iu
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ing to what extent the manufacture of yarns in China is likely to impair the development of the same industry in Japan. The export of Japanese yarns to "Shanghai yields about 9 per cent. net "profit. But when yarns can be made in "the interior of China free of duty, the "profit accruing will be 17 per cent. In "other words, the Chinese yarns can be sold "8 per cent. cheaper than the Japanese." But the yarns. made China are not to be free of duty. At present it is understood that they are to pay ten per cent. ad valorem. Assuming that to be cor- rect, and deducting that amount from the suggested profit of 17 per cent., the net profit remaining would be 7 per cent. only, or 2 per cent, less than the profit yielded by yarns exported from Japan to Shanghai, We should not be inclined to accept the Nippon's figures as absolutely correct, but they suffice to give an idea of what an im- portant part the taxation the Chinese Goy- ernment proposes to levy on manufactures will play in the competition between Chinese and Japanese goods.
44
C
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04
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUGAR MARKET IN CHINA.
desirable than a pound of "revenue." Circumstances, however, are pressing upon China and may in time result in opening the eyes of her rulers. Money has to be found to meet the obligations connected with her recently contracted Joans, and as Great Britain will assent to no increase of the import duties except on condition of the total abolition of the wasteful and oppressive lekin system the logic of facts must in the long run prevail. At the same time the use of steam on the inland waterways is slowly but surely making headway, and the construction of the great trunk line of rail- way from Peking to Canton appears to have been at last definitely-decided upon. There have been many disappointments in connec- tion with railway projects in China, and this one also may end in disappoint- ment for the time being, but sooner or later the line must be built, and likewise numer ous branch lines. All this will mean the opening up of China, and by that probably
(4
November 5, 1896.
ose cha
Chinese the Lo private the course
by Frenchmen and represents simply so public treasury and transfer pockets. Our contemporary of its article says "It is for the develop- ment of our foreign trade that we have conquered Tonkin, not to make a colony "for the multiplication of functionaries or a theatre of glorious actions bringing honorific "distinctions and promotions. France came to "Tonkin to do business, to find new openings "for her trade and industry, to assure in- "numerable consumers." That is a sound view to take, but it is vitiated by the nar- row minded opposition displayed towards the Chinese, who are the instruments that must be mainly relied upon to arrive at the end aimed at. The Annamites and Tonkinese are not such a commercial race as the Chi- nese and cannot so well serve as the inter- Indo-China aims at mediaries of trade. developing a great trade with Yunnan and South-western China generally, even ex- branch of trade will profit more tending its glance as far as Szechuen, but than that of the Hongkong sugar refineries. how is this dream to be fulfilled if a wall But railways will not be made to-morrow; of exclusion is erected between the French even the complete opening of the waterways and the people with whom they wish to to steam navigation is still in the future; deal? It is said that in order to overcome and as to the fiscal question, the mandarins the disabilities imposed upon them in re will make a strong fight before they sur-lation to contracts some of the well-to-do Chinese in Tonkin are seeking to become render their lekin squeezes. In the mean-
naturalised French subjects. Against this time it is encouraging to note that even under the present unfavourable conditions the the Indo-Chine Francaise energeticaly pro- consumption of Hongkong refined sugar is tests, urging that no facilities should be extended to them for that purpose. If these making such steady progress in China.
gentlemen wish to become French, it says,
110
1HE CHINESE QUESTION IN INDÚ-
done
as
CHINA.
tenders sent
|
let them begin by sacrificing their queues "for France, and let them give proof of "their patriotism by serving a few years "in the Foreign Legion," which is rather There are, how- an amusing suggestion. ever, serious objections to the extensive of Chinese in foreign naturalisation territories bordering upon China, and on that point our contemporary is on firm ground. That, however, is a very different thing from placing tradal restric- tious upon the Chinese, which is a suicidal policy for a country that is so largely dependent for its commercial development on Chinese enterprise and industry.
*
THE CASSINI CONVENTION.
(30th October).
