132
82 Your Space
will probably admit
so
that the above marvellous figures of
trade, which is not
merely
still existing but annually extending,
leave little ground for apprehending that
there is not ample
room
for future large
and remunerative Commercial transactions,
if ordinary prudence be exercised, and
that, whatever
may at present, there is
be the depression existing every legitimate
to expect that, as the business itself
not affected
in
value or
extent, it
may
hereafter be carried on with profit, though probably that profit will not be divided
among
firms
of
large
size,
but be shared by
firms of manageable size,
and therefore with smaller capital, necessitating
more
stringent economy.
83.
That the trade has been profitable
to China, which country has now a
considerable
and increasing Customs Revenue, exceeding last year two millions and a half sterling, may
be regarded
as a
fortunate circumstance,
because it must make it the interest of
that Government to be liberal in its encouragement of a commerce, which is
profitable not merely to the Imperial Exchequer but which, as Mr. Hart observes,
in his former report on the trade of 1865, had in the five preceding years left the
balance of trade in favor of China as
shown by the excess of her Exports
over
Imports, which amounted during that period
to more
than £40,000,000 sterling