Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 927

CANTON

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poration were opened in Central Avenue on October 29th, 1921. There is a Roman Catholic church on the French Concession. The Settlement has the Victoria Hotel providing good accommodation. During an anti-foreign riot on the 10th September, 1883, 16 houses and the Concordia Theatre on the Settle- ment were burned by the mob.

TRADE IN 1930.

Throughout the year 1930 conditions in Canton were normal, no political or military disturbances on a serious scale occurring. Owing, however, to troops being withdrawn from the province to take part in the fighting in Kwangsi, bandits became more daring and the necessity of paying them "pro- tection fees" somewhat hindered the free movement of cargo. Among imports the most notable increase was that of artificial silk piece goods and artificial silk mixtures, which rose from some 70,000 yards in 1929 to over half a million yards in 1930. In the cotton goods market the products of Chinese factories. are rapidly gaining ground, and the value of these imports including cotton yarn, approximated Hk. $26,000,000 as against less than Hk. $5,000,000 for similar foreign varities. The growing use of motor traffic was reflected in a large increase in gasolene imported, while the erection of many new foreign style buildings lend to an increase in importations of foreign cement by nearly 50 per cent. The decrease in the export of white raw silk from 53,000 to 46,500 piculs is serious, when it is remembered that this article constitutes the principal export of the city, and that its value in sterling declined by nearly 50%. The industry was, and is, undoubtedly passing through a grave crisis for of the 120 silk filatures in the various adjacent districts, 40% suspended work during the year. Bed-mats, and general matting, one of the staple exports, were more fortunate and greatly increased in demand. The exports of tobacco on the other hand fell to one half of the previous year only to the lower price of that from Virginia. Owing to the fluctuations in the local currency Hongkong bank-notes were much in favour with local merchants and most transactions between Chinese and foreign buyers and sellers were based on the Hongkong dollar. Vessels flying the British flag accounted for 70% of tonnage entered. Japanese tonnage which was 10% of the whole increased by nearly 50% during the year.

The trade of the port coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs during the past ten years is shown by the following' net figures:-Hk. Tls. 196,208, 149 in 1930; Hk. Tls. 183,589,036 in 1929; Hk. Tls. 171,580,923 in 1928; Hk. Tls. 172,484,412 in 1927; Hk. Tls. 261,605,704 in 1926; Hk. Tls. 201,720,711 in 1925; Hk. Tls. 201,566,440 in 1924; Hk. Tls. 219,203,728 in 1923; Hk. Tls. 197,287,935 in 1922 and Hk. Tls. 165,232,378 in 1921.

MODERN CANTON.

Ample means of communication exist between Canton and Hongkong, a distance of 112 miles by railway and about 95 miles by water. British steamers with luxurions accommodition and a large number of native craft ply daily between the ports. There is daily steam communication with Macao and regular connection with Wuchow and West River ports, and with Shanghai, Newchwang, and Kwangchauwan. The steam-launch traffic under the Inland Steam Navigation Regulations has proved a great success, though since rules were enforced in December, 1901, compelling all Chinese launches to undergo inspection at the hands of an engineer appointed by the Customs before obtain- ing licences to ply, the number of launches is not so large as previously. There is a safe and commodious anchorage within 150 yards of Shameen. Canton was connected by telegraph (an overland line) with Kowloon in 1883, and an- other overland line was completed from Canton to Lungchau-fu, on the Kwangsi and Tonkin frontier, in June 1884. An agreement was entered into with the South China Wireless Co., a British concern, in the latter part of 1923, for the installation of a powerful wireless station, to give a continu- ous commercial service with Hongkong and Shanghai and communications with Peiping, Japan, the Straits Settlements, etc. The electric light service