June 18, 1896.
CANTON CUSTOMS REPORT FOR 1895.
The following is the report on the trade of Canton for 1895 by Mr. Farago, Commissioner of Customs:
LOCAL.
The value of the trade of Canton in 1895 is represented by 50 million taels, an advance of 5 million taels on the 1894 total. Whether this be a sign of increasing prosperity or of higher prices produced by the disturbed relation of silver to gold is a matter difficult to adjudge: a brief study of the statistics would seem to denote elements in favour of both. Local products in general appear at enhanced values, more parti cularly for articles of international mark than for those of domestic note; nor is evidence wanting of their increased shipment abroad. Goods of foreign origin show an equal advance in the figures for both quantity and value. The great fall observable in one or two important commodities is but an indication of a change in the habits or tastes of the people. The political state of affairs in the province was not favour able to the progress of trade. After the advent of
peace a feeling of dissatisfaction prevailed, and public security never was in a worse con- dition. Piracy and brigandage were of common occurrence at the very doors of the city, to suppress which it became necessary to appeal to the patriotism of the people. The record of public health for the year is good, a recurrence of the plague being spared to the district, notwithstanding the abnormal state of the weather, which remained fine throughout the rainy season. The absence of sufficient moisture was of course a calamity to agricultural in- terests. Rice and other foodstuffs had been harvested with miserable results, requiring the provision of foreign grain in unusually large quantities. Speaking generally, although there must have been disappointments, 1895 should be regarded as a comparatively good year com- mercially, and there is every indication of better prospects in 1896.
REVENUE.
Hk. Tls. 1,750,388 have been collected, against Hk. Tis. 1,852,997 in the preceding year. The loss is accounted for by the heavy full in opium, producing a difference so great as to render ad- justment more than difficult by gains on articles taxed in a manner excluding comparison. The receipts from imports and tonnage dues are the best on record. Under exports the amount received is the highest during the last three years, while coast trade duty has considerably receded.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
trict. Of foreign flour over 200,000 piculs have been imported to meet the ever-increasing de- mand; given a permanence of present conditions, it is difficult to measure the possible develop ment of the four trade in the south of China. In the import of matches Japan appears to have lost ground, to the benefit of matches made else. where, though possibly that circumstance is only incidental to the war. The materials for making matches were for the Fatshan factories, which have resumed work after a pause necessitated by the difficulty of obtaining splint-wood. The exceptionally heavy shipments of rice brought to this port from Saigon, Siam, and Annam can be accounted for by the complete failure of the Canton crops; although the prevailing scarcity has been relieved by the arrival of supplies from the South and the Yangtsze, the market value of rice during the year advanced 17 per cent.
shipment abroad produced at this interesting Exports.-The variety of articles suitable for centre of skill and labour is becoming very considerable, a fact sufficiently illustrated by the export tables. ducts coming more under observation and Among the staple pro- showing appreciable development may be silk, and sugar. named chinaware, fans, matting, provisions, Included under chinaware are specimens of the costliest porcelain, made to satisfy luxurious needs, down to the com- monest earthenware goods, intended for the most simple domestic use. In chinaware Canton can now supply articles standing comparison with the best products of the West and this fact, combined with the advantages in cost, is no doubt being turned to good account by intelli- gent traders. The export of fans stands at the high figure of 11 million pieces; and the number of raw materials, silk, cotton, feathers, paper, wood, and palm-leaf, employed in their manufacture bears witness to the ingenuity of local artizans. With regard to matting, it is satisfactory to observe that the receding figures of 1894 are changed into a large increase. The enlarged shipment of provisions from Canton is a sign of the growing needs of Hongkong, the proximity of which admits of the daily export of perishable goods, such as vegetables, fresh eggs, poultry, live fish,. etc., in not inconsiderable quantities. Since the collapse of the tea trade at this port it is silk that claims the place of honour among local products. This industry seems eminently suited to the climate and people of the neighbouring districts of Canton, and it is not probable that rival. competition will for some time check its progressive course. The primitive methods employed by natives in silk culture and their aversion to improvements are Imports.-A glance through the list of cotton conditions greatly deplored by foreigners in- goods admits of two conclusions: the first, a terested in the trade; consequently, it is grati- steady growth in the various fabrics, and the fying to know that lately an institution* was second, a significant drop in Indian yarn. The opened in the Suntak district, where the seri- increase is satisfactory to contemplate and does culture flourishes, with the object of affording not need comment, but the decrease requires Ex- means of improving the quality of silk. The planation. Business in cotton yarn is conducted eggs of the silkworm are subjected to an by a combination of native dealers, for the pur-examination by trained men using scientific pose of ruling the market in and about Canton, appliances to determine their sound or diseased who have the exclusive enjoyment of certain state, in order to assist in the production of privileges at the hands of the likin authorities. healthy worms. The establishment, although Their profits, however, are so sharply drawn as to in existence but a few months, has already feel the least disturbance in existing conditions; achieved valuable results, both in the direction