Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 321

A87

PEI-TAI-HO AND CHINWANGTAO

on the black bourse being so disconcerting that traders preferred to replenish their stocks of goods rather than hold much liquid capital. Control of exports abroad and to Central and South China was imposed on the 11th March on 12 specified articles, viz., eggs and egg products, walnuts (kernels and in shell), groundnut oil, groundnuts, apricot seed, cotton seed, leaf tobacco, vermicelli and macaroni, coal, woollen carpets, straw hats and braid, and salt, and was extended on the 17th July to all export commodities except personal effects, perishable products, containers, books and pictures, ships' stores, newspapers and periodicals, and goods other than the 12 articles mentioned valued at under $100.

Comparative value statistics of the trade of the port were as follows: direct foreign imports, $72.4 million as compared with $23.8 million in 1938; coastwise importations of Chinese goods, $18.8 million as against $5.3 million; direct exports abroad, $36.4 million as against $28.7 million; and coastwise exports of Chinese produce, $9.3 million as compared with $9 million. Cereals and provisions represented four-sevenths of the total volume of direct imports, while machinery, iron bars and rails, etc., for the Kailan and other mines contributed one seventh, with timber taking third place, Among metals and ores imported, ungalvanized iron and steel bars advanced from 11,000 to 15,000 quintals and iron and steel rails from 17,000 to 24,000 quintals, these two items being the heaviest of the group, the Kailan Mining Administration importing in large quantities under the duty exemption granted to mining materials under the 1938 Tariff of the "Provisional Government of North China" Machinery and tools also showed a remarkable increase, being valued at $8.7 million as compared with $788,000 in 1938. Under machinery and parts, not otherwise recorded, the recorded value was $7.8 million as against $461,000, tools of different kinds contributing a total of $388,000.

total of $388,000. Again the Kailan Mining Administration was responsible for the major portion. Locomotives and tenders imported by the Kailan Mining Administration from Great British and Belgium were valued at $791,000, over eight times as much as imported in 1938. In timber, ordinary sawn softwood advanced from 3,609 to 17,144 cubic metres, the demand for rough hewn and round logs being less acute and receding from 45,347 to 42,352 cubic metres. Another heavy importation on account of the Kailan Mining Administration was in sleepers, which advanced to 98,000 pieces as against 38,000 pieces in 1938. A marked decrease was registered in the import of artificial silk piece goods, with a total length of 1,820,000 metres only as compared with 6,775,000 metres, the Shrinkage being attributed to market saturation and lack of demand from districts affected by the flood. Beans and peas totalled 438,000 quintals valued at over $5 million as compared with imports of 138,000 quintals valued at $1.2 million, while sulphate of ammonia imports totalled 43,000 quintals as against 37,000 quintals, the popularity of this fertiliser continuing to increase. Under cereals and flour and cereals, not otherwise recorded, the most outstanding item consisted of maize, kaoliang, millet, etc., the vital mainstay of the vast rural population of the district; under this heading, 2.3 million quintals valued at $30.6 million were entered as against 1.3 million quintals valued at $9.7 million in 1938. Rice, chiefly imported from Korea, was valued at $558,000, over twice the 1938 record, but no supplies were available on the local market towards the close of the year. Of wheat flour, 704 000 quintals were imported, of which 697,000 quintals came from Shanghai; figures for 1938 were 45,000 quintals from abroad and 227,000 quintals from Shanghai. Flour, not otherwise recorded, made a startling advance from 4 to 294,000 quintals valued at $5 million. In all, it is interesting to note that $37 million worth of foodstuffs was imported to meet an ever-increasing demand, this sum being equivalent to over one-half of the total value of the direct imports dealt with locally.

Despite the control of exports and other restrictions, the export trade on the whole showed an advance, the leading export of the port-coal-increasing both in quantity and value. Whereas in 1938 1,950,000 metric tons were shipped abroad with a value of $13 million, the quantity and value in 1939 rose to 2,267,000 metric tons valued at $16 million. To coastal ports 1,234,000 metric tons valued at $8.4 million were exported, there being a slight improvement over the 1,204,000 metric tons valued at $8.2 million for 1938. Japan took the bulk of direct exports, with Shanghai taking the bulk of coastwise shipments.

The Chang Cheng Coal Mining Company, a Sino-Japanese concern, after being closed for a number of years, is steadily working towards normal resumption of activities; no anthracite, however, was exported during 1939 with the exception of consignments to Tientsin and Peiping, although the company has coal ready for