Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 793

SWATOW

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chiefly from Switzerland, Great Britain, and the United States of America. Cotton embroidery yarn also showed a marked falling off. Of sulphate of ammonia, 383,668 quintals were imported, this amount exceeding the previous year's figure only by some 47,000 quintals, whereas the value was enhanced. by about $2 million. The demand for this commodity is partly due to a reduction in the quantity of beancake imported from North China. The importation of kerosene oil decreased from 17,109,129 litres in 1937. to 12,350,056 lires, war condition and diminished purchasing power of the consumers being responsible. Rice importations exceeded the figure for 1937 by 24,242 quintals and totalled 1,066,919 quintals valued at $14.9 million, or 40 per cent of the total value of the foreign import trade. Owing to the unsettled conditions and a consequent reduction in industrial enterprise in the Swatow district, the importation of foreign coal was greatly reduced. The domestic import trade was greatly impeded by the Sino-Japanese hostilities, foremost amongst the commodities affected being rice, which showed a decrease of 798,708 quintals when compared with the previous year's figure of 1,175,160 quintals.

Factors contributing to the considerable improvement in the export trade were the fall in value of the national dollar and an additional demand from Hongkong due to the increased population there. Of exports abroad, linen drawn-thread work and embroideries advanced in value from $16.6 million for 1937 to $18.6 million. This figure does not, however, give a true indication of the trade, as very large quantities of wholly and partly finished linen goods were sent abroad for safekeeping owing to the unsettled conditions. A good crop and improved organisation account for a continued increase in the export of fresh oranges. The newly organised Swatow City Fruit Growers Ex- change works by modern methods; oranges are carefully graded, each fruit is wrapped in paper, and consignments are packed in wooden crates of either 10 or 30 kilogrammes. Other commodities showing a noticeable increase are fresh eggs, 1st quality paper, joss paper, and coarse chinaware. The quality of locally made chinaware has improved, and shipments were made, to places. formerly supplied by Kiangsi pottery works.

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Turning to exports coastwise, there were two particularly noteworthy advances as compared with the previous year: medical preparations and joss paper, the former advancing from $242,000 to $2.3 million, the latter from $2.2 million to $4 million. Some other commodities, including certain pro- ducts from Szechwan used for the manufacture of medicines, have been diverted during the hostilities from their normal trade routes. With the closing of the Yangtze River, herbs, etc., used for medicine found their way overland to Swatow, where labour is cheap, the manufactured articles being then exported, mostly coastwise.

No industrial development took place during the year; in fact, due to hostilities, and fear of invasion, many factories closed down, as was the case with many of the drawn-thread work and embroidery firms. The Kityang Sugar Central was farmed out by the Provincial Government from the begin- ning of 1938, but due to inefficient management the factory went into bank- ruptcy. In June it was partially destroyed by aerial bombing. The plant of the Swatow Electric Light Company was similarly destroyed at the end of the same month, and the city was without electric light for the rest of the year with the exception of a small portion of the town which was supplied by a private enterprisc. The native kerosene oil refineries are hard put to it to compete with the foreign oil companies, and it is anticipated that before long this industry will cease to exist. The local "Tiger Balm Medicine" factory was working at full pressure. The number of workmen was increased from 300 to 500, business was expanded, and the Yunnan and Szechwan markets supplied with the factory's products.

The total tonnage of vessels entered and cleared at the port in 1938 was 3,621,623 tons, a decline of 1,303,240 tons on the figure of the previous year. This decline was due to the absence of Chinese and Japanese shipping, irre- gular schedule of foreign vessels caused by war tension, and the suspension.