This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
IRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
336
[August 17.]
SECTION 6.
on the Affairs of Indo-China. June Quarter, 1903.-(Received at Foreign Office, August 17.)
HE Customs Returns for 1902 show a considerable expansion in all branches of Commercial trade with the exception of the transit trade with Yünnan, in which there was a decrease in 1902.
The decrease was largely due to the disturbed state of that province during a portion of the year.
The following is a summary of the figures:-
Total trade £28,118,000, an increase of £1,708,000 Imports £8,552,000 Exports £7,356,000 Coast trade £932,000 Transit trade with Yunnan- To £708,000, a decrease of £187,000 From £349,000France secured almost the entire benefit of the increase in imports, while the increase in exports was apparently exclusively due to larger shipments of rice, mostly to the northern provinces of China, where a succession of bad crops had caused great scarcity. The chief features of the trade with the mother country were a large increase inriages, arms, metals, rails, and machinery, and a heavy fall in textiles; and of the trade with foreign countries, a considerable increase in opium, oil, and gunny bags, and a decrease in yarn.
The total tonnage entered amounted to 1,119,500 tons, but, a change having been made in the method of compiling the Returns, I am unable to say how these figures compare with those for the year before. It is to be noted that British shipping shows a slight decrease and German a considerable increase.
It may be mentioned here that the imports into Singapore from French Indo-China declined from over 10,000,000 dollars in 1897 to under 5,000,000 dollars in 1901, being now confined almost entirely to articles intended for local consumption. The trade consists of goods for France and other countries which-apparently on account of subsidies to French shipping and Tariff Regulations requiring transport in French ships-it is cheaper to ship direct from Indo-China. The exports from Singapore, valued at somewhat over 2,500,000 dollars, seem to maintain their position.
The Laos country bordering the Mekong is said to be very rich in valuable timber. A certain amount of teak is already being obtained from that region for use in public works. Logs of the value of a few thousand dollars were floated down the Mekong in 1902, and it is expected that the value of the trade will amount to several hundred thousand dollars in the course of three or four years. It is noteworthy that the ironwood of Cochin China ranks first in the classification by the Paris authorities of the various woods now in use for street paving.
The following particulars of two plantations in Upper Tonquin may be of interest as illustrating the methods and results of French colonization in that country:-
At Tuyenquang a French planter has settled on his Concession a number of families brought up from the delta, letting the land to them on the metayer system. He provides buildings, stock, and also the necessaries of life till the first harvest, and the tenants contract to cultivate every year from 15 to 20 acres. During the first two years they repay the advances made to them, and subsequently give half the crop as rent for their buildings. In this way 500 acres have, in the course of two or three years, been brought under cultivation, and several hundred more are being broken up.
In the same neighbourhood a Concession of some 12,000 acres is owned by three Frenchmen, who live on the estate. They own 1,000 head of cattle, have planted 100,000 caoutchouc trees (also referred to as rubber plants in other parts, but here it is more specific), 10,000 coffee-trees, 5,000 rubber plants, 250 aniseed-trees, and are experimenting with tea, jute, and the rearing of silkworms.
There appears to be a large area in this region open to settlers. Tonquin, to the depth of 180 kilom. from the sea, is almost fully occupied, it being estimated that only about [2090 r--6]
Page 337
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Page 338
is not present, hence not included.This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
IRS OF CHINA.
FIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
336
[August 17.]
SECTION 6.
on the Affairs of Indo-China. June Quarter, 1903.-(Received at Foreign Office,
August 17.)
HE Customs Returns for 1902 show a considerable expansion in all branches of Commercial trade with the exception of the transit trade with Yünnan, in which there was a decrease in 1902.
The bly due to the disturbed state of that province during a portion of the year.
ing is a summary of the figures:-
Total trade
Imports
Exports
Coast trade
::::
Transit trade with Yunnan-
Το
From
::::
£
£
28,118,000, an increase of 1,708,000
8,552,000,
453,000
7,356,000,
34
932,000
6,153,000,
about 500,000
708,000,
349,000,
1,052,000, a decrease of 187,000
France secured almost the entire benefit of the increase in imports, while the increase ports was apparently exclusively due to larger shipments of rice, mostly to the hern provinces of China, where a succession of bad crops had caused great scarcity. The chief features of the trade with the mother country were a large increase in ages, arms, metals, rails, and machinery, and a heavy fall in textiles; and of the e with foreign countries, a considerable increase in opium, oil, and gunny bags, and a Fincrease in yarn.
The total tonnage entered amounted to 1,119,500 tons, but, a change having Shipping. rently been made in the method of compiling the Returns, I am unable to say how figures compare with those for the year before. It is to be noted that British
pping shows a slight decrease and German a considerable increase.
It may be mentioned here that the imports into Singapore from French Indo-China Trade with
e declined from over 10,000,000 dollars in 1897 to under 5,000,000 dollars in 1901, Singapore.
g now confined almost entirely to articles intended for local consumption. The trade
consists of goods for France and other countries which-apparently on account of sidies to French shipping and Tariff Regulations requiring transport in French ships-it cheaper to ship direct from Indo-China. The exports from Singapore, valued at
sewhat over 2,500,000 dollars, seem to maintain their position.
The Laos country bordering the Mekong is said to be very rich in valuable timber, Teak trade on the
a certain amount of teak is already being obtained from that region for use in public Mekong.
ks. Logs of the value of a few thousand dollars were floated down the Mekong
1902, and it is expected that the value of the trade will amount to several hundred usand dollars in the course of three or four years. It is noteworthy that the ironwood
Cochin China ranks first in the classification by the Paris authorities of the various ods now in use for street paving.
The following particulars of two plantations in Upper Tonquin may be of interest as Agriculture. ing the methods and results of French colonization in that country:-
At Tuyenquang a French planter has settled on his Concession a number of families ught up from the delta, letting the land to them on the metayer system. He provides ldings, stock, and also the necessaries of life till the first harvest, and the tenants stract to cultivate every year from 15 to 20 acres. During the first two years they ay the advances made to them, and subsequently give half the crop as reat for their dings. In this way 500 acres have, in the course of two or three years, been brought der cultivation, and several hundred more are being broken up.
In the same neighbourhood a Concession of some 12,000 acres is owned by three enchmen, who live on the estate. They own 1,000 head of cattle, have planted 100,000 acouliers, 10,000 coffee-trees, 5,000 rubber plants, 250 aniseed-trees, and are experi- uting with tea, jute, and the rearing of silkworms.
There appears to be a large area in this region open to settlers. Tonquin, to the depth 180 kilom, from the sea, is almost fully occupied, it being estimated that only about [2090 r--6]
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