5
283
Textiles.
Yarn.
Gunny bags.
Opium.
Oil.
+
Tea, tobacco, paper, pottery, and joss-sticks.
Origin of imports.
Exports.
Rice.
4
deltas. The total production of these two countries was in 1901 some 3 million tons, of which about one quarter was exported. Of the total production Cochin China accounted for about two-thirds, and for about five-sixths of the amount exported. The increase in production became most marked in 1897 and 1898, and has been well maintained since, the average for the last five years being more than 60 per cent. above that for the previous five years. There is still a large area in country that has not yet been brought under cultivation, so that a considerable expansion in this branch of agriculture may be expected. The average annual addition to the area under cultivation during the past three years has been in Cochin China alone over 90,000 acres.
The chief items in this class were textiles, oil, Indian yarn, and opium, Chinese tea, tobacco, and pottery.
Textiles were valued at 2,000,000l., of which France's share was three-fifths. The increase began in 1899, the importation trebling in the three years since. Shirtings (white, dyed, and unbleached) constituted the bulk of the cotton goods, and it is noteworthy that whereas in the period 1893-1896 the average yearly import from abroad was 1,900 tons against 1,500 tons from France, in 1901 out of a total import of 5,627 tons less than 300 tons came from foreign countries. France practically monopolized the trade, a result due to the Tariff, and a pretty distinct indication of the fate that awaits the large British cotton trade in the southern provinces of China if these should ever pass under the dominion of France.
Yarn (nearly all Indian) was imported to the value of 350,000l., a decrease of about 50 per cent., which was brought about by the competition of the local mills. With the development of the cotton industry in Tonquin, and the handicap of a heavy duty, it is to be feared that this article will find an ever-diminishing sale.
Gunny bags, 200,000l., which are included under the head textiles, come from India, and have been imported in greatly increased quantities during the last few years to meet the demand caused by the growing export of agricultural produce. They are used principally for sacking rice and pepper.
Indian opium, 150,000l., is mostly consumed in Cochin China and Cambodia, Yunnan supplying almost entirely the needs of Tonquin. There was a very large increase in 1895, probably due to stricter Customs surveillance, and a further increase in 1900. As the Yunnan article is cheaper, and its sale is likely to be encouraged by the Government, which has a monopoly of opium, and for political reasons is anxious to promote trade with the neighbouring Chinese provinces, it will probably in the near future displace the Indian drug to a great extent.
Oil (pétrole) was imported to the amount of 30,000 tons. There was an increase during the second period of nearly 50 per cent. over the first, due to a larger consumption in Tonquin and Annam, which took nearly one-third of the whole.
Chinese tea and tobacco were valued at about 250,000l.; the importation began to increase in 1894, and nearly doubled in 1900. The trade in paper, pottery, joss-sticks, and other articles from China, seems also to be expanding.
The half a million or so still unaccounted for is represented by miscellaneous articles of all descriptions destined for both native and foreign consumption.
Of the total imports of just over 8,000,000 nearly one-half came from France, and the remaining half may be roughly divided between other countries as follows:
Million £.
Europe and America..
China
India
Other countries in the East
France £ 4,000,000 Europe 220,000 Burmah and Siam 200,000 China and Japan 640,000 Singapore 530,000* Hong Kong 2,680,000** Other countries 23,000 Total 8,420,000* Mostly transit business.
+ Does not include some 900,000l., worth of goods for Yunnan.
It is interesting to note that Indo-China ranks second among rice exporting countries with an export of over 900,000 tons, which is three-fifths of that from Burmah and about double that from Bangkok (which presumably means Siam).
The other chief articles of export are as follows:
Animals £ 70,000 Largely to Hong Kong (? for China). Hides 40,000 France. Silk, raw 70,000 Hong Kong. Pepper 190,000 France, Almonds and cardamoms 75,000 Hong Kong, Sugar 70,000 France. Rubber 70,000 Aniseed oil 50,000 Hong Kong. 20,000 China. 30,000 Gum lacquer 65,000 Hong Kong. Lacquer oil 90,000 Cotton, ginned Matting Hong Kong.It might be interesting to enter into a detailed account of the production of these articles, but as to do so would swell this Report to an immoderate size, the following brief comments must suffice.
Other leading articles of export.
There has been a steady and healthy increase all round since 1896, but no article showed any very notable development except perhaps pepper and coal, which nearly doubled in the second period, india-rubber (caoutchouc), which did not appear in the list at all before 1897, and matting. The further development of pepper is likely to be checked by the recent law limiting the quantity on which abatement of duty may be claimed on importation into France, but the others give promise of continued expansion.
The output of the Hongay mines in 1902 was 300,000 tons, and of the Nongson mines (near Tourane) 25,000 tons. The Hongay coal when mixed with about 20 per cent. of Japanese is reported on very favourably by shipmasters, and seems to obtain a ready sale in Hong Kong, and has even found its way to Singapore. The product of the Nongson mines is said to be of a better quality, and has been used with success instead of Japanese for mixing with that mined at Hongay. The Kebao mines have hitherto proved a failure, but the recent report of an expert is not unfavourable, and it is possible that they may be reopened with better results. Coal of a good quality is also found near Yenbay, on the Red River, and will probably be worked when the communications are improved. There is likely to be a rapid increase in production under the stimulus of the growing requirements of the local railways and factories.
The prospects for silk, tea, sugar, essential oils, and also perhaps for tobacco and cotton, appear to be good. In some instances, e.g., silk, export has been checked by increased local consumption following on the greater prosperity of the native population. The production of cotton seems to be stationary or even retrograde, and although there is a large area suitable for its cultivation, it is not likely to grow much without the help of foreign capital and foreign supervision, which however will probably not be wanting when the cotton industry, now in its infancy, is firmly established. The Cambodian cotton is said to be of exceptionally good quality, fetching considerably higher prices than Indian, but that produced in other parts of the country has too short a staple and is only used in the mills in combination with the imported articles.
Salt, of which considerable quantities are produced in Annam, is an article that may become of importance in the trade with Yunnan when the prohibition of its import is, as it no doubt will be in the not distant future, removed.
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