886
CHINA.
China in October, 1879, are built of steel, and are double-ended, the stern lines being exactly after the model of the bow ruddera. By this improvement they can be used either as stern racers or bow chasers, and the extreme fineness of the run enables them to ateam backward almost as rapidly as forward. They measure 127 feet in extreme length and 125 feet at the water line, with 29 feet beam, a depth of 12 feet ✔ inches, mean draught of 9 feet 6 inches, and a displacement of 440 tons. The main feature of these boats, however, is the 11-inch 35-ton muzzle-loading gun carried by each, 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 True by the Elswick Company. Lu Shun Kou, re-named Port Li, in honour of the Viceroy of Chihli, on the south coast of Shingking, has lately been selected as a naval depot, and is being 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- ive ports and cities of the Empire. The ports known as Treaty ports are Canton, Hoihow (in Hainan), Pakhoi, Swatow, Amoy, Foochow, Takao, Tamsui, and Keelung, Wenchow, Ningpo, Shanghai, Chinkiang, Wuhu, Kiukiang, Hankow, Ichang, Chefoo, Tientsin, and Newehwang. Under the provisions of the Chefoo Convention, permission is also accorded to British merchants to trade at Chung-king and Yunnan-fu, at which places British Consular Agents 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 sixteen years from 1868 to 1888:-
1868....
HIT (MID.
Haikwan Tle.
63,281,804
RETORIA,
Haikwan Tle.
61,826,275
TOLLL.
Haikwan Tls,
125,108,079
1869.....
1870.
1871.
67,108,583
60,139,237
127,247,770
63,693,268
55,294,866
118,988,134
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
66,712,862
131,078,732
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.
70,804,0-7
67,172,179
137,976,206
1879.
82,227,424
72,281,262
154,508,686
1880.
79,293,452
77,869,587
157,177,039
1881
91,910,877
71,452,974
163,383,851
1882..
07,336,846
145,052,074
1883...
70,197,693
143,765,395
77 715,228 73,567,702
Of the total value of the imports and exports to foreign countries for 1883- Tls. 143,765,395-Tle. 111,951,175 must be credited to Great Britain and her colonies, including India. The remainder is thus divided among other countries.-- United States, Tis. 10,060,356; Continent of Europe, Tls. 10,191,583; Russia, vidi Odessa, Tls. 1,766,255; Siberia and Russia, via Kiachta, Tis. 3,665,397; Russian Manchuria, Tis. 540,074; Japan. Tls. 5,148,898; Philippine Islands, Tls. 326,138; Cochin China, Tle. 537,452 Biam, Tle. 435,012; Java, Tis. 374,403; Corea, Tls. 13,922; Turkey and Egypt Tle. 141,121; and South America, Tla. 50. Among the exports, tea and silk take the first
* Wet Imports, ie, the rules 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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