Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 984

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

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import trade, we shall have to assume that imports, like exports, have been stationary for many years past. The explanation of the growth in shipping tonnage would there- fore appear to be exclusively indicative of the development of the coolie traffic to the Malay Archipelago, "humanity being now the staple export of Amoy." The returns of the native passenger traffic for 1908 show that 79,243 left Amoy, more than half of them for the Straits, and 53,534 landed at Amoy, mostly from Hongkong and the Straits. With the exception of 1905, when only 76,000 left, this is the lowest total since 1899. The numbers have been steadily declining of late and a Commissioner of Customs a few years ago suggested that many years of emigration are beginning to tell, and that with lesser competition at home those who remain are able to get better wages than formerly in the service, directly on indirectly, of their "returned emigrant" countrymen. In former times, ere the glory of Amoy had departed, the staple export was Tea-the local product as well as the superior blends brought over from Formosa- but, largely owing to the deterioration of the local product, and the indifference of the grower to the changing conditions of the foreign market, locally-grown tea has long since ceased to be exported, and the Customs Commissioner made a fairly safe prophecy that it only required the development of Keelung harbour to cause the total disappearance of the foreign tea merchant from Amoy. Before the Japanese obtained possession of Formosa the Formosan teas were settled and warehoused in Amoy, whence they were shipped to the foreign markets. Now no Formosan tea is "settled" in Amoy, and with Keelung still unimproved to any considerable extent, quite 50 per cent. of the Formosan product is being shipped direct to America from Keelung. The foreign tea merchant at Amoy has practically lost his occupation, and we are witnessing the fulfilment of the prediction that "the row of quaint, rambling, old hongs on the Amoy side, and many picturesque residences on Kulangsu will be offering for the occupation of the wealthy returned emigrant or the missionary school." The total export of tea in 1908 was 5,617 against 5,190 piculs in 1907. The net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs in 1908 was Tls. 18,897,452, which compares with 17,667,161 for 1907, and 17,353,330 in 1906.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 984

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