254
-Emil Brunckow
Yü Shi
Alfred Parker
500
Jean Charles Victor Roque
17,800 10,000 5,700 2,000
John Martin Armstrong,
12,210
Kwok Hun alias Kwok Taz Ting
Cheong Sze
Hajee Mahomed Arab......
13,000 3,200 5,960
Johann Heinrich Nicolaus Carl Gün-
ther also known as John Henry
Charles Günther
Claudio José da Silva
Mak Yun Chai......
George Fenwick
1,500 100 36,000 90,800
Georg Theodor Siemssen
123,507
John Martin..
4,700
Ip Tsoi Sing
4,300
Framji Cavusji Kika
Phoorja Mahomed Arah
7,000
Frederick Grant White
70,800
Leung Siu Tuen
1,500
Chan Ut Shang.
3,000
Ma Shew
15,000
Lee Sew Mun
3,600
John Caldwell Melroes
1,900
Wong Kit.......
5,000
Aurelio Guilherme dos Remedios.
5,500
Arthur Norman
200
James Henry Meyers
100
John Henderson
6,300
Gerald Slade.
174,000
Leung Tan Woon
George Bean Macdonell
Pang Shu-fan
George Taufer
Tang Yik Man.....
Lo Aing
David Kirkland Sliman
John Carter Jaques.
Samuel Barff....
1,900 6,000 4,10) 200 112,000 3,200 2,700 4,600 2,000 9,0
Tam Sai Tong alias Tan Pau
: Henry St. John Browne.
Lau Sai Lok
Thomas Campbell
Francisco de Paula Cembrano
Louis Haigh
Cheung A-Tai
Kaikhusbroo Rustomjee Woonwalla.
Agathon Fiedrich Woldemar Nissen..
50,5 0
24,000 6,400 17,300 27,300 94,000 3,200 120,000
THE CUSTOMS · REPORT ON THE FOREIGN TRADE OF CHIMA FOR 1897.
The report of Mr. F. E. Taylor, Statistical Secretary of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, has been issued. We give below the sections dealing with the trade in general, re- venue, and the import and export trade
GENERAL.
The value of the Foreign trade of China during 1897 might fairly have been expected to compare unfavourably with the figures for 1896. The year opened with large stocks on hand, and import business was early hampered by a falling exchange. The temporary return of confidence, brought about by steadier rates during the early summer, was soon destroyed by the phenomenal decline which commenced in July and lasted till September, bringing severe losses upon native buyers and in- volving some of them in, bankruptcy, The uneasiness caused by the startling political events in the North, combined with a scar- city of silver, partly due to the withdrawal of Japanese yen, and with the uncertainty of the course of exchange, practically put a stop to all Import business during the autumn and winter months. Notwithstanding these draw. backs, the value of imports was Hk Tls. 238,631 higher than in 1896, and as the value of exports showed an increase of over 32 million taels, the total value of Foreign trade during 1897, aggregating Hk. Tls. 366,329,983, resulted in an excess of Hk. Tls. 32,658,568 over the figures for any preceding year-a most-satisfactory proof of the sound basis upon which the Foreign commerce of China rests, and striking evidence of the expansion which will follow improved means of communication.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[April 2, 1898, Article, at Kongmoon and Kumchuk, Shiu- | the quality of the Native drug is said to be hing and Takhing, and although the trade undergoing an improvement which brings it at the last two is at present inconsiderable and more into demand. Owing to these circum- is included in the Wuchow statistics, at Kong-stances, this division of the Import trade does moon and Kumchuk the business is already not keep its place in the general advance, for sufficiently important to deserve the separate whereas in 1887 the value of the opium im- statistics which are given, and which will no ported represented over 27 per cent. of the total. doubt be found of interest.
value of the imports, in 1897 it represented less than 14 per cent.
REVENUE.
Manufacturing industries, as a natural con-
It will be seen on reference to the table of sequence of the low exchange, show continued progress. Cotton mills and silk filatures are imports that the trade in cotton piece goods increasing in number and, in most cases, giving shows, as was expected, a falling off from the satisfactory results. Establishments for pre-figures for 1896. American goods, however, serving the albumen and yolks of eggs are continue to increase in favour-drills showing flourishing at Wuhu and Chinkiang, while an improvement of over 300,000 pieces, jeans Hankow has started a match factory, and of over 15,000 pieces, and sheetings of nearly Shanghai expects the new company which | 170,000 pieces, but these are almost the only cleans feathers by machinery to have a suc exceptions to the general decline. Shirtings cessful career. The experiment of making tea of all kinds, except plain dyed, fell off: Drills, by Indian methods, which was inaugurated except American, show a heavy decrease, while at Foochow, is full of promise and is to be jeans improved. Of sheetings, except Ameri- imitated at Hankow. There is every reason to can, less were imported by over half a million believe that an era of industrial enterprise has pieces. On the whole, the year, owing to fall commenced which will have far-reaching effects in exchange and the heavy stocks carried on the trade of this country.
over from 1896, was one of the worst on record for the piece goods trade. The favour which American goods find in the Chinese market is due to their cheapness. Freights froin America are lower than from Europe, and the high prices which protection en. ables American manufacturers to obtain from consumers at home allow them to export the balance of their out turns and lay it down in this country at attractive rates. It is a strange result of protection that American manufac- turers should be able to clothe the Chinese partly at the expense of their own countrymen. The importation of inferior qualities of plain goods seems likely to cease, the products of Chinese mills gradually taking their place. Even before the erection of local cotton mills an increasing importation of cotton yarn had shown that the people perfer a home-made article in the commoner grades, and of late years importations have contained a larger proportion of finer goods. This tendency is likely to become more marked in the future, and in connexion with this subject it is in- teresting to note that while the importation of English and Indian cotton yarn fell off in 1897, that of Japanese yarn was more than doubled.
