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HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

CONFIDENTIAL

Not for Publication.

REPORT ON SHIPPING ACTIVITY, 20th OCTOBER, 1939.

300

No further fixtures were re- The market is firm but erratic. ported during the week though enquiries were received for cement, Haiphong/Singapore; cement from Haiphong/saigon; coal from Calcutta to Hongay and coal from Hongay to Changhai.

The Saigon rice trade is still handicapped by export restrictions In the Bangkok in consequence of which small parcels only are moving. trade, the demand has weakened with regular steamers securing poor support.

Regarding the China coast, the market from Tientsin and Che foo to Southern ports is dull. According to recent roports, the Japanese military are stated to intend continuing the restrictions against the Tientsin Concessions until such time as their demands are fully met;

Support how this will affect British interests remains to be seen. from Shanghai to North China is good whilst that to the South is fair. Nothing doing at Foochow, Santu, Hsinghwa, Swatow and Canton, which re- main closed. The Japanese are do ing extremely well at canton, particularly in import cargo; 11 ∞oasters visited the port during the first ten days of October discharging large cargoes of rice, flour, fertilizer, saltfish, etc. Exports secured were also useful including tobacco, silk, cassia, fruit, etc.

No cargo offers from Pakhoi and Hoihow which ports are still affected by the Exchange Control and Trade Monopoly Scheme: will not trade until a fair and reasonable settlement is made.

shippers

It is interesting also to record that Japanese Insurance Companies and Banks in Japan ane influencing shippers to confine support to Japanese to nnage by (1) quoting low Insurance rates, and (2) refusing in addition to negotiate "Bills" for cargo by non-Japanese steamers; the "Bogey" of commandeering of British ships is held up to shippers also the theory that British interests are contemplating a withdrawal from Eastern trades. This action is seriously affecting support by British lines whose lo adings were reduced by more than half recently.

SHIPBUILDING & REPAIRING.

(Please refer to the following particulars supplied by the two leading Dockyards):-

TAIKOO DOCKYARD, HONG KONG.

NEW BUILDING.

(Particulars under this heading un changed from last report.)

VESSELS FOR REPAIRS, ETC.,

Week ending 18th October.

8.3.

"Haldis"

5.8. "Laos

s.s. "Pyrrhus"

s.s. "Apoey"

s.s. "Lyder Sagen"

8.8. "Yolande Bertin”

s.s. "Gleni ffer"

8.8.

S. 8.

"Indira”

"Silversandal"

m.v. "Dagmar Salen"

s.1. "Hsin Shameen"

Ltr. "B.2"

U.S.S. "Tulsa”

Wessels repaired in Harbour not included.

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