CHINA
591
Tariff Revision.-An event during the year of importance to the Chinese Government and the mercantile community alike was tlie revision of the Customs Import Tariff. The classification of goods in the revised tariff is generally much the same as in the 1902 tariff. The most important alterations are the following:-(1) the duty on cotton yarn varies with the count of the yarn, (2) heavy grey shirtings and sheetings with more than 110 threads to the square inch pay more duty than those with 110 threads or less to the inch, (3) iron and steel (excepting tool steel) pay the same duty, (4) the classification of paper has been entirly changed, (5) timber has been divided into rougli hewn, sawn, and inauufactured. In some cases duty rates have been more than doubled; in others they have been lowered, so it is hard to estimate how much China. will gain by the revision.
Value in Silver and Sterling of the Foreign Trade of China, 1897 to 1918:-
Year. Average Exchange.
Imports.
Exports.
s. d.
Hk. Tls.
£
Hk. Tls.
£
1892 1893
4 41
...
...
140,298,086
30,544,061
102,583,525
22,333,288
3
111
149,928,703
29,517,212
116,632,311
22,961,986
1894 1895 1896
3
2
...
...
163,897,525
26,206,530
128,104,522
20,483,379
3
...
...
...
31
172,853,145
28,268,688
143,293,211
23,434,411
3
...
...
209,106,866
34,851,143
131,081,421
21,846,903
1897
...
...
2
112
204,554,227
30,470,055
163,501,358
24,354,889
1898
...
•••
2
108
217,761,975
31,416,701
159,037,149 22,944,422
11899*..
0
...
...
280,907,296
42,282,402
195,784,832
29,469,696
1900+..
*1901 1902 1903
...
...
3
12
223,791,888
34,734,365
158,996,752
24,677,621
2
11
280,472,693
41,559,625
169,656,757
25,139,243
2
7
...
335,601,739 43,628,226 214,181,584
27,843.605
2
...
73
343,300,115
45,296,542
214,352,467
28,282,616
1904
1905
...
1906
...
...
1907
...
2
102
348,603,090
49,966,442
239,486,683
34,326,424
3
0-
458,340,485 68,942,047
227,888,197
34,278,183
31
414,184,061
68,167,793
236,456,739
38,916,838
...
422,838,531
68,711,261
264,380,697
42,961,863
1908 1909 1910
...
1911‡ $1912
1913$... 1914...
...
...
396,261,991
52,834,932
276,660,403
36,888,053
2
...
...
417,586,237 54,264,460
338,992,814
44,051,410
8-
...
...
...
462,437,260 473,517,685 471,809,192 72,000,048 570,064,611
62,260,433
380,833,328
51,273,653
63,628,938
377,338,166
50,704,816
370,520,403 56,542,957
86,103,508
403,305,546
60,915,941
8
...
546,425,296
74,564,285
345,280,874
47,116,453
1915
1916
...
1917
1918
...
...
71
454,475,719
58,939,820
418,861,164
54,321,057
3
...
3៖
516,406,995
86,767,390 481,797,365
78,820,156
4
...
312
16
549,518,774
118,633,090 462,931,630
99,940,188
...
...
146,670,958 485,883,031
128,430,019
5 37 554,893,082
It is interesting to observe in this table that an increase in silver values does not always mean an increase in trade when measured in sterling.
RAILWAYS
Although China is traversed in all directions by roads, they are usually mere tracks, or at best footpaths, along which the transport of goods is a tedious and difficult undertaking. A vast internal trade is, however, carried on over the roads, and by means of numerous canals and navigable rivers. The most populous part of China is singularly well adapted for the construction of a network of railways, and a first attempt to introduce them into the country was made in 1876, when a line from Shanghai to Woosung, ten miles in length, was constructed by an English company. This little railway was subsequently purchased by the Chinese Government and closed by them on the 21st October, 1877. Since that time the principle of railways has been fully accepted. The railway from Shanghai to Woosung was re-opened in 1898, as forming part of a line to Soochow, which the provincial authorities had obtained per- mission from the Throne to construct. A tramway, a few miles in length, begun in 1881 to carry coal from the Kaiping coal mines, near Tongshan, to the canal bank, has
+ Boxer outbreak. Revolution in October. || European war from August.
* Influence of railways felt.
§ Rebellion in summer.
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