The collection of 197 exceeded that of 1896 by Hk. Tl. 162,738, the total receipts aggre- gating Hk. Tls. 22,742,104, making the year the third best on record. This result was hardly to be expected in view of the difficulties with which trade had to contend during the greater part of the year, the effects of which are shown in a decrease of Hk. Tls. 104,609 in the import duties and Hk. Tls. 82,385 in the export duties. There was also a falling off in tonnage dues of Hk. Tls. 31,666. The gain in the total arises from increased receipts under opium duty sad likin, coast trade duties, and transit dues. Foreign opium was responsible for but a small part of the increase under opium duties," but duties on the native drug increased from Hk. Tls. 505,684 to Hk. Tls. 647,666, a gain of Hk. Tls. 141,982. The continued advance in transit dues is noteworthy, due principally to the ex- tension of the system in the South. The receipts under this head were Hk. Tls. 690,871, as against | Hk. Tls. 617,067 during 1896.
FOREIGN TRADE.
All kinds of woollen piece goods, except lastings, show a decrease, while miscellaneous piece goods slightly improved.
The importation of metals show a marked decline, all classes of iron having fallen from 1,779,000 to 989,000 piculs, and mild steel from 161,430 to 11,768 piculs. Copper remained stationary, lead and tin slabs declined, while tinplates show an increase of 27,000 piculs.
In comparing the Foreign trade during 1897 with that of the proceeding year, it must be re- membered that the aggregate value of imports and exports during 1896 exceeded the total of any previous year. A further advance in the total value of the trade is to be recorded, but, as mentioned above, the improvement was princi. pally due to exports. The total value of the trade was Hk. Tls, 366,329,983, which exceeds the figures for 1896 by Hk. Tls. 32,658,568. Con- sidering how imports were checked by the low
With a decline in piece goods and metals, we exchange, this result is very encouraging. Pro- bably the most noticeable feature in the trade is have to look for increase in sundries to explain the satisfactory total of Foreign imports, and we the continued advance made by Japan, and it may
are at once struck by the astonishing progress be useful to call attention to the report of the
made in the importation of kerosene oil, the | Acting Commissioner at Shasi, who notes the
exhibition there, at the Japanese Consulate, of total increase for all kinds amounting to over samples of Japanese goods. Whether the adop-32 million gallons. American oil is finding vig. orous rivals in Russian and especially Sumatran tion by Japan of a gold standard will assist this growing trade may be open to question, but the oil. To go back three years for purposes of rapid strides which have marked the year under comparison: in 1894 the figures were-Ameri review is a significant fact when viewed in oan, 51,670,853 gallons; Russian, 17,500,283 connexion with the difficulties the depreciation gallons; Sumatran, 534,280 gallons; while in. of silver has placed in the way of imports from 1897 they were-American, 48,212,505 gallons; Russian, 36,924,125 gallons; and Sumatran, Western nations.
14,212,278 gallons. The importation of raw cotton, a significant item, jumped from 99,129 picula in 1896 to 160,256 piculs, and while European matches fell to about half the figure for the preceeding year, Japanese matches rose from 7,793,000 to 8,974,000 gross. The diminu tion in the import of rice was due to splendid harvests. Sugars of all kinds show increases, which are also specially noticeable in the case of brass buttons, window glass, and umbrellas,
IMPORTS.
The net value of the import trade exceeded that of all other years, being Hk. Tls. 202,828,625 as against Hk. Tls. 202,589,994 in 1896, which held the record. This result, in view of the difficulties with which importers had to contend, comes rather as a sur- prise. There was an increase of 287 piouls in the importation of opium, in spite of the depressing effects of low exchange and the increasing competition of the native drug, but the trade presented no features calling for remark. It may, however, be of interest to note that for The returns contain statistics from Szumao some years past the sum spent on Foreign on the Yunnan frontier, which was opened on opium has fluctuated between quite narrow the 2nd January, 1897. under the Gerard Sup-limits. Ten years ago, viz., in 1887, the value plementary Frontier Convention of 1895; but of the opium imported was Hk. Tls. 27,926,865, the trade, so far, has not been of importance. and the figure for 1897 stands at Hk. Tls. Statistics are also given of the trade at the new 27,901,056; but whereas in the former year the ports on the West River, Samshui and sum expended procured a supply of 74,350 Wachow, opened on the 5th June under the piculs the almost identical amount in 1897 Special Article of the British Treaty of 4th purchased only 49,217 picnls. The cost of February, 1897. Four ports of call on the the Foreign drug has increased since West River were opened under the same the closing of the Indian mints, and
EXPORTS.- -INTERESTING REMARKS ON THE TEA TRADE,
Low exchange is evidently causing a steady- increase in the export trade, although the scarcity and consequent dearness of copper cash is believed by many to hamper the trade in no inconsiderable degree. In spite of a further falling off in the shipments of Tea, the value of the exports exceeded that of 1896 by over 32 million taels. The year 1895 held the record with a value of Hk. Tl. 143,293,311, but 1897 has beaten this easily and stands at Hk. Tls. 163,501,358, which nearly doubles the figure for 1887, although at that time our tables included
Page 10Page 11