382
3
Rates of exchange.
Hardly any statistics of junk trade available.
2
CHINA,
TABLE of Contents-continued.
PAGE
Transit trade
5
Shipping
5
British..
5
Foreign..
5
Chinese flag and sailing vessels not seen here
6
Emigration
6
Straits and Siam passenger trade
6
Hong-Kong passenger trade..
6
Conclusion
7 to 9
British passenger steamers
Tables I, II, III, and IV
The rates of exchange which are employed in this report for the conversion into sterling of the Haikwan tael values given in the returns of the Imperial Maritime Customs are 3s. 4d. per Haikwan tael for 1896, 3s. 3¼d. for 1895, and 3s. 2¾d. for 1894. These returns furnish the only statistics of the trade of the port, and the figures given hereafter are almost entirely based upon them.
The tables appended to this report refer entirely to the trade in vessels of foreign type, as no statistics are as a rule obtainable of the considerable junk trade that is carried on at this port. The chief exception to the latter remark is that certain particulars relating to the junk trade of Hoihow, or Hainan generally, can be obtained from the customs returns of the trade of Kowloon (Hong-Kong) and Lappa (Macao).
Total values. There was a very satisfactory increase in the total trade of this port during the year under review compared with 1895; though the figures of the trade for 1894 were not reached, except in the case of exports, which were of about the same value in the two years. The net total imports from abroad amounted to £244,609 6s. 8d. in value, and from Chinese ports to £299 10s. 0d. Produce of local origin was exported to foreign countries to the value of £210,300 16s. 8d. and to Chinese ports to the value of £4,821 3s. 4d. The net total value of the trade of the port was thus £460,030 16s. 8d., the corresponding value for 1895 being £390,075 3s. 6d., and for 1894 £495,872.
Junk trade.
Imports. Foreign opium.
The total value of the goods of foreign origin brought to Hoihow by junk from Hong-Kong was only £324 in 1896, against £1,364 4s. 2d. in 1895. On the other hand, £1,605 6s. 8d. worth of foreign goods were imported from Macao in this way and £1,383 5s. 0d. worth in 1895. Junks brought to Hoihow in 1896 £1,110 6s. 8d. worth of native produce from Swatow, £606 worth from Macao, and £81 3s. 4d. worth from Hong-Kong; there were also considerable shipments by native craft from Hong-Kong and Macao to several places within the trading area of this port; including £1,800 worth of paddy and rice sent from Hong-Kong to Chikhom on the Leichow peninsula opposite this island.
There was a considerable increase in the quantity of foreign opium imported by steamer during 1896, being 435 cwts. 10 lbs., worth £31,527 6s. 8d., as compared with 388 cwts. 87 lbs. worth £28,290 8s. 4d. during 1895. This came almost entirely by way of Hong-Kong. No opium was re-exported during 1896, whereas 42 cwts. 19 lbs., worth £3,245 16s. 3d., were sent back to Hong-Kong in 1895. Besides the above, 88 cwts. 36 lbs. of foreign opium, entirely Patna, were imported into Hainan ports during 1896 by junk from Macao, the figures for 1895 being 58 cwts. 84 lbs., considerably less; but for 1894 94 cwts. 80 lbs., only a little more than in 1896. No opium was brought from Hong-Kong during any of these years. Putting the above figures together, the net import of foreign opium into the island of Hainan was 523 cwts. 46 lbs. in 1896 and 405 cwts. 40 lbs. in 1895.
No native opium was passed through the foreign customs in the year under review. I have been informed that the total import last year was about 800 cases, each weighing 48 lbs., of Yunnan, Kweichow and Kwangsi opium, and a few pounds only of Ssuch'wan opium. The last variety is said to be not liked here.
The following remarks on the various kinds of native opium on this market may be of interest.
Varieties, price, &c.
Three kinds of Yunnan opium are imported; the first in balls weighing from 4 to 8 ozs., another, also in balls, but much larger, weighing between 18 and 30 ozs., and the third in cubes, wrapped up in bamboo leaves, measuring about 3 inches by 2½ inches by 2½ inches, and weighing about 1 lb. The last kind is said to be "milder" than the others, the first kind being the one generally preferred for smoking. All three kinds cost $31 per Chinese ounce (1¼ oz. av.).
The opium which comes from Kweichow province is practically similar in all respects to the Yünnan opium.
Kwangsi opium is made up in the same way as Yunnan opium, but is a little cheaper, costing about $30 per Chinese ounce.
There is only one kind of Ssuch'wan opium imported, namely, it is very soft—like mud, the large balls weighing 40 to 66 ozs. Chinese say—and is not considered as good as the Yunnan, Kweichow and Kwangsi varieties. It costs $29 or $30 per ounce.
Chinese
Yünnan, Kweichow, and Ssuch'wan opium come here by junk from Pakhoi. Kwangsi opium comes either the same way as the others or by junk from the small ports to the north-east of the Leichow peninsula.
There is a considerable rise to be noted in the import of Kerosene. American kerosene compared with 1895, and a corresponding fall in the quantity of Russian kerosene. The import of Sumatran oil remained pretty steady. The weight of the tins in all three cases is similar, and the Russian oil is even 5 or 10 c. a tin cheaper; but the Chinese say the American oil is better, as it has a bluish colour, the Russian being reddish. They say, moreover, that the Russian tins are not so good as the American tins, and oil is frequently lost through leakage.
Besides the 634,690 gallons of kerosene shown in Table II as being imported during 1896, 1,080 gallons were brought to Hoihow, and 12,740 gallons to Tamchow, 70 miles distant, by junk from Macao.
KIUNGCHOW.
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