260
this market at about the equivalent of current values here, but four small purchases of standard 3-yard sheetings are also reported at 11/4 cif. for April to July shipment, which at 2/6 exchange lays down at about Tis. 4.85 against current quotations of Tis. 4.09 here to-day. Cotton showed signs of strength in the earlier part of the week advancing to 5.82d. for American, but has since declined' to 5,63d. Some authorities express the opinion that there will be a reaction from the present decline as May approaches, and that while good cotton will probably be scarce towards June and July. owing to dull trade, the market will be affected more than is generally the case by reports of the new season's crop. Local cotton is remarkably firm when the absence of Japanese demand is taken into account; notwithstanding official proclamations much of the crop not on offer is dainaged by excessive moisture, with which it is adulterated by the countrymen,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The
being very marked, being already as much as during the first seven months of last year. Native Cotton keeps quiet but steady. Proposed lottery soheme by which the Japanese manufacturers hoped to increase the sale of their Yarns in China is now practically doomed, and we must commend the able report the Japanese Consul General at this Port addressed to his Government on the subject, pointing out the indignity of resorting to such measures for the promotion of trade. The business of the "week makes a very poor showing, but contrary to all expectation prices at the Auction this morning were relatively much better than those paid yesterday, in not a few instances an improvement being obtained on last week's rates, but almost entirely in the staple makes.
MISCELLANEOUS EXPORTS.
HANKOW, 1st April, 1908.—' The prices quoted are for the net shipping weight excluding cost of packing for export:- Cowhides, Best selected
Do. Seconds
Per picul ...Tls. 30.25 26.25 23,00
Buffalo hides, Best selected Goatskins, untanned, chiefly white
colour,.
Buffalo Horns, average 3 lbs, each White China Grass, Wuchang and/or
Poochi.....
37
J
21
WhiteChinaGrass, Sinshan and/or Chayu,, Green China Grass, Szechuan Jute...
White Vegetable Tallow, Kinchow White Vegetable Tallow, Pingchew
and/or Macheng
White Vegetable Tallow, Mongyu Green Vegetable Tallow, Kiyu..
Animal Tallow Gallnuts, usual shape Gallnuts, plum do. Tobacco, Tingchow. Tobacco, Wongkong. Turmeric
Sesamum Seed
40.00
8.40
33
"
10.50
">
10.40
10.30 15.30 17.60
71
5.50
Messrs. Noel, Murray & Co.'s latest Piece Goods Report from Shanghai, date 10th April, states:- The Liverpool Cotton market, which has remained fairly steady throughout the interval, has sudden- ly dropped ten points at the close, the quotation for Mid-American coming this morning 5.63d. The last price received for "futures was 5.30d., also a drop of ten points. This steadiness of the Cotton market during the interval has kept Manufacturers at home from making further concessions, and gave a faint ray of hope to holders here, but the sudden decline will fill them with misgivings again, especially as telegrams are being received deprecating buying at present. It is very trying to trade to have to abstain from fresh transactions in face of the ever increasing expenses of maintenance here, but it is the only safe thing to do during this dangerous spell of uncertainty regarding the immediate future course of such important factors as the raw staple and sterling Exchange, not to mention the political unrest, not only of this country at large, but the ever increasing complications with other Powers. This same feeling of unrest, however, seems to be on the simmer all over the world, and a general sense of suspicion of one another's intentions is now pervading all nations. If this depression in trade were confined to China alone some local remedies might be sought for, but unfortunately it is apparently universal and would seem to imply the early advent of some important economic revolution. Never before has such utter stagnation been known here. The year of the Boxer troubles does not approach it, and, besides, then there was some tangible reason; now there is none. The natives here who are interested in this trade are quite as much at a loss to account for the falling off in demand for imported articles as are the Foreign Importers. The depreciation of Copper Cash is their one and only real explanation. The labouring classes who, after all, are the largest consumers, and re- ceive their wages in that form, have to pay 20 to 25 per cent more as the equivalent of the Silver price of imported commodities, and are therefore abstaining as much as possible from investing in new garments, etc., being encouraged in this course by the news, that has no doubt penetrated far and wide, of the lower prices now ruling in Prices in New York are the producing centres. still keeping well over the equivalent of those ruling here. Cotton on that market dropped to For Barcelona: caisses soieries, 2 echons.
|
Sesamum Seed Oil Wood Oil.. Tea Oil
FROM HONGKONG
8.30
Per P. & O. str. Delhi, sailed on 4th April, 1908, For Hambury:-19 cases cigars. For Manchester: -142 bales waste silk. For: Gibraltar: -1 case silk piece goods, 16 cases cigars, 2 cases curios. For Lyons:-158 bales raw silk. For Milan:-80 bales raw silk. For Marseilles-10 cases cigars, 170 bales raw silk, 1 case feather, 1 case silk embroideries. For London:-12 packages tea, 1 case furs, 6 cases silk, 165 bales waste silk, 152 bales raw silk, 31 cases cigare, 36 cases private effects.
Per M. M. steamer Tourane, sailed on 14th For Marseilles:-262 balles soie, April, 1908. 82 balles dichets de soie, 17 caisses porcelaine, 3 caisses soieries, 6 caisses plumes, 3 caisses fleurs, 14 caisses chapeaux, 50 caisses ess. ilang lang For Tamatave:-20 caisses provisions.
