Directory_and_Chronicle_1936 — Page 506

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CHEFOO

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laid over the mole. In 1933 Chefoo was made a Special Area by the Provincial authorities, and the City limits now include a number of surrounding towns and villages. The population of this Special Area is estimated at 230,000.

The Chefoo-Wehsien motor Road was opened to traffic in 1933 and a regular and express service of cars operate daily between Chefoo and Wehsien, connecting at the latter port with the Kiao-tsi Railway. During the past several years, additional motor roads have been opened throughout the province and practically all important towns are now connected by road with Chefoo, including Tsingtao and Weihaiwei. None of the roads are metalled, as it has been found impracticable to adopt this surfacing but, gnerally speaking, they are kept in first class condition, and due to the long periods of dry weather in Chefoo the earth surfacing thereof has proved eminently satisfactory for conditions in Shantung. However, after heavy rains the roads are unusable for a period of from twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

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Amongst the main exports of Chefoo are Pongee Silks, Silk Waste, Vermicelli, Ground Nuts, Fruit, Hair Nets, Handmade Laces and Embroideries; and there are also considerable exports of locally distilled wine. Amongst other industries is the Chefoo Brewery and several Clock factories which enjoy a brisk business with all China ports, as well as with the Straits and Java. The port was connected in 1900 by telegraph cables with Tientsin, Port Arthur, Weihaiwei, Tsingtao and Shanghai, in addition to telegraph land lines with all large interior cities.

TRADE IN 1934

The more settled conditions experienced at Chefoo after the termination of the hostilities referred to in the last report continued to be enjoyed during the year under review, and some of the proposed civic improvements were carried out. An amusement park on the same lines as the one at Tsinanfu was opened to the public in January; an afforestation scheme was inaugurated with the idea of ultimately creating another park for the public on the southern hills; the bund promenade was widened; and plans were made to extend the macadamised roadways both inside and outside of the city boundries. Apart from public works carried out with a view to adding to the amenities of the place as a seaside resort, the continuance of the building boom in the form of private undertaking would appear to indicate that the port is also prospering to some extent in the general way, but following statistics and comments do not reveal any immediate change for the better in the external trade of the district although many of the staple exports did fairly well. The statistics in question read, according to the value

million dollars as against 7.6 million direct importation from abroad, 9.7

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in the preceding year; coastwise importa- tions of Chinese produce, 21.7 million dollars as against 20.1 million; direct exportation to foreign countries, 7.9 million dollars as against 10.3 million and coastwise exportations, 13.3 million dollars as against 15.8 million million dollars: The total value of the outward trade, therefore, registered a decline amounting to some 19 per cent.; the visible improvement in the inward trade amounted to 13 per cent.; and the net result was a slight decrease in the total value of that part of the trade of the port for which Customs records are available. It will be seen that the term "visible improvement" has been used in connection with the import trade. This term was adopted advisedly, because of the extent of the illicit trade cannot be gauged with exactitude. The known facts are that the total value recorded above for the direct foreign import trade (9.7 million dollars) included no less than 2 million dollars worth of illicit importations seized by the, Customs, while approximately one-third of the port's total revenue for the year under view was collected in the form of duties on confiscated goods. Undoubtedly the geographical position of the Chefoo district, together with the indented nature of the coastline, makes this area peculiarly favourable for the conduct of smuggling operations, and the statistics just quoted reflect very clearly the value to the country of the enegetic preventive measures now being undertaken. Four new preventive steamers. were appointed to the district during the year, and, although it was only in

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