Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 726

1344

HANKOW

resulting from improved economic conditions and a good demand from abroad, local import and export trade had shown an appreciable advance by the end of July. The outbreak of Sino-Japanese hostilities in the North, how- ever, followed by the blockade of the Yangtze in August, isolated this area and disrupted all main liues of communication. By the middle of August direct communication by river with Shanghai was completely severed by the booms laid across the Yangtze at Kiangyin, below Chinkiang, and, later, at Matung, below Kiukiang; and, as a result, Hankow's export trade imme diately deteriorated to insignificant proportion. Military requirement, furthermore, coupled with the Japanese bombing of the line, precluded any extensive use by trade of the Canton-Hankow Railway. Water-levels in the Yangtze did not fall to the normal extent, and it was not necessary to enforce restrictions on the draught of vessels to Ichang and on lighters on the Hunan and Tungting Lake lines until December.

The values of goods dealt with by the Hankow Customs were as follow direct imports from abroad amounted to $33.4 million as against $32.9 million in the preceding year; coastwise importations of Chinese merchandise, $124.6 million as against $109.8 million; direct exports abroad, $9 million as against $13.6 million; and coastwise exportations of Chinese produce (much of which was destined for abroad via Shanghai), $201.4 million as against $197.5 mil- lion. With regard to Hankow's trade with foreign countries, it must re- membered that the Customs figures include only steamer-borne import cargo which paid duty at Hankow; they exclude the considerable volume of goods on which duty is paid at another port (e.g., Shanghai), but, on the other hand, they include goods which, while destined for ports further up river, pay duty at Hankow. As regard outward cargo the Hankow Customs figures of foreign trade include only cargo carried directly abroad from this port by steamer; other goods, even when declared for transhipment abroad at another port and paying duty at Hankow, are recorded under interport trade. through the increased purchasing power of the district resulting from abun- dant crops, the withdrawal from bond of kerosene oil amounted to 67.7 mil- lion litres valued at $7.5 million against 58.8 million litres valued at $6.4 million during 1936. Large consignments had already arrived in bond prior to the closure of the river in August. As a result of increased use of motor vehicles, in addition to military and aviation requirements, withdrawals from bond of gasolene amounted to 25.2 million litres valued at $3.3 million as compared with 11.1 million litres valued at $1.6 million in the previous year. A slight increase took place in the quantity

quantity of sugar imported throughout the year. The increase at the end of August was, in fact 77 per cent over that of the same period of 1936; but from September importation declined as the result of disruption of communications. Such dislocation of traffic also affected the importation of dyes and pigments, which otherwise might have been expected to show a larger increase. Railway materials re- corded a decrease in value; large supplies had been contracted for but could not arrive owing to hostilities. Cotton piece goods advanced slightly as a re- sult of increased importations prior to August, after which the closing-down of Japanese import firms and the disruption of communications reduced in- ports to practically nil. Unfavourable weather conditions affected the 1936- 37 winter wheat crop coastwise shipments of this cereal amounted to 249,915 quintals, a considerable decline from the figures for 1936. This decline was partly due to the enforcement of embargo on the exportation of wheat fol lowing the commencement of hostilities in the North. Favourable weather during May and June produced an excellent early rice crop. Although there was heavy rainfall in August and September, the autumn rice crop was reported normal. Both the foreign and domestic export trade was very brisk throughout the first seven months, but with the closure of the river in Augnst and comparatively small shipments going forward by the Canton- Hankow Railway, the whole year's figures show a general decline. Wood oil was satisfactory, for, although prices receded from the high levels attained

イ