Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 720

A338

WUHE

The tract of land selected 30 years ago for the Foreign Settlement was definitely ceded in 1906, and sites were allotted to the then Anhwei Railway Company and to various shipping companies, each lot having a river frontage of 600 to 1,100 feet. In 1914 the Ministry of Communications took over the Anhwei Railway Company with its cutire assets and liabilities, the property being transferred to the Kiangnan Rail- way Company in 1933. Large godowns were built by Messrs. Buttefield & Swire on their ground in the Settlement for storing rice. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. Ltd., own a large property here and the Chinese Government Salt Admin- istration has also bought some with the intention of erecting large storage godowns. The Customs House and buildings on the bund near the Settlement were completed and occupied in 1919. The Chinese population of Wuhu and its suburbs was estimated at 328,803 in 1934. A railway has been constructed by the Kiangnan Railway Company connecting this pert with Nanking and Sunchiapu. The former line was opened to passenger and goods traffic in May 1935 and the latter in July of the same year.

TRADE IN 1937

The year 1937 opened with favourable prospects for the port of Wuhu. The value of direct imports from abroad amounted to $4.6 million as compared with $2.5 million for 1936; coastwise importations of Chinese merchandise were valued at $14.6 million as against $15.8 million; direct exports to foreign countries at $1.4 million as against $2.8 million; and coastwise exports at $24.2 million as compared with $22.8 million. As regards imports from abroad, there was an increase in value each month as compared with 1936 up to and including August, when the outbreak of hostilities. began to have effect. Under the more important imports, kerosene oil increased in bulk by some 10 million litres, while 454,000 litres of gasolene was also imported. The other principal item of import, sugar, declined slightly in quantity from 100,000 to 94,574 quintals. In August eight locomotive valued at $583.000 arrived from Czecho- slovakia for the Hwainan Railway, and sleepers to the value of $287,000 from the United States of America for the Nanking-Kiangsi Railway. Under domestic imports there was an increase in value each month, compared with the corresponding montli of 1936, until July, when the outbreak of fighting in the North was reflected in a drop. For the year, textiles, rice bran, and leaf tobacco all improved, the good rice market being partly responsible. Wheat flour, cigarettes, gunny bags, and matches were all down. In August a temporary revival was noticed in the Customs returns, due part- ly to the increasing use of the railway by the military, thereby bringing to river steamers more trade passing through the Customs, and partly to the efforts of merchants to replenisli stocks while opportunity lasted. In that month, importations of cigarette, matches, rice bran, and textiles all increased.

Of exports abroad, iron are remained the solc notable article. Of this only 3.4 million quintals were shipped to Japan, as against 7.2 million quintals in 1936. Unusually low water in the Yangtze affected this trade in January, while from February to April the dilapidated state of the wharf at Chenchiayu repaired during April further hampered movement. In each of the first seven months of the year there was, therefore, a decline as compared with 1936. In August a sudden activity occurred, companies endeavouring to clear stocks in view of the increasing prospects of trouble on the river, and 508,000 quintals left port, but during that month the business was closed down at all places of shipment and, of course, was not revived. Under domestic exports the value of coastwise shipments also showed increases monthly as compared with 1936 up to June, falling in July, and in August rising to over $4 million as against $1.5 million in the previous year. Both the rice and wheat harvests in Anhwei were exceedingly good, even compared with 1936, which was ani excellent year, and to local farmers the demand from other provinces meant good prices for wheat. The export of rice through the Customs was slightly less than in 1936, being 1.3 million quintals as against 1.6 million quintals, but it must be remem- bered that little was moved in November and none in December. Wheat, maize, and coal all show increases over the previous year, as follow: wheat from 249,000 quintals in 1936 to 481,000 quintals, maize from 7,000 to 78,000 quintals, and coal from 340,000 to 629,000 metric tons. Green beans rose from 35,000 quintals during 1936 to 123,000 quintals, though yellow beans dropped from 74,000 to 16,000 quintals, and broad beans from 18,000 to 7,000 quintals only. The fall in rape seed to 30,000 quintals was most noticeable, the quantities recorded for the previous three years being 216,000, 227,000 and 109,000 quintals respectively.

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