Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 726

CHINA

643

1903.

Great Britain.

.pieces 7,841,605

1904. 8,109,020

1905. 13,548,025

America

4,782,141

3,703,548

12,566,093

Japan

11

607,312

780,580

India

"

183,461

730,723 53,806

650,636

To the import of 1905 the English mills contributed 49 per cent. ; the American, 45 per cent.; the Japanese, 3 per cent. ; and the Indian, a little over 2 per cent. Fancy goods, with a reduced cost for raw material, increased in value from Hk. Tls. 24, '62,260 in 1904 to Hk. Tls. 27,320,865 in 1905. The increase in quantities is very general, and is most marked in Chintzes and Prints, Cotton Italians and Lastings, and Cotton Blankets. Cotton Yarn increased generally, even English spinnings sharing in the advance; the total increased from 2,280,878 to 2,553,797 piculs, of which India contributed 1,846,846 piculs and Japan 681,442 piculs. For this year Yarn has been swamped in the inflow of fabrics, and from a general average, taking one year with another, of a half of the value of all Cotton manufactures, the value of Yarn has fallen to 36 per cent. of the whole. The mills of China have, however, had a busy and profitable year, and have supplied a larger proportion of the demand than formerly, being helped out by a fall in the Shanghai price of Cotton coinciding with the rise in the price elsewhere,

The import of Metals was more than doubled in value. Brass, Lead, Tin, and Quicksilver were less in quantity and value, the reduced import of Lead being attribu- table to the reduced export of Tea and, to some extent, to the increased price in Western markets. Iron and Steel were considerably increased in nearly every kind. Of the total value of all Metals, Hk. Tls. 45,428,998, Copper contributed over two-thirds, the importation (excluding Wire) in the past three years having been as follows:-

Quantity ......piculs Value

1903. 91,971

.Hk. Tls. 2,506,741

1904. 289,528 8,704,322

1905. 964,621 31,133,551

At the same time Spelter increased from 1,090 piculs in 1903, and 14,326 piculs in 1904, to 32,472 piculs in 1905. The year 1903 already exceeded the normal importation, and the increase since that year may be safely assigned to purchases for the Mints.

"Foreign Rice was imported in smaller quantities, 2,227,916 piculs, against 3,356,830 piculs in 1904: the import of Yangtsze Rice at Canton increased, however, from 2,221,483 to 3,903,912 piculs, and with larger importation at Swatow also, the supplies from all quarters introduced into Kwangtung considerably exceeded those of 1904.

"Cigars and Cigarettes continue to increase, the value rising from Hk. Tls. 3,279,713 in 1904 to Hk. Tls. 4,734,579 in 1905. Household Stores also increased from Hk. Tis. 1,491,817, to Hk. Tls. 2,384,534, and Wines, Beer, and Spirits from Hk. Tls. 2,077,509 to Hk. Tls. 3,028,417. These figures are net, the value which remained in China of the year's importation.

66

Flour, 931,761 piculs, was about the same as in 1904; but whereas in former years the importation was entirely from American mills, during 1905 Australia has advanced into the market. Including re-exports, mainly from Shanghai in the direction of the seat of war, the import of Flour was 939,447 pieuls in.1904 and 988,423 piculs in 1905.

Under Dyes it is to be noted that natural Dyes, such as Mangrove Bark, Sapan- wood, and Indigo, are yielding place more and more to coal tar products.

66

"Kerosene Oil maintains its position, the importation 153,471,831 gallons, having been only 3,419,404 gallons less than the already much increased import of 1904. To the totals of 1904 and 1905, American Oil contributed 43 and 52 per cent.; Russian, 21 and 8 per cent.; Sumatra, 35 and 32 per cent., respectively; while Borneo (including Langkat) rose from insignificant proportions to 7 per cent. of the whole.

Railway Plant increased from Hk. Tls. 6,046,459 to Hk. Tls. 7,346,739, in addition to half a million taels separately recorded for Steel Rails. Other Machinery increased from Hk. Tls. 2,660,039 to Hk. Tls. 5,336,927.

"Sugar from Foreign countries continues to increase, the total quantity of all kinds (Brown, Candy, White, and Refined) having risen from 3,202,980 piculs in 1903, and 3,747,563 piculs in 1904, to 4,620,675 piculs in 1905.

"Exports.-The total value of Exports was Hk. Tls. 227,888,197, to which the Northern, Yangtsze, and Central ports contributed 63 per cent., the Southern ports 35 per cent., and the Frontier ports 2 per cent. This total was Hk. Tls. 11,598,486 less than in 1904, the three categories of Raw Cotton, Silk, and Tea being reduced in value by 25 million taels. The reduction is attributable to bad crops of the main staples and adverse exchange marked by unexpected rises to which trade had not time to adapt itself.

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