Directory_and_Chronicle_1904 — Page 697

CHINA

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the year. Grey Shirtings rose from 4,121,655 to 6,317,698 pieces; White Shirtings, from 2,476,846 to 2,743,104 pieces. T-Cloths of all kinds advanced, especially Indian, which rose from 15,320 to 126,485 pieces. There was a good demand for Drills, and English Jeans made the astonishing advance from 41,083 to 360,858 pieces, while Dutch and American about doubled. Sheetings also found an increased enquiry, the American trade going ahead as usual. It is interesting to note, and is not without significance, that Japanese Drills rose from 23 to 11,620 pieces, and Japanese Sheetings, from 13,006 to 115,366 pieces. Chintzes, etc., were nearly trebled in quantity, Twills doubled, and Turkey Reds rose from 192,930 to 276,996 pieces. Handkerchiefs and Towels showed satisfactory advance. English Cotton Yarn continued its downward course and has now fallen to 32,351 piculs, while Indian has reached 1,887,086 piculs, and Japanese, 522,408 piculs.

"The trade in Woollen Goods showed that the improvement of the previous year was only temporary, and the importation fell off again.

"Metals were valued at Hk. Tls. 10,574,928, about the same as in 1901, and the trade presented no special features of interest except an increase in the importation of Copper, presumably for the coinage of the new cash.

Sundries were valued at Hk. Tls. 136,948,982, or about 17 millions higher than in 1901. The import of Rice was doubled owing to bad crops in the South, and was valued at Hk. Tls. 23,611,125. Morphia was again imported in larger quantities, but it is to be hoped that this was not due to increased deamand, but to the higher duty soon to come into force. Cement, Clocks and Watches, Aniline Dyes, Window Glass, Japan Matches, Needles. and Sugar of all kinds all show progress. On the other hand Kerosene Oil, with the exception of the Oil from Borneo, shows decreases, Russian Oil having fallen to 10,105,886 gallons from 32,486,070 gallons, thus losing the ground gained during the last 10 years.

Exports.-The value of Exports was estimated at Hk. Tls. 214,181,584, or Hk. Tls. 44,524,827 higher than in 1901. There is reason to believe that the trade might safely be estimated at a considerably higher figure, as the values adopted at the ports for Returns purposes appear in many instances to be too low. The export of Sesamum Seed, an increasing trade, rose from 297,365 to 882,302 piculs, due to the opening up of new country by the southern section of the Lu-Han Railway. Beancake and Beans (for which there is a large demand from Japan) Bristles, Cassia Lignea, Feathers, Hemp, Hides, Nutgalls, Oils, Rhubarb, Animal Tallow, Tobacco and Wood all showed satis- factory advances. The demand for Straw Braid continues to improve. There was a large export of Raw Cotton to Japan, whence it returns in the shape of Yarn, which is able to compete with the heavily taxed home-made product. The shrinkage in Mats, from 33,334,410 to 24,002,140 pieces, is said to be due to quantities passing through Kwangchow-wan by steamer under French flag to Macao, thus not passing through the Returns of the Customs. The falling-off in Rush Hats from 7,158,982 to 3,053,378 pieces was due to a smaller demand for these goods, which are being replaced especially in America, by hats made of wood shavings (Hinoki) imported from Japan and plaited in Ningpo.

"Although the quality showed some improvement as compared with that of 1901, there seems a consensus of opinion amongst experts that the Teas from all districts, except Ichang, have fallen off deplorably in quality and style during the last 20 years. The Chinese will take no advice and refuse to listen to any suggestions regarding change in cultivation and manufacture, while their great rivals in India and Ceylon pay the closest attention to all details and are ever on the look-out for improvements. Strong representations made in the spring induced the Chinese Government to reduce the Export Duty to one-half, but it still remains too high, being at least 12 per cent. on Conimon Teas; and, as lekin and other internal taxes were not interfered with, although in some districts they almost equalled the Export Duty, it is to be feared that this half-hearted step towards putting China Teas on a level with untaxed competitors will not be of much benefit to the trade. The transport of some 3 millions of pounds by the Siberian Railway was a new departure which will be watched with great interest, and one which might lead to important developments if the Chinese could be induced to pay more attention to quality. Some reduction in the heavy import duty charged in Russia would be of great assistance to the trade, expecially as Russia is now the principal purchaser of Black Teas. The total export of all kinds of Tea was about 31 per cent. higher than in 1901; but the shipments to Great Britain showed no improvement, although the deliveries from bond in London from June to December were better by 3 millions of pounds. The United States took 168,501 piculs of Black Tea, as against 96,820 piculs in the previous year, and 126,196 piculs of Green