Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 462

A86

PEI-TAI HO AND CHINWANGTAO

Mining Administration's employees has been built, as well as additional quarters for the staff; and a new power-house to meet the requirements of the Yao Hua Glassworks, as well as those of the Administration, was completed towards the end of the year.

The Yao Hua Mechanical Glass Company have a glass factory at Chinwangtao. The establishment, which covers about 110 mou of land, is one of the largest of its kind in existence. The capital of the Company is $2,500,000.

TRADE IN 1938

Although the port of Chinwangtao was outside the zone of military operations, conditions in the surrounding district were not entirely peaceful owing to the activities of guerilla bands. The year, however, witnessed an all-round increase in the value of trade, an increase so conspicuous as to surpass anything in previous years. For this, three reasons may be adduced: firstly, the enforcement on the 22nd, January by the "Provisional Government" of a revised list of Import and Export Tariff rates and duty exemption privileges; secondly, the introduction as from the 1st, June of a tariff based on the 1931 Import Tariff; and thirdly, the cessation as from February of the wholesale or organised smuggling by steamers and small craft which had openly been carried on along the coast for some three years, this latter bringing again the bulk of trade into legitimate channels. These events were largely responsible for the considerable increase in the trade statistics of the port, which for the year were as follows: direct foreign imports, $23.8 million as compared with $3.7 million in 1937; coastwise importations of Chinese pro- duce, $5.3 million as against $2.5 million; direct exports abroad, $28.7 million as against $11.4 million; and exports of Chinese produce to Chinese ports, $9 million as compared with $11.2 million.

The increase under direct foreign imports was principally due to large arrivals of metals, machinery, electrical materials and timber for the various mining administrations. The import of metals increased in value from $0.4 million to $1.5 million; of electrical materials, from $111,000 to $254,000; of machinery, all kinds, from $100,000 to $682,000; and of timber, from $0.7 million to $2.6 million, the last item consisting chiefly of pit-props for the Kailan Mining Administration and wooden planks for the Yao Hua Glass. Company for box-making purposes. The value of artificial silk piece-goods, all reshipped by rail to Tientsin, was $1.7 million, while the import of sulphate of ammonia amounted to 37,396 quintals, with increased imports also of white sugar and matches. Railway materials, chiefly imported by the Kailan Mining Administration, were valued at $883,266 as against $938,659. The import of beans and peas from Dairen and Manchuria amounted to 137,814 quintals valued at $1.1 million, with the value of pig bristles imported from Manchuria through Shanhaikwan amounting to $0.3 million. The import of cereals, chiefly maize, millet and kaoliang, totalled 1,365,090 quintals and was valued at $9.7 million, with wheat flour from Dairen and Manchurian ports totalling 44,562 quintals as against 18,194 quintals during the preceding year.

Exports of coal increased from 2.9 million to 3.1 million metric tons, of which 1,949,861 tons were exported abroad, mostly to Japan and Korea. The total output of the Kailan Mining Administration during the year was approximately 4.8 million metric tons, and it is expected that the output will reach some 7 million metric tons in the not far distant future. It is moreover, expected that the quality of the coal will be greatly improved through the imminent erection of two large washing plants at Tangshan and Linsi. The Chang Cheng Coal Mining Company, now being closed since 1925, is being repened, its narrow-gauge railway

a Sino-Japanese concern, after from Chinwangtao to its mines at Shihling, a distance of some 26 kilometres, having been entirely reconstructed. An output of some 150,000 metric tons is expected in 1939 and double that quantity in 1940. The Tai Chi Coal Mining Company, a Sino-Japanese concern, has been operating the Liuchang mines since 1935 Shipments during the year amounted to 140,000 metric tons. Owing to overstocking the Yao Hua Glass Company suspended operations on the 1st, October, but work is expected to be resumed by March, 1939. Exports other