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CHINA'S FOREIGN TRADE IN 1900.
(Daily Press, 21st July.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Mr. F. E. TAYLOR's report on the foreign trade of China in 1900, just published at Shanghai by order of the Inspectorate Gen. eral of Imperial Maritime Customs, deals with the results of a most exceptional year in the history of China. Yet after a perusal of the report one is surprised at the small general effect of the upheaval last year. This was due to a variety of circumstances. "The great expansion of China's foreign trade, shown by the statistics for 1899, was continued during the first half of 1900," Mr. TAYLOR says, "but the distur- bances in the North, which became serious in June, not only stopped for a time all "trade at Newchwang and Tientsin, but naturally had a depressing effect through 'the ports." The idea of the possible success of the Boxer movement, he goes on to say, was accepted only by a limited party in Peking and by certain northern provincial officials; elsewhere it was fortunately re ceived with scepticism. A rebellion in the South was promptly suppressed, though not before it had disturbed trade. The tran- quillity of the Yangtze Valley was remark- able. That trade was not more ruin.usly impeded, always excepting the area of hostilities, during a year which was so 'exceptionally trying to merchants, and so 'full of unrest for the populace," the report continues, shows its vitality and how quickly it will revive when peace is "restored." This is a reassuring statement, and could we but feel any certainty as to the progress of pacification up North we might well derive considerable encourge. ment from it.
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railways are built we shall see a great advance in the trade, not only because goods will penetrate further, but because a large proportion of the capital used in "construction will be spent by the Chinese on foreign goods, to be paid for eventually by exports."
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Turning then to exports, Mr. TAYLOR shows how China has been able to spend more on her imports. Bristles, fans, feathers, hemp, hides, ma's and mitting, oils, rhubarb, sesamum, skins, tobacco and wool are all progressing trades, he states. is checked by disease among the worms. Silk
Black tea has fallen away, green tea is stationary, while brick tea has improved. There is every reason to expect a continued expansion of the trade in "sundries," even supposing the tea and silk export trades receive no encouragement. The low ex- change has stimulated exports, the foreign buyer being able to pay more silver to the Chinese seller and at the same time to obtain more goods for an equal amount of sterling.
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Mr. TAYLOR's introductory remarks un der the heading Forein Trade may be quoted in their entirety.
He says:
One would naturally have expected a disastrous com- "mercial panic with heavy failures; but the year has been, generally speaking, a fairly good though anxious one. Trade was 80 brisk during the first six months and "revived so strongly towards the close that, contrary to all expectations, the value of the foreign trade was well up to the average of late years, although naturally falling short of such an exceptional year "as 1899. At Newchwang such astonishing progress was shown previous to the disturbances that a rapid recovery may be looked for. Tientsin may possibly be adversely affected for some little time, but it is just as likely that the profits of "the military occupation and the wide distribution of hoarded wealth which has taken place will lead to an early increase of trade there. Personal experience is more persuasive than advice, and the "Chinese Government will probably be more disposed to regard with favour the extension of railways since the arduous 'journey of the Court to Hsian, to which place supplies came very slowly and suffered considerably in bulk on the road. Famine, too, has come under their im- "mediate notice, and the people were perishing around them without hope of the relief which railways could have brought. Whatever changes may result from the events of 1900, whatever read- justments may take place in the share of the trade taken by each country, confidently expected that the foreign commerce of China, as a whole, will "continue the expansion which Was RO
marked in 1899.
