256
Mr. Sundins, H.B.M.'s Consul at Amoy, in his annual report writes:--
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE TRADE OF AMOY FOR 1908, firms, British and others, have approached them with a view to placing orders for bridge material, rolling-stock, &c. All have met with an apparently favourable reception, but so far directors have not pledged themselves to any definite contract. The inference is that the capital required for such purchases is not forthcoming, There is no doubt that this rail- way will be constructed before long. There is one very important bridge, some 300 yards in length, which, from the nature of the bed of the river which it crosses, will have to have very deep and solid foundations. This will call for the best material and workmanship.
Gross and net trade. The gross trade of Amoy decreased in value from 3,060,9421. in 1907 to 2,516,1277. in 1908, and the net trade from 2,870,9197. in 1907 to 2,387,9151. in 1908. But the sterling figures are mislead- ing, as there was a small increase in both the gross and net trade, when expressed in taels. Shipping-In shipping it is pleasing to record a continued advance in the figures of British shipping, not only in numbers and tonnage of sea-going vessels, but in value of cargo. The Japanese ships of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha have been running at a heavy loss, partly owing to the boycott and partly owing to the gradual progress made by the Chinese flag. The following table shows the percentage of values carried in sea-going
ships
British
Flag.
Japanese..
Chinese German Other flags
Imports. Exports. Total. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent,
61.48
69.01
18.22
12.80
7.76
6.63.
3.28
15.81
2.67 2.34
67.68 17 28 7.56 2.78 4.70
The diminution in the number of foreign. owned inland water launches is to be noted, the cause being the exercise of greater care in the issue of foreign registers by the respective Consuls. The one important exception is the Spanish flag, the number of launches flying which has nearly doubled.
Imports. The total value of foreign goods imported into Amoy in 1908 was 1,445,060l., of which 95,1931. worth was re-exported, making the net value of the foreign imports 1,349,8671, a big decrease on 1907. Articles of native produce were imported to the value of 836,0861., of which 33,0191. worth was re-exported, leaving a net import of native goods of 803,0671., a 50 per cent. increase on 1907. The import of kerosene oil continues to advance very satis. factorily, American being 77 per cent. above that of 1907 and Borneo 38 per cent. Sumatra oil shows a falling-off, owing to a large ship- ment having been delivered at the end of 1907. All other items, with the exception of grey shirtings and Turkey-reds, which show a slight increase, are either stationary or on the down- ward track.
Exports. The district tapped by Amoy pro-- duces very little of any value. The value of the local exports in 1908 was 234,9811. as against 457,2097. in 1907.
Trade under transit pass.-The value of goods sent inland under transit pass continues to decrease rapidly, as evidenced by the following figures:
1905 1906
£
1907. 1908
£
£
£ Inward 234,075 248,926 168,861 80,491 Outward 45,073 36,260 39,208 24,327
Total 279,148 285,186 208,069 104,818 Emigration. The following table gives the number of emigrants from Amoy to the Straits Settlements and Kangoon during 1908. The number was affected by the fact that cholera made its appearance in Amoy in July, and quarantine was declared at Singapore against vessels proceeding from this port
•
1907.
1908
A project for lighting Amoy by electricity has been mooted for some time, but has not yet assumed any concrete form, probably owing to want of capital. Other projected schemes are. the working of coal mines at Changchou as soon as the railway reaches that place, the dredging of the Changchou River, and the establishment of a porcelain factory on Quemoy Island. During the year under review a tele- phone service was established in Amoy City, and it is proposed to link up the system with that of Kulangsu by a submarine cable across the harbour.
General observations.-With the exception of opium, cotton, yarn, mineral oils and a small quantity of piece-goods, the trade of Amoy is entirely in the hands of Chinese and Japanese. The improvement of the harbour at Keelung in Formosa, and the consequent diversion of the tea trade from Amoy has been a severe blow to the European firms at this port. In 1908 of 446,000 half-chests of tea only 600 were transhipped at Amoy, the vast majority being shipped direct from Formosa to the United States. In former days every package would have passed through the hands of the merchants and shippers of this port. Firms/which used to ship their tea by thousands of half-chests are now reduced to a meagre export of jonquil bulbs, which now constitute the most important item of the export list, although the amounts are not shown in the customs returns. Firms which had no shipping or banking business to supplement their particular trade have dropped out; all have had to reduce their establishments, and it is lamentable to those who knew Amoy in the days of its prosperity to see how house after house is passing into native hands. The one chance of rehabilitation lies in the possibilities of the port, the best harbour on the coast, being
selected as the southern base of the Chinese navy. This has been in contemplation for some years. Should the idea materialise, extensive harbour works, such as docks, wharves, tidal basins, &c. would become necessary, the materials for which the Chinese would not be able to produce them selves, even if they were in a position to undertake the engineering work involved.
"CHINA FOR THE CHINESE."
ADVOCATES OF HOME DEVELOPMENT.
The trend of public opinion in China is well described by Mr. Consul-General Fraser in his report on the trade of Hankow for 1908.
