- 8
TRADE.
As pointed out in previous years the figures which are given are mengre, and of little value, being derived from reports of ship masters which are given in round figures and several items of cargo are only entered under the heading "General".
In a few cases, I can however give more accurate figures and these are:-
1915.
IMPORTS.
These show a decrease of 26,940 tons compared with the year
Increases are shown under the heading-Coal, Cotton Yarn and Wool, Temp, Kerosene Oil in cases, Rattan, Rice, Sandalwood, and Sugar, while decreases are shown in Beans, Flour, Kerosene Oil in bulk, Liquid Fuel, Timber, and General.
Beana. A decrease of 10,812 tons is shown, due to Japanese competition: close proximity to Tientsin and Dalny with direct steamship lines and lower freight rates than Hongkong can procure.
The trade with America in this Northern product together with that of Peanuts has gone over almost entirely to the Japanese, and what promised to be a large and lucrative business to Hongkong has
been lost.
Coal.There is an increase of 62,811 tons over the last year which is due to local and Canton manufacturing concerns laying in stocks as protective measure against advancing prices due to short- age of tounage. A large part of the surplus conl is from FormOM and Yaeyama.
Cotton Yarn and Cotton.-Once again there is a decrease of 2,274 tous, due to most of the cargo being transhipment cargo.
Flour. The lecrease of 14,675 tons is due to Chinese flour competition and high prices ruling for American and Canadian pro- duct, also shortage of tonnage and high freight.
Kerosene Oil.-There is a decrease of 37,593 tone shewn in Bulk Oil, which is due to falling off in demand on account of high price brought about by general war conditions, and what would appear to be an increase in Case Oil is really not so, as the demand has also fallen off as in Bulk Oil. Large stocks of Case Oil are carried over to the present year, and if conditions become worse, this apparent increase will be wiped out.
Liquid Fuel-A decrease of 2,943 tons due to the scarcity of tank steamers.
Rice. The increase of 71,144 tons is due to great demand from North and Central American market principally, which was formerly supplied by the European market when freights were low,
Timber-A decrease of 31,477 tons chiefly accounted for by the stoppage of supplies of Oregon Pine through high rates of freight, Philippine Hardwood being used instead.
t
Opium. The clearances of certified opium from the Colony during the past year were much reduced. After the first two months of the year the disturbances that took place in the Kwong Tung Province appear to have prevented the carrying out of the Agreement which the Opium Combine entered into on October 1st, 1915. The actual imports and exports of certified opium during the year are as follows:-
Patna. Benares Chests. Chests.
31
4 72
80
Import.... Export.......
Malwa.
Chests.
Total.
35 203
iii Of these however the imports all came from Shanghai, and of the total export of 203 chests 180 went to Shanghai. Very little was therefore tone to reduce the actual stock of uncertified Indian opiam held in Hongkong and Shanghai.
Six hundred and forty-one (641) chests of Persian opium were imported during the year and 734 cheats were exported, of which 20 chests were exported to London and the remainder to Formosa.
One thousand and thirty (1,030) chests of uncertified Indian opium were imported. 360 chests were imported by the Govern- ment Monopoly, 500 chests were imported for the Macao Opium Farmer, and the remaining 170 chests were nominally intended for Mexico but owing to suspicious circumstances connected with the shipment they were returned to Calcutta.
The table below shows the total imports and exports since
1908:-
1018, 1015. 1914. 1013. 1072. TOII. 1910 1909 1908. Chests, Chast9. Chests Chests. Chests. Chests. Cheats" Chests. Cheste
Stock in band on
1st January.... 1,809) 2,250 +,580 5,560 7,5877,1294.500 Imported during
the year,
5,808 +,707
1,700 1,878 3,059, 9,1084 12,36121,286 81,743 35,734 $1,821
Total,..... 8,009)| 4,1291| 7.640 (14,668||19,94628,409 |36,252 41,542 | 46.528 Boiled by Opium
Faroer,
782 1,044 864
T
—
Boiled by Govern‣
meat, Spurious Opium
destroyed,
360
840
RC
413
G67 1,113 761
17 18
2
14
GI
247
Missing or stolen.
₤
2
9
Exported during
the year,
Total,2,032
........1,667 | 2,469 || 4.91)|| 9,429 13,2644 20,0 28,335 35,933 (39,009
Stock remaining on
2,826,383|10,088 114,3883 20,822 29.129 37.08340,720
31st December... 77 1.332,256 1,3801 5,400 | 7,387 7,429 4.500 3,434
General Cargn.The large decrease of 255,423 tons is due to shortage of supplies from manufacturers at home, on account of war conditions.
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