Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 753

CHANGSHA

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However, so great was the volume of trade during the first seven or eight months of the period under review that the following very satisfactory results were recorded for the whole of the year, despite an almost complete cessation of traffic with abroad and with the more distant provinces of China during the last few months of the period: value of the direct imports from abroad, $6.7 million as against $5.7 million in 1936; value of the coastwise importa- tions of Chinese produce, $25.8 million as against $26.5 million in 1936; value of the direct exportations of Chinese produce to foreign countries (postal parcels only), $4,000 as against $2,000 in 1936; and value of the coastwise ex- portations of Chinese produce, $30 million as against $27.6 million in 1936.

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The principal direct foreign imports, that is, those paying duty at Chang sha, were kerosene, gasolene, and sugar. In fact, few other items do pay duty at the port, kerosene and gasolene together accounting for 60 per cent and sugar for 30 per cent of the total foreign import duty. The quantitative statistics for these commodities, (paying duty-coastwise imports not being recorded) were 25.8 million litres of kerosene as against 20.5 million litres in 1936; 1.9 million litres of gasolene as against 2.1 million litres; and 75,460 quintals of sugar as against 78,812 quintals. Prices for kerosene were $9.15 per unit of 10 gallons in bulk at the beginning of the year, and closed at $9.65, a very small increase of 20 cents. Prices of packed cargo, owing to an ad- vance in the price of tinplate, were increased to a slightly greater extent, being $10.30 per unit in January and $11 at the close of the year. Bulk gasolene prices opened and closed at the same price, $11.50 per unit, while prices of packed gasolene advanced 40 cents per pair of 5-gallon tins, closing at $12.50. Fuel oil prices advanced only $8 per ton, closing at $106.95 for the Standard-Vacuum Company's "Utility Diesel Grade."

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The prosperity of the port depends very largely upon the export of rice and minerals, and, to a lesser extent fire-crackers, wood oil, and various sun- dries. All outward shipments are recorded statistically as domestic exports. although most of the wood oil and minerals find their way abroad eventually. Exports of rice passed by the Customs under General Regulations were greater than in the previous year (1.1 million quintals as against 0.8 million quintals), owing partly to a large carry-over from the more than usually good harvest of 1936 and partly to the fact that, despite the flooding of part of the rice. growing area around the Tungting Lake, the crops for the year under review were sufficiently good. Steps were taken during the year to encourage the consumption of Hunan rice in Kwangtung, where the Hunanese product has not hitherto been popular. Special freight rates were granted for shipment by rail tests were made by a newly established Cereals Testing Bureau of the quality emanating respectively from South, Central, and West Hunan; re- presentatives were sent to Kwangtung to find out why the rice is not favoured there; and in some places new storage godowns have been provided to guard against damp consignments being despatched.

Except for managanese oré, all the figures show a decline for 1937. This decline was due, in the case of antimony, principally to initial difficulties connected with the new marketing process necessitated by the institution of state control in the earlier months and, later, to shortage of transport facili- ties brought about by the war. The Changsha f.o.b. value of antimony re- gulus fluctuated during the year between $721 and $1,097 per metric ton, that for crude antimony between $355 and $699, and that for antimony oxide be- tween $541 and $823. The f.o.b. value of wolfram ore (tungsten) rose from $1,610 per metric ton in February to $3,884 at the end of the year The de- mand for this ore from abroad was good.

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Encouraged by the large outward movement of rice and the greater volume of imports during the first part of the year, the shipping statistics show a further 18 per cent increase in the aggregate tonnage of the vessels entered and cleared under General. Regulations, the total being 574.409, tons, an advance of 89,073 tons. Some 60 per cent of the increase was to the credit of the Chi-

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