Page
considerable quantity of coal passes through Hongkong in transit, and many vessels on the home run at Singapore, &c. This may be due in part to the fear of detention in Hongkong, enhanced by the prevalence of typhoons of late years.
Kerosene Oil. Decreases are shown in all classes of this product, viz.: 26,235 tons of Bulk Oil, 3,858 tons of Case Oil, and 9,493 tons of Liquid Fuel. These decreases are only what might have been expected after the phenomenal increases in 1908 (indeed, my remarks on the subject foreshadowed them), and do not indicate any falling off in the trade. Liquid Fuel has increased considerably (32%) over the figures for 1907—the last normal year.
Opium. The imports of Raw Opium show a decrease of 6,087 chests, or 14.5 per cent., while the exports declined by 3,620 chests, or 9.7 per cent. During the year 1909, the raw opium trade of the Colony is described by the following figures:
Stock in hand, 1st January, 1909, 5,808 chests. Imported during the year, 35,734 Total, 41,542 Boiled by Opium Farmer, 1,044 Spurious Opium destroyed, 51 Exported during the year, 35,938 Total, 37,033 Stock remaining on 31st December, 1909, 4,509Of the several varieties of opium exported, Malwa decreased by 348 chests, or 6.1 per cent., Patna by 1,674 chests, or 7.8 per cent., Benares by 1,228 chests, or 12.6 per cent., Persian by 410 chests, or 13 per cent., while no Turkish opium was either imported or exported, and Chinese opium has never formed any appreciable part of the trade of the Colony. It is obvious from the above figures that the supply does not meet the demand, as 1,300 more chests were disposed of than were imported. China took 92.4 per cent. of the exports.
Imports of Compounds of Opium increased, as compared with 1908, by 2,543 lb., or 23.83%, and exports by 1,613 lb., or 19.56%, while the amount which remained in the Colony for consumption increased by 930 lb., or 38.1%. Imports of Morphia showed an increase of 356 lb., or 5.06%. Imports and exports of Cocaine were recorded for the first time and for the period from April 22nd to 31st December showed 68 lb. imported and 12 lb. exported.
Sugar. The imports of sugar show a considerable increase of 89,766 tons, or 36 per cent. This article is peculiarly liable to sudden fluctuations, and the increase may be due to an increase of stocks owing to favourable prices.
The following remarks upon other items in connection with which there are no official figures may be of interest.
Cotton and Yarn. With scant Yarn supplies all round and consumers both in the Southern and Northern provinces favoured with...
>>
Page