CHINA.
363
;
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built in 1883, and the Tsi Yuen in 1884, at Stettin, and sent out to China in 1885 and two gun-vessels, the Chao Yung and Yung Wei, built on the Tyne in 1881. These latter vessels have a displacement of 1,350 tons, are built of steel, and are propelled by twin screws driven by compound engines of, together, 2,600 indicated horse-power. They each carry two 26-ton breech-loading guns, one mounted forward and the other aft, four 40-pounder breech-loading guns, two 9-pounder breech-loaders, two Norden- felts, and four Gatlings. They are both armed with a formidable steel knife-edged ram, and carry steam-cutters fitted with spar torpedoes. An armoured cruiser, called the Nan Thin, built in Germany in 1883, and a steel corvette, the Nan Shuin, launched at Kiel in January, 1884, are also recent important additions to the navy. After these come the eleven gunboats commonly known as the "alphabetical" gunboats. The first four are 118 feet 6 inches long, with a draught of 7 feet 6 inches, and a displacement of 400 tons. They each carry a 27-ton gun. The next four, which arrived in China in October, 1879, are built of steel, and are double-ended, the stern lines being exactly-after the model of the bow rudders. They measure 127 feet in extreme length and 125 feet at the water line, with 29 feet beam, a depth of 12 feet 3 inches, mean draught of 9 feet 6 inches, and a displacement of 440 tons. The main feature of these boats is the 11-inch 35-ton muzzle-loading gun carried by each. They are further armed with two 12-pounder breech-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. 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 depôt, 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 the following ports and cities of the Empire:-Canton, Hoihow (in Hainan), Pakboi, Swatow, Amoy, Foochow, Takow and Taiwan-fu, Tamsui and Kelung, Wenchow, Ningpo, Shanghai, Chinkiang, Wuhu, 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 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 1870 to 1885:-
YEAR.
1870........ 1871...
1872..
1873...
1874..
NET IMPORTS.'
+
Haikwan Tls.
63,693,268
EXPORTS.
Haikwan Tls.
TOTAL.
Haikwan Tls. 118,988,134
55,294,866
70,108,077
66,853,161
136,956,238
67.317,049
75,288,125
142,605,174
66,637,209
69,451,277
136,088,485
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...
187 1880..
70,804,027
67,172,179
137,976,206
82,227,424
72,281,262
154,508,686
79,293,452
77,883,587
157,177,039
1881
1882...
1883..
1884..
1885.
91,910,877
71,452,974
163,363,851
77 715,228
67,336,846
145,052,074
73,567,702
70,197,693
143,765,395
72,760,758
67,147,680
139,908,438
88,200,018
65,005,711
153,205,729
2
* Net Imports, i.e., the value 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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