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CHINA
it is now absorbed in the regular army. Several military colleges have recently been opened, including an aviation school at Nanyuan.
During 1915 the principle of conscription was approved by the Government, but the financial difficulties which are ever present in China made it impossible to carry it into effect. The system is different from any which obtains in other countries, each district being expected to furnish a given quota of men. For this purpose the country has been divided into six military districts.
It is believed that the troops under arms in China number about half-a-million,
Navy
Under the old régime each Province controlled its naval contingent independently of the Central Government, but the consolidation of authority in Peking, which has resulted since the Revolution, has secured the placing of the Maritime Forces under the direct control of the Ministry of Navy, although that control at present is rather nebulous. For reasons which are obvious, the extensions which were contemplated have not been effected, but there is every reason to believe that increases in the number of the smaller craft suitable for patrolling the waterways will be sanctioned as soon as funds permit.
Under the programme drawn up by the Naval Commission headed by Prince Tsia Hsun, the following cruisers were added to the fleet-the Ying Swei and the Chao Ho, both built in England, having each a displacement of about 2,600 tons and a contract speed of 20 knots. The main armaments consist of 2.6in. and 4.4in. guns. There are, in addition, a number of torpedo-boat-destroyers built in Germany, Austria and Italy, and two light draught river gunboats built in Japan. There is no attempt at uniformity-very much the reverse.
The provision of Naval Bases is contemplated. Existing dockyards are inadequate for the requirements of the present fleet, and their plant is obsolete. The number of the personnel cannot be exactly stated.
Practical experience demonstrates that the Chinese bluejacket with training and discipline can rank with any bluejacket in the world.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
The ports open to trade are:-Newchwang, Chinwantao, Tientsin, Chefoo, Woosung Shanghai, Soochow, Chinkiang, Nanking, Wuhu, Kiukiang, Hankow, Yochow, Chang sha, Shasi, Ichang, Chungking, Hangchow, Ningpo, Wênchow, Santu, Foochow, Amoy Swatow, Canton, Samshui, Wuchow, Kongmoon,Nanning,Kiungchow, Pakhoi and Cheng- teh, Lungchow, Mêngtsz, Szemao and Tengyueh, on the frontiers of Tonkin and Burmah, are stations under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs. Mukden, Antung and Tatiengkow and other inland places in Manchuria, Kweihuichang, Kalgan, Dolonor, Chihfeng,Taonanfu, Hulutao, and Lungkow have also been declared open to foreign trade. The import trade, exclusive of the Colony of Hongkong, centres chiefly at Shanghai, Tientsin, Hankow and Canton, while the bulk of the exports pass through the ports of Shanghai and Canton. The annual value of the trade of China coming under the supervision of the Imperial Maritime Customs was as follows:-
Net Imports from Net Exports to Foreign Countries. Foreign Countries.
Total of
Net Imports of Foreign trade. Native Goods
1916...Hk. Tls. 516,406,995 Hk. Tls. 481,797,366 Hk. Tls. 998,204,361 Hk. Tls. 238,145,653
1917...
549,518,774
1917 equals at-
Ex. 1.63 Mex. $895,715,602
Ex. 4/3 18 £118,633,090
462,931,630
Mex. 8754,578,557 £99,940,188
1,012,450,404 **
"1
255,411,672
Mex. $1,650,294,159 Mex. $416,321,025
£218,573,277
£55,139,655
The following was the net value of commodities imported direct from and exported direct to foreign countries in 1917. These figures do not include the trade carried on
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