Directory_and_Chronicle_1938 — Page 890

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MENGTSZ AND YUNNANFU

improvement owing to the activities of the Yunnan Economic Council, while imports of Tonkin rice practically ceased owing to a better crop yield. Cotton yarn is by far the most important of Yunnan's domestic imports, though imports declined by 27,693 quintals. The reason for the decrease is partly to be found in the increased cultivation of the plant in the province consequent on the sup pression of poppy-growing and partly to ample stocks from the previous year. In this connexion it may be mentioned that the provincial government has inaugurated the Yunnan Spinning and Weaving Company, which has begun the erection of a factory outside the capital. When this new factory opens in 1937 the drain upon provincial finances in connexion with the import of cotton yarn into Yunnan should be largely relieved. Experimental cotton-growing stations have been set up in the country to the west of Yunnanfu, and tests are being carried out with the native "posi" cotton, so called from the distriet in South-eastern Yunnan of that name, and the American "T" brand seed. Apart from the even larger amounts of cotton yarn, large quantities of cotton piece goods are imported, total imports for the year 1936 being valued at $4 million. The domestic importation of cigarettes increase from 3,926 to 4,891 quintals, opium suppression supplying the impetus to cigarette smoking. Tin constitutes the most important article of export from the province. In spite of a lower rainfall and a reduction from 80,000 to 6,000 workers in the Kochiu mining districts, exports abroad and coastwise constituted a record at 104,191 quintals, valued at some $23.9 million. Demand was brisk and prices favourable in foreign markets. The price in Hong Kong fluctuated from Hong Kong $176 in January to Hong Kong $209 per picul in December. The tin fields are located around the small city of Kichiu, some 61 kilometres to the west of Mengtsz. Altogether there are some-40 main lode mines in operation and several hundred small mines, open pits, and surface work- ing. The stanniferous area is said to be very large, but as the mines are now being exploited inostly by native methods, the output falls short of what it might be if they were scientifically worked. The Yunnan Tin Corporation. a semi-official institution, possesses the only up-to-date plant in the district and can turn out products of over -99 per cent fineness. Only the products of this corporation are exported direct to Europe or America, whereas those of the native miners are usually first exported to Hong Kong for further refining before being shipped abroad. The price for tin was normal during the first half of the year, but in September it began to rise, reaching an unprecendented high level towards the end of the year Coal is another important mineral in the district. The principal coal mines are the lignite coal mines at Hsiaolungtan and the soft coal mines at Kopaotsun, Shuitang, and Niaoko, near La Tour (Tata), all along the French Railway. In the absence of reliable statistics the exact amount of annual output is unknown. The coal is almost wholly consumed within the province and, due to the high cost of transport, would probably find difficulty in securing an outside market, the quantity of its annual export being exceedingly small. One of the noteworthy features in the foreign export trade was that wolfram ore, abounding in districts west of Huang Mao Shan tin-fields near Kochiu, was first exploited during the year and began to be exported in February. The new mining enterprise has proved profitable, and the ore, which is not inferior to the Changsha product, commands good prices abroad. In all 2,401 quintals to the value of $374,302 was exported to Hong Kong during the year. Antimony was at one time worked at Tehetsouen, but owing to difficult financial conditions, the foundary suspended business. Small iron mines are worked by native methods in places near Hsinhsing, Shihping, and Tunghai. Gold, silver,and copper are also known to exist in various parts of the province, but, as most of these metals are merely dug out from the surface by the native people, the production is small and from the commercial point of view they hardly assume any importance. On account of the active demand and good prices in foreign markets larger quantities of hides and skins were brought from the inore distant interior districts to Yunnanfu for export than in previous years. In spite of the mountainous nature of Yunnan province, the local authorities are carrying on with road construction. The Kopi-Shihping Railway Company completed during the year the unfinished section of the railway from Lingan to Shiliping, a total distance of 42. kilometres. There was no interruption of traffic on the Yunnan-Annam Railway during the year. The Eurasia Aviation Corporation provided, since April, a very regular service twice a week to Shanghai via Chengtu Sian, and Chengchow. A commission, consisting of two Chinese, two Britian delegates, and a neutral appointod by the League of Nations as chairman, was formed by an exchange ef letters between Great Britain and China in April 1935 with a view to settling the perennial disputes concerning, the national boundary line between

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