"
486
that supplies would be short. Subsequent events, however, showed that tea in abundance was forthcoming, and that those who had paid war prices" stood to lose heavily on their pur- chases. Local rice crops have been light, and the demand for American flour has continued.
REVENUE.
Tonnage and transit dues are the only branches under this heading which do not show & falling off. The total collection amounted to Hk. Tis. 701,150, a decline of Hk. Tls. 96,004 from the figures of the previous year; opium duties and likin are the principal causes of this large deficit. In export duties the shrinkage is partly owing to the reduced shipment of Amoy tea.
FOREIGN TRADE.
(a). Imports.-Among cotton goods an in- crease is to be noted in most of the items. Grey shirtings nearly reached the position they formerly attained, having risen to 34,683 pieces; while white shirtings slightly receded from the preceding year's figures. Indian cotton yarn retrograded 7,880 piculs. Under woollen goods, English camlets and Spanish stripes advanced somewhat; other items changed but little. Metals maintained a steady average; importa tions show, on the whole, figures very level with those of 1894, with the exception of iron of all kinds, for which there was an increased demand. The advance in old iron is partly due to the large amount salved from the wrecks of the Bokhara at the Pescadores and Cape City at Dodd Island.
Tin shows a falling off of some 3.000 picul.s Under sundries, matches continue in demand, 612,583 gross having been imported, against 499,819 gross in 1894. Every other item has decreased, with the exception of American flour, of which 126,327 piculs entered the port, against 15,406 piculs in the previous year. American kerosine oil evinces a decline of 1,655,540 gallons, the deficiency being almost entirely made good by the Russian article in bulk, which was imported to the extent of 1,322,217 gallons. The balance has been nearly made up by the increase in the Langkat oil from Sumatra, 337,550 gallons, against 115,900 gallons in 1894. This com- paratively new importation is expected to aug- ment largely within the next few years, pro- vided the Japaneso do not open their wells in Formosa. The foreign import trade would be greatly facilitated and encouraged if goods paid transit dues as well as import duty at the mo- ment of landing.
(b.) Exports.-The Tamsui tea season opened early, the threatened Japanese attack making all anxious to export their tea, lest hostilities might prevent shipment.
The consequences were high prices and hasty preparation, in the belief that the crop would be small. During the latter half of the year supplies of the later crops came forward in the usual quan- tity. The consuming markets, far from re- sponding in any way to the high prices paid in the East, fell below their previous level, and were dull and dragging for the Formosan staple throughout the year. The losses on shipments made up to the 31st December were probably considerable. Chinese holders, un- willing to face the loss entailed, bave been left with the unprecedented amount of 116,000 half- chests on their hands. From April to Decem- ber Amoy oolongs failed to attract buyers, the large supplies of lower-grade tes from Japan, Shanghai, and Formosa having militated badly against the local article. The crop has now been purchased at rates showing a heavy loss to the growers, and teamen are disappointed, the more so as an effort had been made to raise the average quality of the crop by discontinuing the production of the lower grades. Under existing circumstances the already rapidly declining trade in Amoy tea will be seriously affected by competition with the Formosan product, if the latter under Japanese tariff pays a duty of less than half the Chinese rate and be also exempt from likin. What this decline has already been is shown by the following figures. Twenty-five years ago Hk. Tls. 2,000,000 was the annual income of the Amoy tea districts; to-day it not Hk. Tls. 250,000. But there is no doubt that by prompt measures Amoy could successfully compete with Formosa for the Oolong tea business. The Amoy districts are amongst the finest in the world. With the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
enlightened methods of cultivation adopted in India, Ceylon, and Japan, and such limited taxation as exists in these countries, the trade could be restored to prosperity, for with cheap labour, excellent water communication, and a magnificent harbour, Amoy oolongs need fear no rival. From the commencement of the sea son to date the shipment of teas is as follows:- Pacific Mail O. & O. Steamship Com- Ibs.
panies' steamers.
3,540,000 Northern Pacific Steamship and Rail-
road Company's, steamers Canadian Pacific Railway Company's
steamers
[June 10, 1896.
returned to their homes when affairs had again quieted down on the island.
TREASURE.
Hk. Tls. 2,554,263 were imported in 1895, against Hk: Tls. 2,428,434 exported. Both these figures are in excess of those of 1894, more es- pecially in the case of the amount exported, due doubtless to the exceptionally large quantity of treasure shipped to North Formosa, to buy up the native produce before the arrival of the Japanese. It is interesting to record the ap- 2,452,798 pearance of Japanese bank notes in the table. These arrived from Tamsui and Tainan valued 1,037,922 at Hk. Tls. 22,533, and were exported to the
442,984 extent of Hk. Tls. 11,728 to Japan. 4,359,678 The increase in nankeens from 7 piculs in 1894 to 2,626 picals in 1895 is due to the Japanese occupation of Formosa. The total value of ex- ports to foreign countries was Hk. Tls. 1,639,636; for 1894, Hk. Tls. 1,431,180.
Portland route steamers Steamers via Suez
(c.) Re-exports.-Foreign goods re-exported during 1895 aggregated Hk.Tls. 2,096,134, against Hk.Tls. 7,297 in 1894; the greater part went to Formosa.
• COAST TRADE.