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The close of the decade, Mr. TAYLOR observes, offers a convenient opportunity for a general view of the progress of trade, and he accordingly gives in tabular form the annual quantities of some of the principal articles imported during the years 1891-1900. The record he finds not altogether satisfactory. Neither in cotton piece goods, woollen goods or metals has growth been shown. On the other hand, flour, kerosene, matches and soap are imported in much larger quantities every year, the first and last named reaching their record figures last year. In heavy cotton goods Mr. TAYLOR notes the expansion of American manufactures at the expense of British, which, he says, is natural and must be expected to continue, America being an exporter under favourable conditions. Lancashire goods, however, hold their own surprisingly well still. Indian, Japanese and local wills meet the demand for coarse yarn, to the detriment of British yarns. By a table giving the value in silver of foreign imports to each port during 1890- 1900, Mr. TAYLOR shows that, though the Under Shipping, it is to be noted that of trade has not doubled in bulk, the Chinese a total tonnage, entries and clearances, of are very ready to purchase, even at | 40,807,000 tons, Great Britain contributed enhanced prices, foreign goods which have 56 per cent., China 19, Germany 10, Japan once found favour. The actual quantities | 2, Sweden and Norway, Russia, and America imported show a less satisfactory result | each 1 per cent. than might be gathered from the enormous An enormous import of silver is recorded apparent increase in the value of trade, and | in 1900, in the shape of British, French and Mr. TAYLOR therefore, for purposes of Mexican dollars brought in by the troops, comparison, converts the silver figures Dollars are said to be ousting sycee in into sterling at the average rate of Manchuria, and the same may happen in exchange for each year. From this he Chibli. The gold export, principally from deduces : There has been an increase, Manchuria, was checked by the war while “and the Chinese are gradually purchasing large quantities of gold coins, chiefly from more foreign goods, and they are demand. Japan, were imported and bought freely by ing a better class of cotton goods; but the Chinese on account of the case of car. the table seems to show that, owing to riage in a time of suspense. With more defective means of communication and attention to an uniform standard of purity the cost of carriage, each port supplies in the Chinese dollar the confidence of the -“ only a restricted district.
When ' people, at present lacking, may be gained.
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(July 29, 1901.
Mr. TAYLOR Concludes by giving the esti- mated value of the foreign import and export trade, exclusive of bullion, in the year 1900, which works out thus: -Imports, value at moment of landing, Hk. Tls. 185,870,551 ; exports, value at moment of shipment, Hk. Tls. 176,680,221. In 1899, it may be seen from the report for that year, the figures were:-Imports, Hk. Tls. 233,953,853; ex- ports, Hk. Tls. 217,610,004. A comparison of these totals and of those of the preceding years seems fully to justify Mr. TAYLOR'S optimistic expectations.
THE COURT AND PEKING.
to
(Daily Press, 22nd July.) The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, nor the leopard his spots; neither can the Chi- nese official surrender his prejudices. Signs of this are abundant. You may compel him to adopt other habits, other customs for the moment whilst abroad, but once back again in the Celestial Empire he promptly returns his wallow. If foreigners imagine that a new era, with new manners and different customs, will dawn for Peking on the return of the wandering Chinese Court, then are they vastly mistaken. Little will be changed: some buildings will be erected for others which had the merit of comparative antiquity, but nothing else; some Boards or officials will take the place of others, who have perhaps quitted the scene altogether. But on the whole, after a more or less superficial sweeping and garnishing, the spirit of Celestial stagnation will take quiet possession of the capital and district, with the result that the same methods will prevail, the same apathy govern, and the same dislike to innovation inspire the ruling powers. Already there are indications of this, in the repugnance of the Empress Dowager to allow the Court to return to Peking until the invading batta- lions of foreign troops have removed from the capital. A further proof of this hatred of change and dread of publicity is afforded in a recent Imperial order tele- graphed to the Peace Plenipotentiaries, Prince CHING and LA HUNG-CHANG, from Hsianfu. A translation of this interesting document, given by our Shanghai morning contemporary, is to the following effect :- You are hereby commanded to protest with all your strength to the Ministers of the Foreign Powers against the construc- tion of forts within the area apportioned "for the various Legations and closely threatening the Forbidden City.' Try your best to make some sort of arrange- "ment to prevent such a step. As for the proposed retention of some Foreign troops "to act as railway guards for the North
·China railways, you are required to "arrange for the retention of a strong force for the purpose of suppressing any disor- ders on the line. The railway terminus "must be established outside the walls of the capital; railway carriages must not be permitted to steam straight into Peking, for the sake of the dignity of the place."
The presence of a garrison of any kind is still as objectionable as ever to the Empress Dowager, and the erection of forts behind which they could seek refuge, if attacked, obviously a sore point with Her Majesty. Why this should be, it is difficult to reconcile with a genuine desire for the restoration of friendly relations with the Powers. It might have been supposed that, after the Foreign Ministers had had so narrow an escape of being massacred and of the Legations being torn down over their heads, the Chinese Government would have ❘ been only too ready to agree to any reason- able precaution that would have the effect
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