1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1909.
145
11
Piece Goods.-The year was a good one for dealers in piece goods. The large orders placed towards the close of 1908 went, with one or two exceptions, rapidly into consumption.
Silk.-The year opened with but little demand from Europe and America and the market for the first quarter of the year ruled quiet. There was a slight activity in the middle of the year, and the year closed with better prospects in the immediate future.
Matting.-Owing to the uncertainty which prevailed in the United States during the first half of the year as to what new rate of duty would result from the tariff revision, the trade was much interfered with. Business done showed a considerable decrease.
Mats and Carpets-The market was fairly active during the year, the largest exports being to Europe.
Metals.—Prices ruled fairly low with consequent increase in business.
Flour. The total reported imports of flour during the year amounted to 58,583 tons, as against 91,312 tons in 1908, a decrease of 35.8 per cent. The decrease is due to the fact, noted last year, that direct shipments to coast ports are now made. Another disposing cause for the decrease is the fact that the Shanghai flour mills, which obtain their raw material locally, are now successfully competing with American flour at the coast ports, Foochow, Amoy, Swatow, &c., and are even sending through cargoes to Canton.
Rice-In spite of a hopeful outlook last year, rice has failed to come back to its previous figure. It has again declined from 721,254 tons to 541,078 tons, or 25 per cent. This is due to a partial failure of the crops in Cochin China, and to the fact that many cargoes of rice from Saigon have been sent direct to coast ports without touching, much less transhipping, at Hong Kong.
The total reported imports during the year amounted to 4,195,968 tons as against 4,169,856 in 1908, an increase of 0·6 per cent. Exports also show an increase, from 2,102,857 tons to 2,239,731 tons, or 6.5 per cent.; and transit cargo increased from 3,372,993 tons to 3,991,347 tons or 19 per cent., but, for the reason given, these figures are not reliable.
Emigration and Immigration.
Seventy-seven thousand four hundred and thirty (77,430) emigrants left Hong Kong for various places during the year 1909. Of these, 52,923 were carried in British ships and 24,507 in foreign ships. These figures show an increase, compared with those for 1908, of 6,349 (or 8.93 per cent.), which may be accounted for by the return of the business to normal conditions, and to the resumption of emigration to Banka and Billiton.
It may be well to note the increasing proportion of emigrants carried in foreign vessels. This appears to be due to the increasing numbers going to Hawaii, who can only travel in United States ships, as well as to the resumption of emigration to the Dutch Indies, which is carried in Dutch vessels.
One hundred and forty-four thousand eight hundred and twenty-one (144,821) returning emigrants are reported to have been
1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1909.
145
11
Piece Goods.-The year was a good one for dealers in piece goods. The large orders placed towards the close of 1908 went, with one or two exceptions, rapidly into consumption.
Silk.-The year opened with but little demand from Europe and America and the market for the first quarter of the year ruled quiet. There was a slight activity in the middle of the year, and the year closed with better prospects in the immediate future.
Matting.-Owing to the uncertainty which prevailed in the United States during the first half of the year as to what new rate of duty would result from the tariff revision, the trade was much interfered with. Business done showed a considerable decrease.
Mats and Carpets-The market was fairly active during the year, the largest exports being to Europe.
Metals.—Prices ruled fairly low with consequent increase in
business.
Flour. The total reported imports of flour during the year amounted to 58,583 tons, as against 91,312 tons in 1908, a decrease of 35.8 per cent. The decrease is due to the fact, noted last year, that direct shipments to coast ports are now made. Another dis- posing cause for the decrease is the fact that the Shanghai flour mills, which obtain their raw material locally, are now success- fully competing with American flour at the coast ports, Foo- chow, Amoy, Swatow, &c., and are even sending through cargoes to Canton.
Rice-In spite of a hopeful outlook last year, rice has failed to come back to its previous figure. It has again declined from 721,254 tons to 541,078 tons, or 25 per cent. This is due to a partial failure of the crops in Cochin China, and to the fact that many cargoes of rice from Saigon have been sent direct to coast ports without touching, must less transhipping, at Hong Kong.
The total reported imports during the year amounted to 4,195,968 tons as against 4,169,856 in 1908, an increase of 0·6 per cent. Exports also show an increase, from 2,102,857 tons to 2,239,731 tons, or 6-5 per cent.; and transit cargo increased from 3,372,993 tons to 3,991,347 tons or 19 per cent., but, for the reason given, these figures are not reliable.
Emigration and Immigration.
Seventy-seven thousand four hundred and thirty (77,430) emi- grants left Hong Kong for various places during the year 1909. Of these, 52,923 were carried in British ships and 24,507 in foreign ships. These figures show an increase, compared with those for 1908, of 6,349 (or 8.93 per cent.), which may be accounted for by the return of the business to normal conditions, and to the resump- tion of emigration to Banka and Billiton.
It may be well to note the increasing proportion of emigrants carried in foreign vessels. This appears to be due to the increas- ing numbers going to Hawaii, who can only travel in United States ships, as well as to the resumption of emigration to the Dutch Indies, which is carried in Dutch vessels.
One hundred and forty-four thousand eight hundred and twenty-one (144,821) returning emigrants are reported to have been
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.