For Milan:-10 balles soie. For Trieste: -50 bales dichets de soie. For Havre-70 colis thé.
nattes. For Manchester:-75 halles dichets de soie. For Lyon:-278 balles soie:
A Ta
Per P. & O. s.8. Borneo, sailed on 8th April, 1903. For Liverpool:-1,500 bales hemp. For Manchester: 50 bales waste silk. For Marseilles: -20 cases cigars, 4 bales human hair, 50 bales galangal, 12 bales, merchandise. For London:--150 cases camphor, 2,606 bales hemp, 100 rolls matting, 2 cases copperware, 62 cases chinaware, 24 cases woodware, 202 cases canes, 19 cases personal effects, 50 bales merchandise, 20 bales morchandise, I case hats, 2 packages rattan- ware, 100 casks ginger.
9.39 cents for July but has recovered to 9.43 cents according to telegrams received to-day. The Cargoos carried by the first steamers to New- chwang this season are still unpublished by the Customs. It is reported that goods are moving off from there with more freedom, and according to one foreign authority, who has been recently travelling in Manchuria, the great complaint amongst the Natives was that they were forced to buy Japanese cloths as no American goods ware obtainable. It is unfortunate that a controversy has arisen concerning the building of further railways in Manchuria to assist in developing the trade of that vast Province, as well as Mongolia, but it seems more than likely that the opponents thereto may have cause to regret their opposition before long. There is very little demand from Tientsin, but we assured that stocks there are being gradually worked off. It will be some time yet before this market can feel any benefit from a diminution of the direct import trade to that Port. Chefoo and Kinochow are doing a steady trade and Ningpo is looking up. The River trade is fair, but there is some congestion above Hankow owing to a lack of water. The Yarn market Exports.
arc
THE TRADE OF JAPAN.
The returns of the Foreign Trade of Yokohama to 20th March are as follows:-
has been quiet but steady and deliveries still | Imports. continue satisfactory for all spinnings, the large
increase in the export of local Yarns this year Excess in Exporte
Total from 1st Jan. to 20th March, 1908. Yen. 39,418,931
35,150,497
4,268,434
[April 18, 1908
The Foreign Trade of Nine Open Ports includ- ing Yokohama was:
Total from 1st
Exports..
Imports
Excess in Imports
YOKOHAMA.
Jan. to 20th March, 1908. Yen.
3
88,680,000 106,294,000
22,614,000
From the Yokohama Foreign Board of Trade Report:-
Cotton Yarns. The position remains as last reported; falues are ruling very low, and there is no new business in report.
Cotton Piece Goods.-The reduced prices have resulted in a few small lots of Grey Frinters and August- White Shirtings being taken for September arrival. All other Cotton textiles remain neglected and quotations are quite nominal.
Woollens and Woollen Mixtures.-The market remains very much depressed, but some demand has appeared in the Tokyo market for Serges. Old accumulations are moving off slowly,
Textiles Generally. The general feeling is that prices are on the down grade, consequently buyers are not disposed to commit themselves at present.
Faw Cotton. The market still remains lifeless. Rice.-Rangoon has remained firm, but Saigon. has a tendency to weakness. Purchases of the former are reported at Yea 5.70 and the latter at Yen 5.05 per picul c.i.f. cam duty.
Metals. No business to report since last Circular, but deliveries of goods arriving are satisfactory.
Window Glass.-The situation is unchanged, there being little or no business doing.
Kerosene Oil No change. Arrivals and deliveries for the second half of March show: Standard Oil Co., arrivals nil; deliveries 88,200 cases. Rising Sun Petroleum Co., arrivals 75,000 cases, deliveries 39,500 cases, The steamer Pinna
has arrival from Astoria with California Crude for the Nanboku Petroleum Co.
Sugar. The same as last reported. Flour.Market still very dull and but little enquiry. Present stocks held in Yokohama and Tokyo are between 150,000 and 200,000 sacks.
Wheat-Owing to the continued dulness of the four market, mills are not placing any fresh business. There is about 15,000 tons of White Walla Walla at present held in Tokyo.
BILK.
Raw Silk-The downward course of prices con- tiuues, and at the close our market is very weak. Total Settlements from 1st July, 1907, to 29th March, 1908, (including 37,566 bales, shipments by Japanese firm), compared last season 37,718 hales,
81,120 piculs.
Against corresponding period-
Season 1906-1907
"
ور
1905-1906 1901-1905
84,210 piculs.
64,230
86,290
+1
The Stock in Yokohama on the 30th March, was 15,780 piculs.
Waste Silk. Since last report purchases for export have been practically confined to Kibizzos. Export for inferior material quotations are un- changed. Settlements from March 2nd to March 29th, 4,500 piculs. Total Settlements from July 1st to March 29th, 23,400 piculs. Stock on March 30th is estimated at 16,000 piculs.
Habutai. Since last report quotations for Kanzawa have still futher declined, and the quality of the production has deteriorated to a remarkable extent. There have been considerable enquiries for narrow goods for Europe, but American buyers have only been interested in 27 inch. Prices for high-class Echizen goods, which are extremely scarce, have been fairly well maintained, though the prices for inferior goods, of which there is a considerable quantity on the market, has declined considerably. The demand. from abroad has been very limited. Prices for Kawamata have remained much firmer during the last fortnight, and all 20in. have been much in demand, prices for which have been out of all proportion to other widths. The production during the past month in Kawamata has declined from 28000 to 11,000 pieces.
GENERAL EXPORTS.
Copper: Nothing doing though the home markets show a little improvement.
Fish Oil.-Markets dull, no business to report.
TEA
Total settlements at Yokohama from May lat to March 30th amount to 101,899 picule, against 104,300 piculs at the corresponding date last year.