The text of the CASSINI Convention has now been published in Shanghai and in a few days will reach Hongkong. From brief telegraphic summary we were
In his report on the trade of Kiukiang for last year Mr. HERBERT BRADY, Acting Consul at Kiukiang, makes mention of the development of the trade in Hongkong refined sugar. "Previous to 1894," he Bays, "there was very little refined sugar imported, but towards the close of that year one of the British hongs here, having a refinery at Hongkong, placed a con- signment on the market which was soon The Chinese question continues to be agi- followed up by another firm. Eales were tated in Indo-China, where the subjects of His pressed in Wusueh, Tung Shan, Ngan-Celestial Majesty are scarcely more welcome king, Lo-p'ing, Yao Chow, and other than in the United States or Australia. districts, with success, and the result of The French seem to think that every dollar "the year's business shows a consumption made by a Chinaman is a dollar taken out "of 16,000 piculs. It is anticipated that of some Frenchman's pocket, and various "the present year will show a large develop-proposals are advanced to reduce their com- ment of the trade. The third, fourth, and petition, more particularly as regards Gov- "fifth qualities are preferred to the first and ernment contracts. Tenders for supplies "second grades, the former being much for the army are now only received from "sweeter, and more like the native sugar. Frenchmen or Anuanites, foreigners and "Transit passes are taken out to cover it to Chinese being excluded. The Indo-Chine places in Hupei and Anhui, but difficulties Francais urges that the same principle "connected with the lekin stations preclude should be adopted in connection with "their use in Kiangsi." The product of our civil contracts also. This has actually local refineries is making steady headway been
regards the construc- in China, the total import of refined sugar tion of the railway from Hanoi to Phu- in 1895 having been 564,748 piculs of a langthuong, the
in by value of Tls. 3,402,739, as against 425,366 Chinese having been returned to them, and, piculs of a value of 82,754,179 in 1894. according to our contemporary, this protec- And, as shown by the case of Kiukiang, it tion of French contractors has been highly is only the edge of the market that has been praised. But even this is not enough; our touched so far, for though Kiukiang is a contemporary would also forbid the employ- treaty port and readily accessible it was not ment of Chinese as sub-contractors, arguing until the end of 1894 that shipments of the that otherwise the law might be defeated by article were made to that point. Transit Chinese tendering in the names of others passes, Mr. BRADY says, are taken out to cover with whom they had made an agreement for it to places in Hupei and Anhui, but diffi- that purpose. Was not the loan con- culties connected with the lekin stations "tracted to assist the French elenient in preclude their use in Kiangsi. Here we our colony and to shower on the native come upon the standing grievance of foreign population silver muna? Would it not be trade in China, namely, the fiscal barriers going against the wishes of Parliament to that preclude the free circulation of goods allow works that have to be paid for out of in the interior. Given the abolition of these "the loan to be exccuted by Chinese and barriers there would be at unde a large money which ought to remain in the country development of trade, and if to this were to be sent to China? It does not seem added the establishment of improved means to occur to our contemporary that it would of communication, the development would be to the interest of the colony to get its be enormous At the same time the re- work done on the most favourable terms venue, if honestly collected, might be and, like private individuals, to buy in the largely increased; but, as Mr. GRANT cheapest market. The idea seems to be that DUFF says in his report on the foreign trade there is so much money to be spent and that of China in 1895, "the present rulers of the the arrangements should be such that a good "Empire are entirely blind to their deal of it shall go back into French pockets sympa be wasted upo own advantage, and a penny of without the country getting any equivalent has brought her plight upon lekin in their opinion is far more for it, for the difference in the rates charged what view will England take of the matter?
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publish yesterday it will be seen able to
the
rights obtained by Russia are substantially, the same as have been mentioned in current report for some time past. She is to be al lowed to construct railways and open minės in Manchuria; the drilling of the Chinese troops, is confided to her, this provision relating only to Manchuria it is to be presumed and she is to have the use of Kinochow Bay and in emergency that of Port Arthur and Talienwan. The result is much the same, from a strategical point of view as if made over to her the territory had been made o altogether, and it opens up large possibilities of commercial development in conne with the Siberian railway. She is no longer confined to an ice bound port as her only outlet, but has the full use of Kiaochow and in time of emergency, that is, time of war, will also have the use
naval stronghold. China's chief vantages are very substantial, for As to China, she may regret had
the concessions,
BLA
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