HONG KONG, 1901.
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II.-TRADE, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE AND LAND.
(A.) TRADE AND SHIPPING.
The following table shows the principal articles of import in the year 1901 in vessels of European construction, compared with similar returns for 1900. The figures represent the tonnage:-
Articles. 1900. 1901. Increase. Decrease. Beans 560 1,290 730 Coal 1,045,812 917,144 128,668 Cotton yarn and cotton 19,993 14,423 5,570 Flour 154,111 145,287 8,824 Hemp 54,105 31,195 22,910 Kerosine (bulk) 64,732 70,723 5,991 (case) 69,979 77,977 7,998 Liquid fuel 2,759 3,973 1,214 Lead 2,350 260 2,090 Opium 3,194 2,872 322 Rattan 10,201 3,488 6,713 Rice 673,029 618,780 54,249 Sandalwood 3,811 5,272 1,461 Sulphur 22 55 33 Sugar 38,863 41,291 2,428 Tea 6,393 4,920 1,473 Timber General .. 82,311 66,860 15,451 Total Transit 1,172,094 1,278,619 106,525 3,604,322 3,480,987 123,335 2,143,749 2,134,585 9,164 Grand Total 5,748,071 5,615,572 132,499 Nett 258,864There was a considerable decrease in coal imports as compared with 1900, but the amount imported in 1900 was far above the average. The coal imports for 1898, also, were stated to have been abnormally large, but the returns for last year show an increase as compared with that year of nearly 100,000 tons.
The principal features to be remarked in the reported trade of the Port for the year 1901 are:
(1.) A decrease in the coal imports of 12.3 per cent.
(2.) A decrease in the cotton imports of 27.8 per cent.
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