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CHINA.
main feature of these boats, however, is the 11-inch 35-ton muzzle-loading gun carried by each, which has a penetrative power 15 per cent over the most formidable guns at present in the British navy. They are further armed with two 12-pounder breach-loading Armstrong guns and four Gatlings. The last three, which arrived in China in July, 1881, are almost identical in style with their immediate predecessors, and each carry one 35-ton gun, but are also provided with two 13-pounders, two Gatling, and four Nordenfeldt guns. These boats are specially intended for coast and river defence, for which they are eminently suitable. They were all built on the Tyne by the Elswick Company. Other vessels are being built a Stettin and elsewhere for the Chinese Government. Lu Shun Kou, re-named Port Li, in honour of the Viceroy of Chibli, on the south coast of Shingking, bas just been selected as a naval depôt, and is to be strongly fortified.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
Great Britain has, in virtue of various treaties with the Chinese Government— the first and most important signed August 29th, 1842—the right of access to twenty- five ports and cities of the Empire. The ports known as Treaty ports are Canton, Hoihow (in Hainan), Pakhoi, Swatow, Anoy, Foochow, Takao, Tamsui, and Keelung, Wenchow, Ningpo, Shanghai, Chinkiang, Wubu, Kiukiang, Hankow, Ichang, Chefoo, Tientsin, and Newchwang. Under the provisions of the Chefoo Convention, permission is also accorded to British merchants to trade at Chung-king and Yuunan-fu, at which places British Consular Residents reside. The import trade from Great Britain, exclusive of the Colony of Hongkong, centres at Shanghai, Hankow, and Tientsin, while the bulk of the exports to Great Britain pass through the ports of Shanghai, Foochow, Hankow, and Canton. The annual value of the foreign trade of China was as follows in each of the fifteen years from 1866 to 1880:-
YEAR.
NET IMPORTS.*
Haikwan Tls.
67 174,81
EXPORTS.
Haikwan Tls.
50,596,223
TOTAL.
Haikwan Tls. 117,770,704
1866....
1867....
62,459,226
52,158,300
114,617,526
1868.
63,281,804
61,826,275
125,108,079
1869....
67,108,533
60,139,237
127,247,770
1870...
63,693,268
55.294.866
118,988,134
1871
70,103,077
66,853,161
136,956,238
1872....
67.317,049
75,288,125
142,605,174
1873.
66,637,209
69,451,277
136,088,485
1874.
64,360.864
66.712,868
131,073,732
1875.
67,803,247
68.912,929
136,716,176
1876.
70.269.574
80,850,512
151,120,086
1877..
73.253,170
67,445,022
140,698,192
1878.
70,804,027
67,172,179
137,976,206
1879..
82.227.424
72,281,262
154,508,686
1880.....
79.293,452
77,883,587
157,177,039
Of the total value of the imports and exports to foreign countries for 1880- Tls. 157,177,039—Tls. 126,561,647 must be credited to Great Britain and her colonies, including India. The remainder is thus divided among other countries: - United States, Tls. 10,311,442; Continent of Europe, Tls. 15,188,5-14; Russia, viâ Odessa, Tls. 28,818; Siberia and Russia, viá Kiachta, Tls. 4,055,310; Russian Manchuria, Tls. 413,098; Japan, Tls. 5,704,444; Philippine Islands, Tls. 239,051; Cochin China, Tls. 156,602 ; Siam, Tls. 273,941; Java, Tls. 427,260; Suez, Tls. 149,862; and Hawaii, Tl■. 13,071. Among the exports, tea and silk take the first places. In 1880 the export of tea amounted to 2,097,118 piculs, of which 1,456,747 piculs went to Great Britain and British possessions. Manufactured Cotton and Woollen Goods and Opium constitute the bulk of the imports of foreign produce into China. The value of Cotton Goods imported in 1880 was Tle. 23,382,957; that of Woollen Goods, Tls. 5,810,688; and
• Net Imports, i.e, the valus of the Foreign Goods imported direct from Foreign Countries, less the value of the
Foreign Goods re-exported to Foreign Countries during the year.
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