Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 902

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II. TRADE, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE, AND LAND.

(.)-TRADE AND SHIPPING.

The following table shows the principal articles of import in the year 1901 in vessels of European construction, compared with similar returns for 1900. The figures represent the tonnage:-

Aricles.

1900.

1901.

Increase.

Decrease.

Beans,

560.

Coal,

1,045,812

1,290 917,144

730

128,668

Cotton Yarn and Cotton,.

19,993

14,423

5,570

Flour,........

154,111.

145,287

8,824

Hemp,

54,105

31,195

22,910

Kerosine, (bulk),

64,732

70,728-

5,996

**

(case),

69,979

77,977

7,998

Liquid Fuel,

2,739

3,973

1,214

Lead,

2,350.

260

2,090

Opium,

3.194

2,872

322

Rattan,

10,204

3,489

6,716

Rice,

673,029

618,780

54,249

Sandalwood,

3,811

5,272

1,461-

Sulphur,

22

55

33

Sugar,

238,863

241,291

2,428

Tea,

6,393

1,473

4,920

Timber,

82,311

66,860

15,451

General,.

1,172,094

1,278,619

106,525

Total,.

3,604,322

3,480,987

126,395

249,720

Transit,

2,143,749

2,134,585

9,164

Grand Total,.

5,748,071❘ 5,615,572

126,385

258,884

Netty...

132,499

There was a considerable decrease in coal imports as compared with 1900, but the amount imported in 1900 was far above the average. The coal imports for 1898, also, were stated to have been abnormally large, but the returns for last year show an increase as compared with that year of nearly 100,000 tons.

The principal features to be remarked in the reported trade of the Port for the year 1901 are:-

(i.) A decrease in the Coal imports of 12.3%. (ii.) A decrease in the Cotton imports of 27.8%. (iii.) A decrease in the Rice imports of 8 %.

(iv.) A decrease in the Timber imports of 18.7 %. (v.) A decrease in the Hemp imports of 42.3%.

(vi.) An increase in the General imports of 9.8%.

(vii.) Also small increases in case and bulk Kerosine and in Liquid Fuel.

The nett decrease in import cargo is 123,335 tons or 3.4%.

In exports there appears to be an increase of 150,823 tons or 7.7 %.

In transit cargo, a decrease of 9,163 tons or 10.4%.

In the interior

The Import Trade was very depressed throughout the year. of China there was much poverty, and trade was hampered by unauthorised exactions - on goods beyond the confines of the Treaty Ports. The fall in the exchange of silver and the high values ruling on the home markets-especially in raw cotton and al cotton fabrics—also militated severely against this branch of trade.

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