Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 414

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paper presented a marked contrast in the source of supply: Japan, usually the largest surveyor, supplied no more than one-sixth of the total, while Canada improved her position from second to first with 55 per cent. of the total trade. A decline in the import of timber is traceable to a falling-off in railway sleepers. Available figures for the import trade may not represent a faithful outlining of actual conditions, as it must be remembered that certain facts in the political situation in Hopeh have favoured smuggling on a very extensive scale, the railway becoming a favourite means of conveyance for high-duty-paying goods which have evaded the legal import duties. This irregular traffic, which was largely encouraged by the wholesale smuggling of silver out of the country, was intensified by the practical cessation of Customs preventive activities on the seaboard of the "demilitarised zone," and reacted unfavourably on the operations of legal importers by upsetting market prices. There was a considerable recovery in the direct export trade of the port. Shipments of raw cotton totalled 188,000 quintals valued at 13.5 million dollars as against 162,000 quintals valued at 12 million dollars during the preceding year. Although Japan continued to occupy first place among consumers, her share in the trade dropped from 9.6 million to 8.2 million dollars as compared with 23.1 million and 13.2 million dollars in 1932 and 1933 respectively. Trade with the United States of America tended upwards, and the demand for raw cotton from Germany unexpectedly increased sixfold, aggregating no less in value than 2.9 million dollars. Eggs and egg products enjoyed a total trade of 10 million dollars, showing an improvement of 1.4 million dollars over the preceding year's figures. America still consumed the major portion of the dried yolk and albumen, while Great Britain's deinand for whole egg (melange), moist and frozen, followed the upward trend noticeable since 1933. The export. of bristles increased by 1,700 quintals over the previous year's record of 12,000 quintals. Goat, sheep, and pig intestines all showed an improvement. In the skin trade, with the exception of mats and rugs, there was a general set-back. All the major categories of skins, not made up, such as fox, lamb, kid, dog, and sheep, feel far short of the figures for 1934 Lamb skins dropped by nearly 4 million dollars in value, while dog skins only attained one-tenth of the quantity exported in 1933. The business in mats and rugs, other kinds, ex- perienced a real boom, progressing in value steadily from $392,000 in 1932 to $3.379,000 in 1935. Seeds of all kinds were exported to the value of 5.3 million dollars, being largely composed of shipments to Hongkong, Germany, and Great Britain of apricot seed, which advanced in value from 1.1 million to 2.2 million dollars; groundnuts also showed improvement. Wool showed a marked advance, reaching a total value of 16 million dollars as against 13 million in 1934. In the purchase of woollen carpets the United States of America expended 1.4 million dollars as against 1.1 million by Great Britain, the trade as a whole suffering a deficit of $631,000 as compared with the total of $4,076,000 in 1934. The great expansion in the export trade of the port came only late in the year, when Chinese exchange as stabilised, bringing Chinese produce more into line with prices generally offering abroad. There was a marked tendency, however, for middlemen to take advantage of the situtation and raise prices unduly with no corresponding profit to the farmer. Great efforts are culture, and foster cotton production, which should ultimately raise the purchasing power of the masses. Several minor factories have had to close their doors, being unable, despite protective tariffs, to withstand competition and high taxation, while lost markets and congested outlets in the interior are adding in no small degree to their already existing difficulties. With the possible exception of a privileged few, the 50 odd factories still operating are only supplying a strictly limited output with a view to prevent closing down in the hope that better times will come. Vagaries of exchange, smuggling on an unprecedented scale, and uncertain political conditions all tended to make what might have been a boom year for Tientsin into a relatively poor one, which, while comparing favourably with 1934, was still very much below the