.
The development of local industries in the three cities of Hankow, Hanyang, and Wuchang (he states) slackened in 1908, more than one of the new factories having to shut down and several becoming bankrupt. Yet there was no lack of fresh schemes to compete with alien im ports, and so to check the draining away of China's wealth, which all classes, educated or
Flag. Vessels. Pass'gers. Vessels. Pass'gers. uneducated, firmly believe to be the result of
51 44,212
British
German
Dutch
63
12
15
58,356 10,656 9,094
90
78,106
10. 6,839 3 1,571
Total
64 52,622 The addition of the States of Kedah, Kelantan and Trengganu, all practically undeveloped, to the Federated Malay States coupled with the unexampled advance in the price of plantation rubber, will probably create a considerably increased demand for Chinese labour in those parts. Amoy, being the chief source of such labour, should reap some benefit.
Openings for British trade. The railway which is to connect Amoy with the manufac- turing centre of Southern Fukien, Changchou Fu, has made very little progress. The directors have not yet decided to invite tenders for any of the necessary plant, but several
con-
international trade, just as they are convinced that the rise in prices which culminated recently in a financial panic in most of the leading ports, is entirely due to the burden of the Boxer in demnity. This antagonism towards foreign trade is likely to develop with the progress of stitutional government," as the local representa tive councils will be filled with the loudest advocates of "China for the Chinese" and the rules for membership expressly exclude native teachers and graduates of missions and mission ary colleges.
[September 18, 1909.
foreign imports for the encouragement of home industries, and to establish naval and military forces in order to defy all outside interference. This policy is held enthusiatically by the students trained in Japan and the teachers in ́ the new schools; it is preached in the public lecture halls maintained by the provincial governments in their chief cities, and it has the approval of the semi-official Chambers of Com- merce, which in this region at least are growing rapidly in influence and power, and to which the local officials more and more delegate the settlement of mercantile cases disputes.
İ
and trade
The financial crisis of the autumn gave the death blow to the comfortable theory of the good faith of Chinese dealers and compradores. Whether it be that the multiplication of foreign hongs, not always well capitalised, has led to a lower stamp of men being employed as compradores, or that the wider spread of in- formation has taught the native dealer to put his own immediate interest first, the fact remains that nowadays the Chinese dealer show little scruple in seeking excuses for evading market goes against contracts when the him, while
compradore до longer communicate to feels any obligation to his employer information detrimental to his own interests. In addition the compradore of to-day takes expert advice on the terms of his engagement so as to ensure that there is no undue risk or obligation cast upon him, while the dealer, with the aid of his guild and of his and foreign acquaintance with exchange markets, drives the hardest possible bargain, and is rarely found willing to meet losses.
the
A favourite proposal for meeting the changed conditions of trade is the study of Chinese in order to enable the foreign merchant and his staff to contract directly with the native. This might obviate doubt regarding the terms of a contract, but it would not be any guarantee of the standing and credit of the native dealer and of the native bank whose order he tenders in payment, nor would ability to speak and read the language avail against a custom, such as was lately found to prevail in Hankow, by which native banks issued promissory notes for sums their customers promised to pay in before the notes fell due, and on failure of the customer to pay in the amount refused to take up their own unconditional promissory notes when presented by innocent foreign holders for value.
So long as Chinese banks can issue notes to unlimited amounts and their accounts are sub- ject to no audit, and so long as the above custom of lending their credit obtains, it will remain necessary for foreign firms to have compradores well-secured and directly responsible for the failure of native banks and dealers to meet their obligations. And so long as any foreigners do not insist on being thus safeguarded so long will healthy trade development be endangered.
In Hankow the Japanese, relying on their racial advantages, have carried direct dealing and personal pushing of wares in the country districts to an extent beyond the power of any other foreigners, and they have even entered into competition with the native petty traders and peddlars, but it is open to question whether the results have been at all commensurate with their exertions.
THE JAPANESE MILITARY MANŒUVRES.
PLAN OF OPERATIONS.
We learn that the military forces which will take part in the coming autumn manoeuvres to be held in the North-East are the 2nd, 7th, 8th, 13th, and 14th Army Divisions, besides a reserve bridade to be formed by the 2nd Army Division. The plan of the manoeuvres this year has been changed at the suggestion of the War Office. It was pointed out that the Japanese Army has been well-trained in operations in hilly districts and that if the com- ing manoeuvres were carried out on the same plan as before, it would be merely a repetition of operations with which the troops are already It should never be forgotten that the out-well acquainted. It has consequently been spoken policy of the native press is to recover decided to so amend the plan of operations as to the rights of which the foreign treaties have in include fighting on the plains, and the neigh- their opinion robbed China, to abolish extra-bourhood of Nasunohara has been selected as a territoriality and the alien management of suitable point. The coming manoeuvres will be customs and postal services, to revise the tariff on the largest scale ever held in Japan.-Japan so as to lighten export duties and to penalise' Chronicle,