611
28
In 1913-14, 11,500,000, or 72.7 per cent. of the total volume of trade, was conducted with the British Empire. This figure, however, is somewhat misleading, as it includes the imports from and exports to Singapore and Hong-Kong, which are the two great transit ports for the European and China and Japan trades respectively. The traffic with these ports must not therefore be classed as wholly British. The fairest division, perhaps, would be to allocate this trade among the various countries in the same proportion as the direct trade with these conntries is divided. This would certainly be a conservative estimate so far as the United Kingdom is concerned. Between the years 1892 and 1907 the total foreign trade of Siam increased four- fold, but from the latter year to the present time it has remained fairly stationary, with a most marked increase in 1913-14 due to a bumper rice crop. There is little doubt, however, that with the extension of more scientific methods of cultivation such as are being encouraged by the Government Department of Agriculture, and the improvement of means of communication, the exports of Siamese products will steadily expand, and the resulting prosperity of the people will be reflected in an increased itportation of manufactured goods. It must be remembered that there are no manu- facturing industries in the country, and consequently an advance in the prosperity and standard of living of the population brings about an immediate increase in the import of manufactured goods.
Import Trade.-The subjoined table gives the origin and values of imported goods during the last three pre-war years.
The figures are obtained from the last Consular Report on the country and are based on the Customs Returns.
29
Provisions consist mainly of tea, fresh vegetables, fish, spices and condiments, fruits aud flour, almost all of which are imported from China via Hongkong (433,000l.). The United Kingdom contributed 31,000l. worth, consisting mainly of biscuits; 27,000l. worth of canned milk was imported from the Netherlands. With the semi- Europeanising of the middle classes of the Kingdom, this trade may be expected to increase, and more could be done by British manufacturers in specially prepared tinned goods such as biscuits, jams, groceries, &c.
Iron, Steel and Machinery. The imports under this heading show a steady increase in consequence of the extension of the railways, and the needs of the rice mills, teak saw mills, and the small slipways and docks at Bangkok. As a result of many of the Government departments possessing British advisers, and the close con- nection of local British houses with the rice-milling and teak-preparing industries, British imports hold their own, and possess a commanding position. The following table gives the values and percentages contributed by the United Kingdom, Germany aud Belgium during the last three pre-war Siamese years.
Country,
United Kingdom Germany Belgium
m
1911-12.
1912-13.
1913-14,
Value.
Per- centage.
Value.
Per- cantage,
Value.
Per- centage.
127,458 60,961 36,615
43 20+5 12.5
£ 344,128 136,884 35.370
55 1 22
5.7
£ 255,113 98,858 37,035
50 19-4 7-3
Country.
1911-12.
1912-13.
1913-14.
United Kingdom
£ 1,361,840
£
1,551,442
839,445
400,729
£ 1,500,209 1,190,030
Singapore
Hong-Kong
662,391
108,727
1,114,112
lulia
381,443
618,529
715,391
Chius
759,592
1,149,975
673,745
Germany
362,396
426,440
509,635
United States
!21,372
151,698
220,977
Netherlands Indies
229,280
-157,560
206,655
Japan
165,420
261,946
161,114
Belgium
126,803
82,867
126,038
France -
129,918
127,033
117,192
Petroleum and sugar are principally drawn from the Netherlands Indies, silk goods from China, chemical products from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, hardware and cutlery from Germany and Austria, motor cars and carriages from the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, electrical goods and apparatus from Germany, and unprinted paper from the United Kingdom. During the three years under review there has been a steady import of treasure from China in the form of gold leaf and silver coins to redress the balance of trade against that country arising from the large shipments of rice, teak, and miscellaneous native articles.
Export Trade. The following table shows the destination and values of the export trade of Siam with the various foreign countries during the last three pre-war Siamese years.
Netherlands
77,352
84,490
108,405
Indo-China
Italy
·
Switzerland
Denmark
Austria-Hongary
Australin
62,470
67,257
70,982
Country.
1911-13.
1912–13.
1913-14.
51,081
18,827
63,019
56,923
12,231
49,125
31,057
87,127
45,585
32,960
43,017
35,047
Singapore
3,039,591
£ 2,773,846
£ 3,426,205
13,133
12,036
14,168
Hong Kong
1,941,362
1,906,649
2,854,334
Burma -
Other Countries
30,819
27,104
13,163
Netherlands
114,661
136,361
638,372
16,868
35,599
27,739
Germany
357,838
429,047
569,405
United Kingdom
263,347
285,918
446,622
Total
5,542,563
5,734,634
6,962,334
Belgium
76,102
92,155
171,153
India
205,773
151,096
150,359
Austria-Hungary
4,841
91,189
126,310
The
Netherlands, 80,000Z. Mainly bleached goods, papoons, &c. Germany, 79,000. Miscellaneous dyed and heavy fabrics.
Of the total importe in 1913--14, cotton goods are valued at 1,399,620.; provisions, 663,7371.; iron, steel and machinery, 509,5231.; gunny bags, 354,000l. ; and the balance is made up of miscellaneous articles such as silk goods, sugar, opium, chemical products, wines and spirits, tobacco, petroleum, hardware, &c., &c.
Cotton Goods. The great bulk of the cotton textiles imported are drawn from the United Kingdom, either direct (607,000.) or vid Singapore (317,000Z.) competition of other manufacturing countries is slight and consists of:--
India, 98,000. Grey goods and yarns.
Japan, 49,000. Shirtings, singlets and miscellaneous.
Switzerland, 21,000l. Turkey reds, papoons, sarongs, &c.
The ranges and assortments of goods are very similar to those prevailing in the Straits market, the principal items being grey and bleached shirtings, papoons, prints and chintzes, sarongs, slendangs, &c., &c.
Italy
Ceylon
Of the total of 8,859,000%. no less than 7,560,000., or 85 per cent., represents shipments of rice, the staple product of the country. Teak exports amount to 399,000%,
D 3
Alexandria
I14,602
Dutch possessions
112,783
35,714
92,182
Japan
25,873
11,743
45,618
22,660
11,756
36,507
33,107
34,948
35,895
France →
China
55,122
50,803
32,251
31,660
15,945
25,541
South Africa
19.115
23,254
Denmark
United States
Indo-China
Europe (ports unknown)
Other countries
33,720
31,672
12,668
7,798
13,909
11,493
17,463
7,803
8,417
27,977
13,545
6,384
41,963
53,649
31,349
Total
6,413,641
6,166,863
8,858,921