Directory_and_Chronicle_1919 — Page 647

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

NEWCHWANG

589

The value of the trade, of the port during the year 1917 was Hk. Tls. 28,829,499 as compared with Hk. Tls. 31,479,156 in 1916, Hk. Tls. 40,395,539 in 1915, Hk. Tls. 37,395,530 in 1914 and Hk. Tls. 50,064,454 in 1913. Until a few years back Newchwang had the monopoly of the trade of

the trade of Manchuria, but now she has powerful competitors in Harbin in the North and Dalny in the South. In spite of the competition she is holding her own, owing partly to the cheaper rates on water- borne produce from the hinterland, and partly to the reluctance of the Chinese merchants to leave an old-established business centre with all its vested interests. The chief articles of export are agricultural products-beans, millet, maize, etc., and their by-products beancake, bean oil and samshu, with a fair amount of bristles, ginseng, native medicines, wild and refuse silk and skins and furs thrown in. Another article of export has lately arisen in Fushun coal, and the South Manchurian Railway, finding the cost of laying down the coal at Newchwang is cheaper than at Dalny, is developing the export trade from Newchwang.

The greater part of the export trade here is with Japan and the Southern Chinese ports, but some direct shipments of beans and beancake were made to Europe. Details of a scheme for the improvement of the Upper Reaches of the Liao River and the deep- ening of the Bar at its mouth were under consideration for over two years, and a preliminary Agreement-embodying regulations for the financing and operation of the scheme-signed in July, 1911, by the Consular Body and Taotai, was for some time afterwards the subject of negotiations between the Diplomatic Body at Peking and the Chinese Central and Provincial Authorities. The scheme was eventually- ratified in the course of 1914, and Conservancy works were begun in 1915 and are proceeding.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1919 — Page 647

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