Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 760

A378

CHUNGKING

52 feet 4 inches. According to a Chinese report, the river rose 120 feet in 1878. On the left bank of the Kialing and facing Chungking, extending below the junction of the two rivers, is the walled city formerly styled Kiangpei Ting and now known as Kiangpei Hsien. It is proposed eventually to connect the two towns by a steel bridge. These two cities and the large villages in their immediate neighbourhood are estimated to contain a population of about 700,000.

The port was declared open to foreign trade in 1891, since which date a large trade has been done both in imports and exports, carried at first in foreign chartered junks, but for the last ten years in steam and motor vessels.

TRADE IN 1937

Although the year opened with Chungking suffering seriously as the result of drought and famine, trade on the whole was satisfactory. The prolonged drought, unparalled for serevel decade, brought much misery, the number of sufferers being estimated at 30 million. In consequence, the trade of Chung king, which depends largely on harvests in the hinterland, was much affected. The stuaition was, moreover, aggravated by difficulties of communication be- tween Chungking and down-river ports owing to the exceptionally low level of the river. Only shallow-draught vessels of the Ming Sung Industrial Company continued to navigate the Upper Yangtze, which was divided into three sections--Ichang to Miaoho, Miaono to Wanhsien, and Wanhsien to Chungking for the transport of goods and passengers. The sailing of the vessels of other companies were temporarily suspended. With the advent of higher water, the situation was relieved. Although excessive rainfall in the summer brought floods to many cities on the river bank, they were of short duration, good autumn harvest of rice and other cereals being garnered. Due to its geographical position, Chunkging suffered only indirectly from the Sino-Japanese hostilities. The comparative value statistics for the trade of the port were as follow: direct îmports from abroad, $3.23 million as com- pared with $2.36 million during 1936; coastwise importations of Chinese produce, $46.12 million as compared with $51.29 million; direct exports to foreign countries, $204,357 as compared with $57,236; and coastwise exporta- tious of Chinese produce. $39,23 million as against $37.56 million.

I

Gasolene and kerosene oil continue to constitute the main imports, the total quantities imported being 4.33 million and 8.96 million litres respectively as against 3.29 million and 4.10 million litres for the previous year. Owing to the political tension, there was much speculation in the purchase of kero- sene oil, resulting in the complete withdrawal of all oil from bonded tanks. In order to bring the sale of the limited quantity of gasolene under control, gasolene from the 1st October was permitted to be sold only on production of special permission from the military authorities. Direct export abroad are confined to those forwarded by parcel post and consist mainly of medicines, white fungus, and musk. Under coastwise imports, cotton yarn headed the list with 178,062 quintals valued at $19.4 million as against 200,194 quintals valued at $18.1 million from 1936. Rice showed an increase of 60,236 quintals, being mostly shipped from Wuhu, Nanchang, Hankow and Changsha by the Farm Credit Bureau and certain charitable organisations for relief purposes. The growing cigarette business accounted for the importations of 26,388 quintals of cigarettes valued at $4.8 million, while the factories of the Yee Tsoong Tobacco Company and the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company have been busily engaged in the manufacture of several popular brands to meet the shortage up country caused by the dislocation of steamer traffic with Shang- hai. The export trade also suffered severely due to difficulties of transport from August onwards. With the exception of wood oil, sheep's wool, and silk, there was a general decline in all branches of the export trade. Wood oil remained as usual the principal item of export, with 206,357 quintals valued at $16.2 million as against 147,406 quintals valued at $14.6 million during 1936. Exports of silk totalled 5,317 quintals valued at $1.7 million as com-

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