144
10
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL,
Stock in hand, 1st January, 1909 5,808 chests. Imported during the year 35,734 Total 41,542 Boiled by opium farmer 2 Spurious opium destroyed 1,044 ** 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 lbs., or 23·83 per cent., and exports by 1,613 lbs., or 19·56 per cent., while the amount which remained in the Colony for consumption increased by 930 lbs., or 38·1 per cent. Imports of morphia showed an increase of 356 lbs., or 5·06 per cent. Imports and exports of cocaine were recorded for the first time, and for the period from April 22nd to 31st December showed 68 lbs. imported and 12 lbs. 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 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 bountiful rice and other crops, the year 1909 opened with bright prospects. A fairly extensive business was transacted in the beginning, but as the year advanced the continually increasing price of cotton considerably enhanced yarn values and consumption became in the end slightly reduced. On the whole the year was particularly remunerative to importers and Chinese dealers alike, seeing that the market ruled over on an upward tendency. On the other hand, owing to the increasing cost of manufacture, as the result of extraordinarily dear raw material, the mills fared very badly. The year closed with stocks light and prices abnormally high.
A new feature in the yarn trade of the Colony was the floating of several limited liability companies with Chinese capital for the transaction of business in cotton and cotton yarns, which have given a new life to the trade.
144
10
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL,
Stock in hand, 1st January, 1909
Imported during the year
Total
Boiled by opium farmer
Spurious opium destroyed
Exported during the year
5,808 chests. 35,734
41,542
2"
1,044 51
**
35,938
**
Total
37,033
Stock remaining on 31st December, 1909
4,509
Of 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 lbs., or 23.83 per cent., and exports by 1,613 lbs., or 19 56 per cent., while the amount which remained in the Colony for consumption increased by 930 lbs., or 38'1 per cent. Imports of morphia showed an increase of 356 lbs., or 5'06 per cent. Imports and exports of cocaine were recorded for the first time, and for the period from April 22nd to 31st December showed 68 lbs. imported and 12 lbs. 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 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 bountiful rice and other crops, the year 1909 opened with bright prospects. A fairly extensive business was transacted in the beginning, but as the year advanced the continually increas- ing price of cotton considerably enhanced yarn values and con- sumption became in the end slightly reduced. On the whole the year was particularly remunerative to importers and Chinese dealers alike, seeing that the market ruled over on an upward tendency. On the other hand, owing to the increasing cost of manufacture, as the result of extraordinarily dear raw material, the mills fared very badly. The year closed with stocks light and prices abnormally high..
A new feature in the yarn trade of the Colony was the floating of several limited liability companies with Chinese capital for the transaction of business in cotton and cotton yarns, which have given a new life to the trade.
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