Directory_and_Chronicle_1938 — Page 744

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NANKING

softwood, from 50,000 to 28,000 cubic metres, partly due to the slowing-down of the building boom in the capital and partly to the overstocking of this article by local merchants during the preceeding year. Excellent crops at home accounted for the absence of wheat from the heading of imports, while expension in the trade of native coal brought the quantity of foreign coal down to very meagre sum. Thanks to the favourable change rates and the growing demand from Japan for Chunghsing coal, the value of direct exportations made another great stride by recording an increase of 252 per cent. In domestic trade, coal also came in for the lion's share, there being no other commodity of any magnitude shipped coastwise through this port. Judging by the various advantage enjoyed by Nanking during the year under review, the volume of trade would have exhibited a more inore substantial expen- sion had it not been affected by the wholesale smuggling in the North in the first part of the year, which was reflected in the heavily decreased importation of sugar before September; by the keen competition of the through railway traffic, which continued to cause a shrinkage of domestic exports through the Customs; and by the improved through junk-in-tow-of-launch transport" on the Grand Canal from Chinkiang northwards, which diverted the distribution hy this port of certain quantities of imports. At the same time, it should be noted with satisfaction that the invasion of smuggled sugar into the Pukow hinterland was effectively checked, first by the timely seizure by the Nanking Customs in May of over 300 tons of this commodity, followed immediately by the inauguration of Customs, inspection post on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway, whereby legitimate importations at Nanking enjoyed an unprecedentedly prosperous month in October; that the number of vessels from foreign ports was increased from 42 in 1935 to 50, with every possibility of maintaining thə port's future direct shipping at a higher level, as no other river port is so well provided with shipping berths; that the tract of land below, and adjacent to, the Nanking Municipality on both sides of the river is being developed into an industrial district in which the Kiangnan Cement Works is under construc- tion, the Ammonia and Acid Factory of the Yungli Chemical Industries, Limited, was making preparations for marketing its products, while schemes for erecting an alkali plant and a coke plant in close proximity to the above. factory approached the stage of realisation; that almost every modern bank in the locality netted a profit, ranging between $40,000 and $600,000, consequent upon the year's bumper crops; and, lastly, but not the least important of all, the one trial shipment of eggs and egg products to England, resulting from the partial re-operation of the freezing plant of the International Export Com- pany, indicated the possibility of the revival of their business, formerly the mainstay of the port's outward trade. Among various constructional activities centred around the capital, completion was witnessed of the connecting line between the Kiangnan and Nanking-Shanghai Railways with a junction at Yaohwamen (4) the Chungshan Wharf, which functions as the souther- most terminus of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway as well as a ferrying station across the river; the extension southward of the City Railway, which links up the Kiangnan Railway with the Nanking-Shanghai Railway Hsiakwan Station; and additional generating equipment for 10,000 kilowatts. which enables the Canital Electricity Works to extend their service area as far as Lungtan ( and Hsiehchiatien () and such public buildings as the National Art Gallery, National Music Conservatory. Party History Museum, New International Club, and Palace Museum Storehouse: