Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 866

MENGTSZ AND YUNNANFU

自 蒙

Méng-isz

This is a district city in south east Yunnan, and together with Man-had a village on the left bank of the Red River, was opened to trade by the Additional Convention to the French Treaty of Tientsin of the 25th April, 1886, signed at Peking on the 26th June, 1887. The town is two days' journey from Man-hao and about six days' from the frontier of Tonkin at Laokay, and beautifully situated, being built on a cultivated plateau 20 miles long by about 12 miles in breadth, encircled by picturesque mountains, and is 4,280 feet above the level of the sea. It has a Chinese population of 150,000, but was a place of much more importance before the Mahommedan rebellion, as the numerous well-built temples, many of them now in ruins, still testify. It is, however, a considerable commercial emporium even now; and is becoming an important centre for the distribution of foreigng oods imported vid Tonkin, French Consul hoisted his flag at Mêngtsz on the 30th April, 1889, and the Customs station was opened in the following August.

The

The climate of Yunnanfu (altitude 6,400 feet) is temperate and good. From: October to April, there is very little rain and a good deal of wind, but in June, July, August and September which is the rainy season the rainfall is about 49 inches in a year of heavy rain, and as low as 24 inches when the rains are poor. When the rainfall is as low as the latter figure, there is a drought and the harvests are poor, and when as the first figure there are floods, and the harvest is similarly poor.

TRADE IN 1935

ነ

Yunnanfu, the provincial capital of Yunnan and headquarters of the Mengtsz Customs, narrowly escaped a communist attack in the spring. "Red" forces, beating a hasty retreat from Kweichow into Szechwan, crossed the north-eastern section of Yunnan province, passing within 30 miles of the capital, but, being hotly pursued by Government troops, turned their flight in a northerly direction from Yanglin; although the loot resulting from an attack upon Yunnanfu would have been considerable and valuable, delay would have involved them in a serious engagement with Government forces. Following on a period of anxiety, trade rapidly returned to normal, and a peaceful and, on the whole, atisfactory year was recorded. The trade statistics for the Mengtsz Customs were as follows, according to value direct importations from abroad, 6.6 million dollars as against 8.5 million in the preceding year; coastwise importations of Chinese merchandise, 20 million dollars as against 15.4 million; direct exportations to foreign countries, 16.9 million dollars as against 12.7 million; and coastwise exportations of Chinese produce, 3.5 million dollars as against 3.3 million. Domestic imports are gradually taking the place of foreign imports, the increase in the former of 30 per cent. being accounted for by increased demand for Shanghai-manu- factured cotton yarn and piece goods. As usual, exports of tin (foreign and coastwise) formed the bulk of the export trade, amounting for the year 88,650 quintals valued at 18.5 million dollars as compared with 68,087 quintals valued at 14.3 million dollars during 1934. Apart from bristles, which showed an increase in value of 45 per cent., most of the other staple exports from the province, such as hides and leather, medicinal substances, and tea, showed poorer figures and failed to take advantage of the low value of the dollar at the end of the year. The new Convention between China and France governing the trade between China and French Indo-China, allusion to which has been ade under "Tariffs," gave opportunity for increased trade. The total import of Tonkin rice during the year was 2,141 quintals only, showing a decrease of 19,830 quintals, due to an abnormally good rice crop. Tin is the only mineral

บ