Enclosure No. 1.
Com
TRADE NOTES FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 15TH, 1927.
HONG KONG:
Compiled from various sources by the Secretary of
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
141
Clearances of piece goods are low, but there is a
little enquiry for new business which has resulted in a few
orders having been placed in Manchester for White Shirtings;
also fancy cottons and woollens; Venetians, Italians and Pain
Plains. Clearances show signs of improvement with the settle- ment of the dispute over commission between the Compradores
and the piece goods dealers. The metal market is easier, owing
to improvement in exchange.
A Chinese firm (doing business on European lines)
expresses the opinion that Chinese trade between Hong Kong and other parts of the Far East (except Shanghai) has to a great extent recovered. Business with Shanghai is especially
affected by the repercussion of the Hankow incident.
The Hong Kong, Canton & Macao Steamboat Co., Ltd., report "normal business".
SWATOW:
With the approach of Chinese New Year the usual slack-
ening-off in trade is noticeable. This year it is accentuated
by the general trade depression which has hung over Swatow and
district during the last quarter.
Imports of British goods are nil and shipping by British vessels, reduced as it was by the local boycott of
Northern charters, is now suffering still further by reason
of the elimination of the River ports due to the Yangtsze
affair.
"Singapore steamers are doing well from Swatow, both
in passengers and cargo", says another report, "but the pro-
hibition of imports by British steamers is still effective".