Directory_and_Chronicle_1906 — Page 989

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CANTON

In consequence of the decline in the importance of Canton as a place of trade,. caused principally by the opening of some of the northern ports, many of the merchants. by whom lots were purchased there in 1861, at enormous prices, withdrew from Canton altogether. For many years the trade transacted there by foreigners has been limited, but since 1900 an appreciable increase has been noticeable. Tea and Silk are the staple exports. The total export of Tea for the year 1903 was 26,573 piculs; for 1902, 22,935 piculs, for 1901, 6,653 piculs, and 10,713 piculs in 1900. The extent to which this trade has fallen off will be seen on a comparison of the above figures with those for 1888, when the export was 131,141 piculs. The quantity of Raw Silk and Cocoons (exclusive of Refuse and Wild Silk) exported in 1903 was 38,149 piculs; in 1902, 40,043 piculs; in 1901, 36,553; and in 1900, 29,057 piculs. These figures, however, which are taken from the Foreign Customs returns, do not give the total export, but only those in foreign vessels. Both Tea and Silk are carried in large quantities to Hongkong by junk, for transhipment. The export of Sugar in 1903 was remarkably small, being only 57,464 piculs, against 154,512 piculs in 1902 and 159,657 pieuls in 1901.. Not since 1894 had the export of sugar fallen below a hundred thousand piculs. The import of sugar in 1903 amounted to 206,494 piculs. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs for 1903 was Tls. 110,559,826 (the largest on record); for 1902 it was Tls. 79,744,707; for 1901, Tls. 59,990,264, and for 1900 Tls. 52,405,172.

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Ample means of communication exist between Canton and Hongkong, a distance of about ninety-five miles, by foreign steamers plying daily, and a large number of native- craft. There is daily steam communication with Macao and regular connection with Wuchow and West River ports and with Shanghai, Newchwang, and Kwangchauwan. The total tonnage for 1903 entered and cleared was 5,229,583. The steam-launch traffic- under the Inland Steam Navigation Regulation has proved a great success, though since rules were enforced in December, 1901, compelling all Chinese launches to undergo inspection at the hands of an engineer appointed by the Customs before obtaining licenses to ply, the number of launches is not so large as previously. There is a safe and commodious anchorage within 150 yards of the river wall at Shameen. Canton was connected by telegraph (an overland line) with Kowloon in 1883, and another overland line was completed from Canton to Lungchau-fu, on the Kwangsi and Tonkin frontier, in June, 1884. The electric light and the telephone system have been intro- duced into a portion of the city. A projected railway between Canton and Kowloon received the Imperial sanction in 1898 and a preliminary survey was made, but there are no signs yet of a commencement of the work. The survey by an American syndicate of a railway route to connect Canton with Hankow was also made in 1899. Work upon the branch line from Canton to Samshui (about 30 miles) commenced in December 1902, and a length of ten miles, as far as Fatshan, was opened on November 15, 1903. The line has since been extended to Samshui. The completion of the railway to Samshui brings the West River ports within easy distance of Canton, it being now possible to reach Wuchow in Kwangsi in less than twenty-four hours. Work on the grand trunk line has been started at both ends, and a section, about 12 miles long, from Canton northward to Ko Tong Hu was rapidly approaching completion, when in October 1904, on account of friction between the Chinese authorities and the constructor of the railway, work was entirely stopped. Belgian capitalists are now reported to have extensive holdings in the American-China Development Company, and, in consequence, a strong agitation has been aroused among the Chinese aiming at the cancellation of the concession and the construction of the line with Chinese capital only. A concession for a line from Macao to Canton was granted in November, 1904, to a Sino-Portuguese- syndicate after prolonged negotiations. In accordance with stipulations in the sup- plementary commercial treaty between Great Britain and China, concluded in 1902, the various barriers or artificial obstructions to navigation in the Canton River are now being removed, and it is expected that besides rendering the approaches to Canton safer and easier for shipping, the removal of the barriers will simplify work in connection with the proposal to improve the accommodation for shipping in the harbour. Extensive- wharves and godowns have been erected at Pak Hin Hok on Honam Island, about two- miles below Shameen, which enable ocean-going vessels of considerable draught to come- up to Canton.