TIENTSIN
709
Distilling is one of the largest local industries; it is chiefly from kowliang (sorghum) or millet. Although a spirit, it is called "wine," and is exported to the south in large quantities. The manufacture of coarse unrefined salt by the evaporation of sea water is also carried on near Taku; the produce is stacked some distance down river at the first cutting, where all the salt junks now go. The trade in salt is a Govern- ment monopoly. In 1909 the salt export was valued at nearly six and a half million taels. Carpets, shoes, glass, coarse earthenware, and fireworks are also made in large quantities in the city, but Tientsin is at present essentially a centre for distribution and collection rather than for manufacture. The exports include coal, wool (from Kokonor, Kanshu, etc.), bristles, straw braid, goat skins, furs, wine, etc. The export trade is a creation of the last 15 or 20 years, and is largely due to foreign initiative. Wool cleaning and braid and bristle sorting are the chief industries in the foreign hongs except those of the Russians, who are exclusively engaged in the transit of tea. The imports are of the usual miscellaneous nature: arms, tea for the Desert and Siberia, mineral oil, matches, and needles figure next to piece goods. The fine arts are unknown to the Tientsinese except in the shape of cleverly-made mud-figures; these are painted and make really admirable statuettes, but are difficult to carry away, being remarkably brittle.
The export coal trade may be expected to develop rapidly, as the Chinese Corpora- tion has been replaced by a strong combination of British and Belgian capitalists registered as an English limited liability company. The output and sale of the Kaiping collieries is about 3,500,000 tons a year, of which about 350,000 tons annually are brought to Tientsin for disposal to local consumers and to native craft navigating the Grand Canal and other inland waterways. Tientsin is the principal sea out- let.for the entire trade of the provinces of Chihli, Shansi, Shensi, Kansuh, and part of Honan, with a population not far short of 100,000,000, but the trade of the port for some years past has shown little tendency to increase. Following are the comparative statistics for the years 1911, 1912 and 1913:-
Net total imports--
Foreign
Native...
---
*
***
•
Total exports of local origin
1912.
1913.
Tls. 47,922,251 Tls. 70,900,368
1914.
Tls. 68,710,413
16,893,711
""
"
37,442,156
**
24,729,283 37,828,623
*)
20,227,657
19
34,701,706
Net value of trade of port... Tls. 102,258,118 Tls. 133,458,274 Tls. 123,639,776
DIRECTORY
ALLEN & LUCKER, Attorneys and Coun- sellors-at-Law-15, Victoria Terrace; Tel. Ad: Penella
Edgar Pierce Allen Harry A. Lucker
Mei-ching
AMERICAN MACHINERY and EXPORT CO.,
Mining and Engineering Equipment and
General Import and Export-Teleph.
1328; Tel. Ad: Mei-ching
記瑞 Jui-chi
ARNHOLD, KARBERG & Co., Merchants-
Bristow Road; Tel. Ad: Karberg
Ed. Lueders, signs the firin
H. Finscher, signs per pro.
E. Gerz
O. A. Sixt
Lionel F. Smith
H. Schulze (absent) W. Diehl
H. Bollenhagen
E. Vockerodt (absent)
W. Rabben
M. A. Lorenzen (absent)
A. Klingmueller
R. Moelter
W. v. Froreich
Fraeulein I. Bieger
E. Groesser, signs per pro.
H. Popper,
W. Lipkau,
K. Wiese,
do.
(Peking)
do.
do. (abt.)
do. do.
Aquarius Company, Manufacturers of High-Class Table Waters from Pure Distilled Water
Caldbeck, Macgregor & Co., local agts.,
37, Victoria Road
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.