CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 363

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sufficient military protection should be provided to ensure their safety if concentrated in the Shameen.

(4.) Although we have not considered the necessity or desirability from a political point of view of retaining the Shameen, we draw attention to the difficulties of re-establishing our position there, once evacuation has taken place.

(Signed)

CECIL (Chairman).

R. G. HAWTREY, J. D. GREGORY.

C. W. DIXON.

É. J. TURNER.

A. G. F. ISAAC, Major, G.S.

J. M. SPAIGHT.

R. HILL.

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Appendix No. 1.

CANTON TRADE.

MEMORANDUM PREPARED IN THE BOARD OF TRADE.

The value of the direct imports into China in each of the three years 1922-1924, and the value of the imports recorded as from Hong Kong, Great Britain, Japan and the United States of America, are shown in the following table, the conversions from Haikwan taels having been made at the rates stated in the reports of the Imperial Maritime Customs :-

C. HIPWOOD.

H, FOUNTAIN,

E. F. CROWE.

(Signed)

C. P. HERMON-HODGE (Secretary).

2, Whitehall Gardens, S. W. 1, March 26, 1926.

Country whence Imported.

1922.

1923.

1924.

£'000.

£'000.

£.000

Hong Kong

44,878

43,156

44,655

Great Britain

27,242

20,944

28,069

Japan..

48,893

86,710

42,978

United States of America

31,688

26,467

34,959

All other Countries..

35,518

37,346

44.570

All Countries

182,819

165,029

190,231

Imports into Shanghai amount to nearly half the total maritime imports into China. The imports into Cauton, added to those into Kowloon and the railway traffic into Kowloon, represented only about one-tenth of the total imports into China. The imports into these latter Chinese Customs districts, and also into Lappa, Kongmoon and Samahui, making up the Delta trade, were:-

Customs Districts.

1922..

1923.

1924.

£'000.

£'000.

£000.

Canton

10.169

12,846

9,890

Kowloon

8,993

5,559

9,378

Kowloon railway traffic.

1,646

548

81

Lappa

3,914

3,142

4,007

Kongmoon

1,683

2,619

2,442

Samshui

920

1,409

1,408

It will be seen that the railway traffic decreased rapidly in the period covered before it was entirely stopped.

Canton has, in addition to its trade with foreign countries, a large import trade in Chinese produce from other ports in China. This amounted to £8,700,000 in 1922, to £8,700,000 in 1923 and to £11,300,000 in 1924. There was also a substantial value of treasure imported and exported. The principal Chinese export from Canton is silk. The largest items of foreign import into Canton in 1924, with corresponding figures for each of the two preceding years, were as follows, the quantities showu being those retained after deduction of re-exports :--

(Quantities in thousands.)

Commodity and Unit of Quantity.

1922.

1928.

1924.

Rice and paddy

lb.

Wheat flour

ib.

421,992 61,220

993,408

365,950

60.624

66,220

Salt fish

16.

20,049

29,320

27,270

Sugar

55,452

55,013

€2.503

Cosi ..

tons

J89

243

304

Kerosene pil

gallons

12,049

11,053

6,022

Cotton yarns and tissues

£

1,790

1,481

1.025

357