(a) Original Shipments Coastwise.-Although a diminution is noticeable in the value of native produce sent to Chinese ports, viz., Hk.Tls. 939,482, against Hk.Tls. 1,218,840 in 1894, this decline is due to the different treatment in our returns of certain localities, consequent upon the late war with Japan. The local staple-sugar shows a decrease of some 45,000 picnis, though really produced to a greater extent than in the previous year, over 65,000 piculs, destined to the newly acquired possessions, appearing under exports to Japan. The prospect of a good crop of this article, noted in the 1894 Trade Report, has therefore been realised.
(b) Reshipments Coastwise.-The total value of the trade has decreased from Hk.Tls. 493,127 in 1894 to Hk. Tls. 380,487 in 1895.
(c) Coastwise Arrivals.-Beans and bean- cake both evince a large decline, owing to the partial stoppage of the trade with Newchwang. The figures for 1895 (including imports from Newchwang, which appear in the foreign import table) are 535,056 and 418,701 picnls respectively, against 606,572 and 876,368 piculs in 1894. Wheat rose from 134,166 to 178,914 piculs, and rice from 297,012 to 602,172 piculs, this advance being due partly to the failure of the local rice crops, previously noted, and partly to the increased demand arising from the presence of the troops withdrawn from For- Tamsui tea has been treated under foreign exports.
mosa.
INLAND TRANSIT.
✡
(a.) Inwards. This traffic has risen from Hk. Tls. 466,539 in 1894 to Hk. Tls. 588,240 in 1895. Cotton goods of all descriptions have advanced, while the only item of importance which shows a decline-and that but slight--is kerosine oil. 3,055 passes were applied for, against 2,070 in 1894.
(b.) Outwards.-Sugar of all kinds arrived in greater quantities, while hemp bags declined some 170,000 pieces. 374 passes were issued, against 302 in the previous year, and the trade shows an increment in value to the extent of Hk. Tls. 97,445.
SHIPPING.
The steady improvement during the last few years in the tonnage of vessels entered and cleared continued in 1895. The total number of vessels, though slightly higher than in 1894, did not reach the figures recorded in the two previous years. The withdrawal of a large proportion of available foreign tonnage to fill the gap in the coast trade of Japan, caused by employing as transports numerous vessels of the Japaness steamer companies, is no doubt answerable for this decline, as was the case in the preceding year. The figures are 919 vessels entered, aggregating 861,401 tons, and 917 vessels cleared, 859,259 tons, against 907 vessels qutered, 810,513 tons, and 913 vessels cleared 814,465 tons, in 1894.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC.
The departures of passengers increased from 85,961 i 1894 to 113,600 in 1895, and the ar- rivals from 60,204 to 74,012, the total inwards and outwards being the largest ever recorded.. The increase is chiefly due to the number of Chinese who fled from the Formosan ports on the approach of the Japanese, and subsequently
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OPIUM.
(a) Foreign-Importations again show a de- crease, though not so marked as that recorded in 1894. The net figures present a decline of 746 piculs, confined almost exclusively to Benares Patna. It is expected that the de- mand for the coming year will show but very little difference. The advertised sales in India for 1896 of Benares and Patna are slightly in excess of those for 1895, being 39,000 chests, against 37,260 chests. The quantity of morphis imported was 4,835 ounces, valued at Hk.Tls. 7,366, and of hypodermic syringes 128, valued at Hk.Tls. 131. These figures clearly indicate the existence of the morphia habit.
(b.) Native. The quantity of native opium produced in the districts adjacent to Amoy is said to be considerably over that of 1894, although the yield per mou was not so good. The figures given range from 3,000 to 4,000 - piculs, but the lower amount is most likely to be correct. Only 6.61 piculs passed through this office during the year. As predicted in the 1894 report, a large increase has to be recorded in the importation of Szecnen and Yunnan opium. The net figures are 490 and 287 piculs respectively, against 21 and 35 piculs for the previous year, representing a net increase of 721 picals on the two kinds. It is reported that at least 3,000 piculs of Szechuan and Yunnan opium arrive in Amoy and the adjacent district by overland routes, and this drug having paid but little or no tax, is readily disposed of at a lower rate than that imported by steamer, which has acquitted itself of all taxes. About 500 piculs of Wenchow. opium are said to have reached Chinchew by junk. The average price of duty-paid native opium for the year was Hk. Tls. 360 per picul, a considerably lower rate than that ruling in 1894. As the Japanese Customs are imposing a tax equal to Hk. Tls. 110 per picul on all opium arriving in Formosa, there will always be a considerable amount of smuggling carried on between that island and the mainland.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The example set by the China Navigation Company in availing themselves of the facilities offered by the hulk system, as noted in the trade report for 1894, has been followed during the year under review by the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company.
A local post office was opened on the 1st April, when the new stamps received from Europe came into circulation. Stamps' to the value of $1,500 have been sold.
The purchase of Chambé Valley, to be con verted into a public recreation ground, was completed during the early part of the year, but after lengthy discussion the offer to sell the property to the community was withdrawn, and the land is now about to be used for building purposes.
The new Chinese reading-room and library, mentioned in the 1894 report, was formally opened in October.
A set of regulations regarding trade with Formosa, issued by the Japanese authorities,
may
well be noticed, more especially the rule declaring that only the ports Kelung, Tamsui, Auping, and Takow are open to trade. This restriction should materially increase our im- ports and exports, as the present junk trade between Amoy, Chinchew, Anhai, and the ports on the west coast of Formosa will in all probability be absorbed by steamers of foreign type.
There is a likelihood, at an early date, of steam-launches playing between Amoy and riv- erine ports, as also places along the coast, and with this object in view a Chinese syndicate, with a capital of $60,000, is in course of forma
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