110
SHANGHAI
increase the concern until there are 900 basins working. Then there is the very extensive filature belonging to Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., at Sinza, at which 400 basins are worked. Messrs. Bavier & Co. work a filature on the Soochow Creek, in which there are 150 basins. On the opposite side of the Creek there is a very extensive establishment known as the Sing-chang Filature, which is the property of the Shanghai Silk Filature Co., Limited. There are 500 basins in this factory. The Shanghai Silk Filature Company own also a large factory in Lee Hongkew, containing 500 basins. Another large filature on the Soochow Creek is owned by a Chinese company called Chung-kee, who have also started a factory of a similar kind in the extensive building lately occupied by the Empire Brewery in Yangtszepoo road. Messrs. Lintilhac & Co. own a large filature on the Soochow Creek, while Ching Chong has a similar establishment in North Fohkien road, in which there are 300 basins. In addition to these factories, Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. have a large waste-silk filature on Yangtszeppo road. There are also a paper mill, match factories, chemical and soap works, and various other industries.
The "Astor House" in Hongkew, the "Central" in the British, and the "IIôtel des Colonies" in the French Concession, besides many second class inns, give hotel accom- modation equal to that of any port in the East. There are three daily newspapers, the North China Daily News, morning, the Shanghai Mercury, and the China Gazette, evening; also three weeklies, the North China Herald, Celestial Empire, and Temperance Union. There are three native daily papers, the Shun-pao, the Hu-pao, and the Sin-wan-pao. These are sold at the prices of ten and eight cash, equal to a farthing and have a very large circulation. In one matter, that of Postal accommodation, Shanghai is perhaps over-supplied, there being British, French, American, Japanese, German, Local, and Customs Post-offices. Shanghai was made a port of Registry for British ships in 1874. All foreign hongs and even private houses have to give themselves fancy Chinese names, by which only they are known to the natives. The system is, however, found to have its conveniences. No less than 3,081 jinrickshas, 3,056 passenger wheelbarrows, and 391 horse carriages ply for hire in the Settlements, besides large numbers outside.
The currency of Shanghai is the tael weight (equal to one and a third ounces avoirdupois) of silver cast into "shoes" of fifty taels, more or less. The foreign banks issue notes of the value of one dollar and upwards for both taels and dollars. Smaller transactions are conducted in clean Mexican dollars and copper cash. There are six foreign and numerous native banks in the Settlement.
Shanghai is the great emporium for the trade of the Yangtsze and northern ports, and to a considerable extent for Japan and Corea. The export of Tea from 1846 to 1850 averaged sixteen million pounds, and Silk during the same period seventeen thousand bales. The total import and export trade of 1868 was sixty-five million taels. It steadily increased each year until 1881, when it reached Hk. Tls. 141,921,357, but afterwards showed a great decline, the total for 1884 having been twenty per cent. less than that of 1881. It has since, however, shown a rapid recovery, the total trade in foreign bottoms, import and export, for the last five years, as given by the Customs Statistical Department, being:-
1889... Hk. Tls. 145,649,999 at Ex. 1.54, Mex. $224,300,998, at Ex. 4s.
1890...
"
145,145,106
1891... 1892...
"}
165,543,862
1893...
"}
166,827,502 177,017,836
ע
8d., £34,440,156 2 d., £37,647,012 2fd., 4s. 11d., £40,696,199
1.54
"J
1.53
""
1.54
"
1.54
15
$223,523,463 $253,282,109 $256,914,353 $272,607,467
5s.
"}
"}
"}
4s. 41d., £36,319,946
"?
3s. 11 d., £34,850,386
The value of foreign Opium imported in 1893 was, owing to the fall in exchange on India, Hk. Tls. 3,713,804 over that of 1892, but the quantity was 5,775 piculs less, while for several years previously there had been a falling off, owing to increased production of and demand for native opium, the quality of which is now much superior to what it formerly was and the taxes on which are very much lighter than on the foreign drug. An export of the native growth to foreign countries has now commenced. The import in 1881 was 51,522 piculs, which has gradually declined to 30,088 piculs in 1893. Owing to the increased silver cost the import of Cotton Goods and Yarn in 1893 was 15 per cent. less than in 1892, which was 4 per cent. under 1891, but that year was more than 25 per cent. in value over 1890, which exceeded by 25 per cent. that of 1889. Woollen Goods showed a slight decline in 1890, but increased by 36 per cent. in value in 1891, with a further increase of about 7 per cent. in 1892, but a decline of 3 per cent. in 1893. Metals imported increased by 10 per cent. in value in 1891, but have since remained about stationary. The import of Kerosine Oil was 20,063,885 gallons in 1890, 35,179,205 gallons in 1891, 21,027,848 gallons in 1892, and 28,751,050 gallons in 1893.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.