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“................... 3
Trade routes ..................................................... 5
Antung district clearly defined by geographical features............. 5
Drawbacks to commercial development
1. Defective communications ...................................... 6
2. Severity of winter............................................. 6
3. Conservative character of the Chinese ......................... 6
Vitality of trade notwithstanding all drawbacks ..................... 6
Products of Eastern Manchuria
Beans ........................................................... 6
Cereals ........................................................... 7
Fruit farming ................................................... 7
Exports for 1908
Silk products ..................................................... 7
Beans ............................................................. 8
Timber............................................................. 8
Hun Biver .......................................................”
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“............................
Trade routes ........................................................
Antung district clearly defined by geographical features............. o
Drawbacks to commercial development
1. Defective communications ...................................
2. Severity of winter............................................
3. Conservative character of the Chinese ...................... 6
Vitality of trade notwithstanding all drawbacks ..................... 6
Products of Eastern Manchuria
Beans ...........................................................
Cereals ......................................................... ^
Fruit farming ................................................... ^
Exports for 1908
Silk products ................................................... ?
Beans ...........................................................
Timber........................................................... 8
Hun River ....................................................... 8
Yalu River...”
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“...much used for sledges. A land route also follows the river by
way of Taipingshao, Hsiaopushihho and Changtienhokou from Huaijen,
on the Hun, to Antung.
2. The hill road from Tunghua via Huaijen and Kuantien in
winter is of considerable importance for the conveyance of merchandise
by pack mule and cart. The thaw in the spring and heavy rains in
summer often temporarily cut off communications and the road is
frequently a watercourse. This is a condition predicable of most
roads in this part of Manchuria.
3. The railway from Mukden via the trade mart of Fenghuang-
cheng, which competes with the cart road running parallel with it
and will, on being converted into a broad gauge, capture all the traffic.
By this route come to Antung the exports from a considerable area,
including the district to the north of Fenghuangcheng tapped by the
road which runs from Hsingching through Chienchang and Saimachi
to Fenghuangcheng.
4. The road following the coastline through Chuangho, Chingtuitzu,
Takushan,...”
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“...immigrants to
settle.
3. The third and the most important check is the conservative char-
acter of the Chinese.Despite the establishment of an agricultural
college and a board of mines at Mukden, there does not appear to be
any immediate prospect of progressive methods being introduced
into this part of Manchuria either as regards agriculture or as regards
development -of the mineral resources. Coal and iron are worked,
it is true, but on the old primitive lines, and the construction of rude
ploughshares and cooking cauldrons of cast iron appears to satisfy all
ambitions.
Vitality of the trade notwithstanding all drawbacks.Still there is
an inherent vitality in the trade of this part of Manchuria which
survives and rises superior to unfavourable conditions. The country
has experienced during the last decade the ravages of the Boxer
movement, the shock of the Russo-Japanese war and the unchronicled
depredations of countless hunghutzus or redbearded highwaymen,
but the Manchurian farmer has a...”
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“...Maitzu or wheat.The native flour is coarse and dark in colour.
Cakes called laoping, something like a pancake, but heavy and sodden,
are made of this flour and much used by the Chinese as an article of
food.
5. Chiaomai or buckwheat, a grain with a black husk, in which a
seed like barley is found. It is ground and made into cakes.
Rice is little cultivated and does not form one of the staples of
food in this part of Manchuria.
Fruit farming.The Chinese Government has on foot a scheme
to start an experimental fruit farm at Antung. There are many
valleys throughout this part of Manchuria which would be suitable
for fruit growing, and a crop of apples or other fruit would prove a
considerable asset to the Manchurian farmer.
Exports for 1908. Silk products.There was a plentiful crop of
wild cocoons and the late closing of the river was favourable for the
shipping of it. The total value of the silk products shows an aggre-
gate of 333,3331. The farmers did not, however, reap large profits
from their...”
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“...8
ANTUNG.
1907. Raw wild silk is reeled in the homes of the villagers in this
part of Manchuria and in the Chinese filature at Antung. Being a
valuable and compact commodity it can afford to pay railway freight,
and a considerable amount passes out from Antung during the winter
months through the Korean Railway to Japan.
It may be remarked that the cocoons previous to reefing are soaked
in hot water, to which is added 3 ozs. of impure carbonate of soda or
natron for every 1,000 cocoons, to impart a lustre to the silk.
In China, where nothing is wasted, the worm inside the cocoon is
used as an article of food.
All things considered this year was a favourable one in the silk
branch of the export trade.
Beans.The spring of 1908 found the cash price quoted for a picul
(local measure) of beans of last years crop ranging from 7 to 8 taels.
In the autumn the market for the new crop opened at 7 taels 50 c.,
but owing to an exceptionally heavy supply, coupled with a weak
demand from the consuming...”
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“...associated, it is probable that foreign importers of direct goods do not
regard the year as satisfactory.
It may be noted that Chinese merchants at Antung supply to
Korean customers a large quantity of their apparel. The Koreans
wear white, which is included in the customs returns under the heading
Grey, i.e., unbleached. The re-exports of native goods to Korea
include 1,011 cwts. of Shanghai cotton yarn and 530 cwts. of grass-
cloth.
Speaking generalfy of the cotton goods business in this part of
Manchuria there is little cotton grown and there are few homes in
which the hand loom is plied (though, it may be remarked in paren-
thesis, technical schools are endeavouring to introduce this industry
at Kuantien and elsewhere), hence the demand for imported piece-
goods is likely to increase pari passu with the increase of population
by immigration from Shantung.
Coal.Coal from the mines of Penhsihsien and Fushun, worked
by the Japanese and railway-borne to Antung, is holding the market
against imported...”
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