ANTUNG
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on account of its hot springs. Antung is connected by railway with Mukden. The splendid steel bridge, 3,097 feet long and consisting of 12 spans, includ- ing a swivel-span, over the Yalu, from Antung to New Wiju (on the Korean side), connecting the South Manchurian Railway with the Chosen (Korean) Railways, was opened to traffic on 1st November, 1911. The river at Antung is navigable for steamers drawing 12 feet of water when the tides are favour- able, but the channel is a constantly shifting one and erosion and silting often interfere seriously with navigation. Attempts to dredge the channel in the years 1913 and 1914 were not successful and were discontinued. With a view to better control of navigation, fresh charts and future conservancy operations, a survey was started by the Hydrographic Bureau of the Japanese Navy in the spring of 1921, and subsequently undertaken on a larger scale by the Marine Department of the Chinese Maritime Customs during the summer and au- tumn. In September, 1922, the survey was completed and soundings were taken from the sea to Antung. There are several small Japanese steamers plying between Antung, Chefoo and Dairen, and as trade' with Tientsin has developed considerably a regular and frequent service with that port is car- ried on by larger vessels of from 700 to 1,200 tons. The larger ships in the China Coast trade anchor at Santaolangtou, six miles down river, and there are other anchorages at Wentzuchien, 14 miles down river, and at Tatungkow.
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TRADE IN 1931
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The value of the foreign trade of Antung showed a serious decline for the year of some 60 per cent. in imports and 30 per cent. in exports. This was largely due to the diversion of trade from Antung to Dairen, owing to the abolition of the privileged duty treatment hitherto accorded to goods im- ported from or through Korea and exported to or through Korea by rail via Antung. The value of foreign cotton piece goods imported fell from 20.4 million Haikwan taels in 1930 to 4.1 millions in 1931; the imports of foreign grey cotton yarn fell from 23,400 to 8,600 piculs; and similar heavy decreases in the figures for sugar, woollen goods, and matches may be instanced to illus- trate the extent of the general decline in foreign imports. The value of direct exports of Chinese produce abroad fell from 41 million Haikwan taels in 1930 to 28.9 millions in 1931, notwithstanding the low value of sil- ver. The good harvest of wild silk cocoons in the previous year enabled all the spinning factories to work at full pressure throughout the spring and summer months. The high water in the Yalu River brought all the available timber and beans to this port, including those detained in the upper reaches in the preceding year for want of enough water. The cotton- weaving industry is expanding steadily to meet a growing demand in North Manchuria, and the extraordinary increase in the output of the local bean oil factories has already been mentioned. As already indicated, however, political disturbances changed the situation towards the close of the year, and a poor harvest of wild silk cocoons did nothing to relieve matters. This harvest was about 40 per cent. of normal owing to unfavourable weath- er conditions, and only about 25,000 baskets reached the port as against 60,000 baskets in the previous year (one basket contains 50,000 cocoons).
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The value of the trade of the port in 1931 was Hk. Tls. 67,914,886 as compared with Hk. Tls. 91,931,563 in 1930, Hk. Tls. 91,313,054 in 1929 and
in 1928.
Hk. Tls. 97,320,548 ve
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