Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 516

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TSINGTAO (KIAOCHAU)

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Fu-chu as provincial chairman and Admiral Shen Hung-lieh, mayor of Tsingtao. Difficulties were smoothed over and merchants imbued with con- fidence during a year that was beset with potentially unsettling influences. The year, however, was unfortunately marked by climatic vagaries that brought much suffering to the country population. During the months from April to June there was a period of drought which had adverse effects on agricultural produce, This was followed, towards the end of July, by floods in the Yellow River area near the borders of Shantung and Hopch, resulting in the devastation of many districts and the reduction to starvation of a population of more than 3 million. The damage done by these floods was estimated at about 90 million dollars. In the harbour, work on the construe- tion of the large new shipping mole, to be known as Pier No. 3, has progressed quickly and is expected to be completed in the early part of 1936. The total number of vessels entered and cleared under General Regulations for foreign and Chinese ports during 1935 was 4,078, with an aggregate tonnage of 7,221,536, representing an increase of 142 vessels and 283,135 tons as compared with the figures for the previous year. The percentage in tonnage of the various countries was; Japanese, 37 per cent.; British, 27 per cent.; Chinese, 18 per cent.; as against 36 per cent., 26 per cent., and 21 per cent. respectively during 1934. The system of through transportation undertaken by the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company and the Kiao-Tsi and Lung-Hai Rail- ways greatly facilitates the movement of goods and is of great importance in the industrial development of the north-west. The Municipal Administration continued its active programme of social, educational, and public works, which are too numerous to mention in detail, though reference may be made to the construction of new roads in the tourist centre of Laoshan and to the im- provement an extension of water-supply mains in the municipal district. The most important new work in highway construction was the completion of the Weihsien-Taierhchwang Highway, which is 455 kilometres long and runs through the south-eastern part of Shantung to the northern border of Kiangsu. Additional progress was made in linking the interior cities with open ports such as Tsingtao, Chefoo, and Weihaiwei. The industrial development of Tsingtao was marked by the opening of two new cotton mills and a large rubber goods factory, while the Electric Company completed a new 165,000- kilowatt generating station. Trade at Lienyunchiang, the seaport of Haichow Maritime Customs Station, is increasing in importance with the continued extension into the north-west of the Lung-Hai Railway. Towards the close of the year the No. 1 wharf was nearly completed: it is capable of berthing simultaneously three steamers each of 3,000 gross tons capacity. Cargo imported from coast ports during the year showed a considerable increase, especially in sugar, timber, machinery, and cement. Of the gross value of $17,843,000 of imported goods, sugar took approximately 20 per cent., being valued at $3,588,000; next in importance came machinery and metals, valued at $1,940,000 and $1,810,000 respectively. The export trade

export trade was adversely affected by the floods, which daniaged the roads in the country and destroyed part of the agricultural products otherwise available for exportation. The total value of exports amounted to 49 million dollars, of which cotton consti- tuted 67 per cent., shelled groundnuts 12 per cent., and yellow beans 5 per cent. The destinations of 90 per cent. of the cargo exported from this port were Shanghai and Tsingtan, with Canton and Tientsin sharing a small percentage. The number of vessels under Inland Waters Steam Navigation Rules entered and cleared during the year under review was 380, representing a tonnage of 727,421, with import and export cargo amounting to 56,000 and 277,492 tons respectively. The number of junks entered and cleared during the year was 6,487, representing a carrying capacity of 752,000 piculs, with import and export cargo amounting to 12,491 and 1,763 tons respectively.

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