Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 545

SHANGHAI

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war of 1932 interrupts the proper functioning of the port. In other words, it is not usually possible in the case of Shanghai to separate local demand and output from the wider demand and output of the country as a whole, or to measure the effect of local conditions on the statistics of the port.

While it would be out of place to discuss the success or failure of local industries in relation to the trade figures given above, there were (apart from the absence of all the adverse circumstances that nilitated against the movement of cargoes during the hostilities of the previous year, and apart from considerations of the general trend of trade in China during the year under review) certain statistical factors that did have a direct influence on these figures. One of these factors, obviously, was the absence from the total statistics for this country of any Manchurian trade figures. As the

As the Man- churian ports, including Dairen, took an 11.8 per cent. share in China's- aggregate import trade and a 42.6 per cent. share (larger proportion than Shanghai's) in China's export trade during 1932, it is easy to understand how it comes about that, with these figures missing from the records for 1933, Shanghai's percentage of the remaining trade has risen to the proportions. already quoted. Again, while the decline in the value of importations through Shanghai (as distinct from the rise in the port's share of the country's total import trade) was a natural corollary of the decline in China's import trade in general, it may be observed that here also a statistical factor intruded itself to account in part at least for the smaller figures shown for this distributing centre. This factor was not a change in statistical method, but it was a change in customary procedure on the part of certain importers which distinctly affected the statistics of the ports concerned, and it calls for notice because it was adopted at more and more ports as the year advanced. The change was brought about simply through dealers in various ports electing to pay duty on the arrival of cargoes at these ports, so as to avoid payment of the wharfage dues and the conservancy dues for which they would be liable if duty was paid in Shanghai. Thus the direct foreign import trade statistics of such ports were credited during the year under review, at the expense of Shanghai, with the value of much cargo that formerly would have been landed and accounted for at its first port of entry (Shanghai) instead of being forwarded direct to destination as transhipment goods. The last explanation along statistical lines that need be given in connection with the trade data recorded at the beginning of this paragraph concerns the very substantial increase registered for the value of exports from Shanghai to foreign countries. This explanation is important to an understanding of the gain shown by these figures it is that 1933 is the first complete year during which produce sent to an ocean port like Shanghai for subsequent transhipment abroad has been treated statistically as a domestic movement of cargo at the port of first shipment and as a direct export abroad at the ocean port concerned. This factor is sufficient in itself to account for the 28 per cent. improvement on Shanghai's foreign export trade statistics and for the very noticeable disparity between the export values for 1932 and 1933. Generally speaking, the port seems to have made a very good recovery from the disturbing effects of the warfare waged on its borders during the previous year, and, if signs of the trade depression do linger on in the form of an acute unemployment situation, there is evidence enough that Shanghai has by no means lost confidence in itself or in its future. This may be seen in the unusually strong building boom now in progress, directed chiefly towards the erection of magnificent office, hotel, and apartment-house sky- scrapers. It may be seen also in the number of new permits taken for the establishment of factories and storage godowns, and in the extension taking place in almost all of the public utility plants to meet the needs of the growing population, which is now placed at a total of over 3,358,000 persons. development of the harbour keeps pace with the growth of the city. A new record for dredging work in the harbour and its approaches was established by the Whangpoo Conservancy Board, almost 3.8 cubic yards (barge measure) of mud being removed during the year. The commencement of dredging operations on the Wayside Bar Channel, a long-contemplated undertaking

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