and an event bringing about that result came above named and in other important details, by to pass when in the early part of the year the advising and instructing natives who show steamer lines formed a combination with the inclination to learn. Turning to the silk crops object of raising freights. The rate for yarn of the past season, it appears that the yield has was advanced over 100 per cent., and it resulted not been uniformly good. The first and second to a great extent in junks, instead of steamers, crops, though: unexceptional in quality, were becoming the carriers; but the decline visible found wanting in quantity; this was the result in the Canton statistics is no doubt adjusted by of a prolonged absence of rain, which interfered & corresponding growth in the Kowloon returns. with the requisite supply of mulberry leaves. The supply of woollen fabrics and metals to Before the seed for the third hatching was ladi Canton is usually small, and this was the case down, however, a copious fall of rain produced during the year under review. In woollens the excellent results, enabling the third, fourth, and demand appears to have been better than or- fifth crops to be gathered under favourable con- dinarily. In metals the import of iron, com- ditions. The supply of raw silk, therefore, has pared with the 1894 figures, shows an increase, been more abundant than in 1894 and the export but the supply of lead and copper has diminished. business was likewise larger. Prices were on Among sundries the articles attracting notice
an ascending scale, a circumstance telling against by their increase or decrease are coal, flour, those of the native dealers who, having accepted matches, and rice. The coal which finds most orders when prices were low, had to supply with favour amongst the local fleet of steam-launches a stiff market. There were in all 25,000 piculs is the Tonkin article of the lower grade, whose of raw silk shipped for foreign demand, an in- popularity is due to its extreme cheapness- about Tls. 3 per ton, against Tls. 6 for the Japan coal and Tls. 5 for the best quality Kwangsi coal, drawn from the Fu-ch'uan dis-into China.
FOREIGN TRADE.
*This is the fruit of the efforts made, under direction of the Inspector-General, to introduce the Pasteur system of treatment of diseased silkworms
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crease of 2,500 piculs on the total in 1894. Sugar planters, in spite of the drought, seem to have fared well, if an abundance of sugar cane máy be taken as an indication. The quantity exported of the brown or inferior kind is largely in excess of the figures for the previous year; the portion shipped to foreign countries, however, constituted only one-third of the total."
Re-exports. No remarks.
COAST TRADE.
Original Shipments Coastwise.—The goods shipped direct to coast ports are valued at close upon 3 million taels, showing a gain on the preceding year's figures. The trade is made up of articles too numerous to admit of separate examination, but the more important items are silk, sugar, tobacco, dried fichees and lung. ngans, brass buttons, jadestone, paper, and glassware, the order of enumeration-showing their felative importance.
Reshipments Coastwise.—A small consign- ment of lily flower seeds returned to Shanghai forms the sole transaction under this head for
the year.
Coastwise Arrivals.-Due to the position of Canton, its coast trade is confined to the ex- change of commodities of purely native origin. The supplies thus drawn by the port represent a value of 13 million taels, or, with a few thous and taels difference, exactly the same as that for 1894. Beans and rice play a conspicuous part among the sundries given in the tables. The figures for the first-named produce, compared with those for 1894, exhibit an overwhelming decrease, owing entirely to the peculiar position which Newchwang, the exporting port of beans, occupied after the close of the war, necessitating a considerable rise in former freight charges. Rice, on the other hand, has increased in volume and thus helped to equalise the loss sustained from beans.
INLAND TRANSIT.
Inwards.-The small sum collected as transit
dues bears testimony that, after a lapse of two years, a fresh effort is being made to revive the system of certificating imports,
The goods thus passed were cotton fabrics destined for Wuchou-fu, on the West River.
Outwards.-Nil.
SHIPPING
While the number of entries and clearances
compares unfavourably with that in 1894, the tonnage displays a gain of 9 per cent.; the one may be accounted for by the diminished steam- launch traffic consequent upon adverse legisla tion, and the other by an increase in the number of ocean steamers trading to the port. Among the flags exhibiting an advance, that of Great Britain stands conspicnons, the proportion to the total tonnage employed being 84 per cent.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC.
The absence of growth in this important trade during 1894 was attributed to the pre- valence of the plague, and the further reduction in 1895 is manifestly caused by the agreement between the steamer lines for uniform fare rates, by which the cost of a deck passage has been considerably augmented. The total traffic is represented by 1,000,000 passengers, against 1,100,000 the year before.
TREASURE.
While there has been nothing apparent in the movement of silver to call for comment, the appearance of the British dollar, coined in India, and the prevalence in the local our rency of the Canton Mint dollar should be noted. The British dollar is not visible in Canton, nor is it likely that it will be, owing to the legislation forbidding its defacement, a very wise ordinance from the standpoint of Hongkong, but one likely to exclude the coin" from use under present conditions in the south of China. The following table will show the nature and number of coins made by the Canton Mint and its comparative activity in the course of the past two years:-
1-dollar siver pieces 50-cent silver pieces 20-cent silver pieces 10-cent silver pieces
1894. 232,672
52,490
1895.. 331,750
21,807,680 29,055,900
12,494,840 14,159,660
Total value.............. $5,869,937 $7,558,896
OPIUM.
Foreign. The downward course of this trade has been maintained, the import, compared with
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