54
CHINA.
decrease compared with those of the preceding one, 1866, so much depends upon the native demand for this article for manufacturing purposes and the weather during the time of production of the crop, that the supply for the foreign market is at all times variable and uncertain. The districts producing it are in the immediate neighbourhood of this city, or within a day or two's journey by boat; but it would be useless for foreigners to make contracts for its delivery, inasmuch as it is produced in small quantities at every town and village over a large tract of country, and collected by Chinese who make it their business, and would, therefore, at once frustrate any attempt to interfere with their prescriptive rights. Nor, indeed, would any great advantage result from such a course, for the trade, as now conducted, places the silk on the market for inspection to be purchased or rejected as may be, and, in case of contract, with the responsibility of one man instead of perhaps fifty as regards its quality. Some attempts have been made to get at the immediate producers, but with no satisfactory result,
but no
Thus the foreign trade of the port shows no great increase or decrease, nor are there any prospects of much improvement. What the value of the trade in native hands may be it is impossible to say, city in the Empire shows such signs of material prosperity as that of Canton. The streets and river are crowded with a busy population, the shops are large and well-filled, and the people robust, intelligent, and industrious—a sure indication of being well to do. The fact is, the British Colony of Hong Kong, some six or seven hours distant, and with which there is a daily steam communication, is the headquarters of the trade of this port; and to obtain a true estimate of it one must know what is bought and sold there—a matter of impossibility.
The anchorage for vessels visiting the port is at Whampoa, about twelve miles below the city of Canton, and here is situated very extensive docking accommodation, much resorted to by vessels from the Colony of Hong Kong requiring repairs, not only on account of machinery work on the largest scale being executed, but from having fresh water to lie in which, with iron ships particularly, is of great advantage for cleansing purposes. The following Table gives the ownership and size of these docks:
NUMBER and Size of the Docks at Whampoa.
CANTON.
55
engineer shops supplied with lathes, planing, screwing, cutting, punching machines, &c., driven by steam; boiler-makers' departments and foundry; shipwrights' and blacksmiths' shops, in fact, they are complete in every respect.
Regarding the trade of Canton and its prospects, the one varies so little in amount from year to year, and the latter depends so much on circumstances which, for the present, are in abeyance, that it is useless to speculate upon either; and all that can be said is, there is a slight improvement over last year, and the probability is this ensuing one of 1868 will be an improvement on the preceding, bearing always in mind that the Returns of the Foreign Customs are no proof or criterion of what the trade in foreign manufactures and produce really is.
(Signed) D. B. ROBERTSON, Consul.
British Consulate, Canton, April 18, 1868.
Name Construction Length Breadth Feet Feet Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company A. Built of granite 550 80 B. Ditto 350 75 C. Ditto 260 55 D. Piles and mud 165 55 E. Ditto 125 55 Union Dock Company (Limited) 1. Piles and concrete 240 45 2. Ditto 185 36 3. Piles and granite 163 36 4. Ditto 190 35 Gow and Company 1. Granite and wood 255 40 Ferguson and Company 2. Ditto 175 34 1. Wood and mud 240 50The Hong Kong and Whampoa Company's and the Union Company's docks are fitted with shears, caissons, steam-pumps, &c.
There are
445
54
CHINA.
decrease compared with those of the preceding one, 1866, so much depends upon the native demand for this article for manufacturing purposes and the weather during the time of production of the crop, that the supply for the foreign market is at all times variable and uncertain. The districts producing it are in the immediate neighbourhood of this city, or within a day or two's journey by boat; but it would be useless for foreigners to make contracts for its delivery, inasmuch as it is produced in small quantities at every town and village over a large tract of country, and collected by Chinese who make it their business, and would, therefore, at once frustrate any attempt to interfere with their prescriptive rights. Nor, indeed, would any great advantage result from such a course, for the trade, as now conducted, places the silk on the market for inspection to be purchased or rejected as may be, and, in case of contract, with the responsibility of one man instead of perhaps fifty as regards its quality. Some attempts have been made to get at the immediate producers, but with no satisfactory result,
but no
Thus the foreign trade of the port shows no great increase or decrease, nor are there any prospects of much improvement. What the value of the trade in native hands may be it is impossible to say, city in the Empire shows such signs of material prosperity as that of Canton. The streets and river are crowded with a busy population, the shops are large and well-filled, and the people robust, intelligent, and industrious-a sure indication of being well to do. The fact is, the British Colony of Hong Kong, some six or seven hours distant, and with which there is a daily steam communication, is the head-quarters of the trade of this ports and to obtain a true estimate of it one must know what 19 bought and sold there--a matter of impossibility.
"
The anchorage for vessels visiting the port is at Whampoa, about twelve miles below the city of Canton, and here is situated very extensive docking accommodation, much resorted to by vessels from the Colony of Hong Kong requiring repairs, not only on account of machinery work on the largest scale being executed, but from having fresh water to lie in which, with iron ships particularly, is of great advantage for cleansing purposes. The following Table gives the ownership and size of these docks:-
NUMBER and Size of the Docks at Whampoa.
CANTON.
55
engineer shops supplied with lathes, planing, screwing, cutting, punching machines, &c., driven by steam; boiler-makers departments and foundry; shipwrights' and blacksmiths' shops, in fact, they are complete in every respect.
Regarding the trade of Canton and its prospects, the one varies so little in amount from year to year, and the latter depends so much on circumstances which, for the present, are in abeyance, that it is useless to speculate upon either; and all that can be said is, there is a slight improvement over last year, and the probability is this ensuing one of 1868 will be an improvement on the preceding, bearing always in mind that the Returns of the Foreign Customs are no proof or criterion of what the trade in foreign manufactures and produce really is.
(Signed) D. B. ROBERTSON, Consul. British Consulate, Canton, April 18, 1868.
Name.
Construction.
Length.
Breadth.
Feet.
Feet.
Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock
Company
A. Built of granite
550
80
B. Ditto
350
75
c. Ditto
260
55
D. Piles and mud
165
55
E. Ditto
125
55
Union Dock Company (Limited)
1. Piles and concrete
240
45
2. Ditto
185
36
T
3. Piles and granite
163
361
4. Ditto
190
35)
Gow and Company
Ferguson and Company.
1. Granite and wood
255
40
2. Ditto
175
341
1. Wood and mud
240
50
The Hong Kong and Whampoa Company's and the Union Company's docks are fitted with shears, caissons, steam-pumps, &c.
There are
445
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