitled "An Ordinance to confer certain powers and authorities on the Medical Officer of Health." Probably the Bill is not the learned gentleman's own drafting, but as he has introduced it he must be taken to have assumed the responsibility for it; at all events, he should have pointed out to His Excellency the ridiculousness of the measure as it stands
Bimetallists will, however be able to draw some lugubrious conclusions from the re- port. If we look at the table showing the increase and decrease in "the principal articles of import we find that of the four-cent. The plague, however, brought teen descriptions of piece goods specially men- business almost to a standstill for a time, so tioned nine show a decrease in quantity and that instead of an increase of 14 per cent. seven in value, only six showing an increase on the year we had a loss of rather less than THE APPOINTMENT OF A MEDICAL (and in most cases a very slight increase) in 1 per cent.; but the actual amount of cargo quantity and seven in value. Metals show landed in and shipped from the colony was an increase, but it is the demand for vessels rather in excess of the previous years, thatis chiefly responsible for the large increase which seems to iudicate that the loss in ton in the total value of imports from Great Brinage was chiefly in connection with vessels tain and that is of course an exceptional that make use of Hongkong simply as a windfall. Referring to yarns, after noting port of call. the difficulties to the trade caused by ex- change and the war, the report goes on to say - At the same time from an examina- "tion of figures the falling off cannot be en- tirely attributed to the causes mentioned above, because it would appear to have "been greatest in those yarns chiefly affected by the competition of the spinning indus- "try in Japan. For instance, the deliveries of 16/24s. and 28/328. together barely reached "half of what they were in 1893; 38/428, "also showed a decrease, whereas 32s. and 42s. twofold, which are not yet produced in
to put a stop, or nearly so, to Sunday any quantity in Japan, just about held
"work on board European vessels in the their own; the inference being that as time
"harbour, and the fee briginally fixed was goes on 16/24s. and 28/32s. will disappear
a prohibitive one, It is "thought to be "from the list of imports altogether, just as evident that it is not so, however, and if "Bombays have already doue." It would I am correct in my surmise as to the in- be 2 mistake, however, on the part" tention of the Ordinance I think the fee of bimetallists, to ascribe the falling off" should be doubled." There is no question wholly to the silver difficulty. Whatever of surmise as to the object of the Ordinance, the course of exchange might have been which is stated in the title to be "to restrict Japan would not long, after adopting West- "the loading and unloading of cargo on
Leaving the question of the trade of the port, Commander RUMSEY makes some in- teresting remarks on the Sunday Cargo Working Ordinance. It appears that 110 permits to work on Sunday were issued during the year, twenty of which were not availed of, so that the number of vessels that worked on Sunday was ninety. The amount collected in fees during the year was $13,375, nearly double what it was in 1893. "The intention of the Ordinance," says Commander RUMSEY, was, I belive, "
L4
.66
Ca
From the remarks he made
when introducing the Bill, however, Mr. WISE does not appear to have a very clear idea of the object to be effected. He said
"It is proposed to appoint a Medical Officer of Health as a member of the Sanitary Board. He will have powers of "entry, subject to the Colonial Secretary or "the President of the Sanitary Board, and
he will be, as far as I understand, inde pendent of the Sanitary Board itself "or its orders." Surely the Attorney General ought to know whether the officer is to be subject to the Sanitary Board or not; it is not a matter on which there ought to be any question of understanding. So far as can be gathered from the Bill, however, the