| 1 |
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“...&c. The export
trade has also been quite up to that of former years, indeed, exceeding
that of 1908 by 160,434/. A new feature is the export to foreign
countries (Europe) of sesamum seeds, beans, peas and groundnuts.
This trade promises to expand greatly in the near future.
All trade has suffered from the uncertainty of the value of the
copper coinage, although this has been steadier than in recent years,
mainly owing to the very low price of the coins, which has about
reached a bottom figure. It is feared that trade will be greatly
hampered unless the Chinese Government establishes a general mint,
and does away with the provincial mints, and establishes a fixed
value for the coinage, i.e., 100 copper c. to a dollar; but this can
hardly be expected for some years to come. A noteworthy feature
is the practical disappearance of the old copper cash," which, it is
believed, will never come into universal use again.
Though the Hsin Yi Bank failed during the summer, involving
the Chinkiang paper...”
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| 2 |
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“...with 40*71 per cent, in 1908.
Trade with the United Kingdom and British dependencies.The
value of the direct trade between Chinkiang and Hong-Kong, and
other parts of the British Empire, is shown in the following table.
For purposes of comparison the values for the three preceding years
are given:
1 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909.
£ £ £ £
Foreign goods imported
from
United Kingdom 7,680 1,851 21,892 14,784
Hong-Kong ... ...... 626,128 511,605 268,263 295,128
Other British dependencies ... 12,844 42,039 18,347 22,639
Exports and re-exports to
United Kingdom ...... 38 95 15 8
Hong-Kong......... 171,627 154,315 213,725 115,083
Total......... 818,317 709,905 522,242 447,642
Note.Hong-Kong is'almost entirely a port of transhipment, and not neces- ,
sarily a port of origin or ultimate destination, as far as imports and exports to
and from Chinkiang are concerned.
Imports (Table 1). The gross total value of foreign goods
imported into Chinkiang in 1909 was 2,292,0071. Of this amount
1,535...”
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| 3 |
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“...Chinkiang from
Hankow. Now shipped to Shanghai
and thence, under native pass, to
destination. Probably a cheaper
method of transit
Owing to trade depression in 1908 very
little building was done in 1909. Tight-
ness in the money market stopped the
raft trade. Rafts are all under advance
to banks
Large crop and cheap price
So-called coffin wood is largely used in
house building. For cause of decrease
see timber above
Exports (see Table 2).The total net exports for 1909 amounted
to 1,244,504/. The value of import-duty-paid foreign goods carried
by the Shanghai-Nanking Railway under exemption certificate, out-
wards, from Chinkiang to Nanking, was 859/. ......
call for comment:
The following figures
Groundnuts
Cwts. + 379,251
Hides, cow and buffalo
Pieces + 10,274
Oil-
Groundnut
Sesamum
Seed, sesamum...
A record figure for 10 years. Good
season and increased crop. A large
area, formerly planted with the poppy,
now being given over to groundnuts
Increase due to mortality from rinderpest
in Shantung...”
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| 4 |
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“...10
CHINKIANG.
Transit trade.The following table gives the value and distribution
of the transit pass trade, outwards and inwards:
Foreign Goods Forwarded Native Goods Brought
from Chinkiang into Down to Chinkiang
Province. the Interior. from the Interior.
Passes. Goods. Passes. Goods.
£ £
Kiangsu ...... 5,324 723,963 1,427 162,015
Honan ...... 2,154 383,664 373 110,488
Anhui......... 615 70,363 570 131,569
Shantung 339 100,055 736 112,062
Kiangsi ...... 2 53
Shansi 10 359
Shensi ...... 4 159
Kansu 2 68
Total 8,450 1,278,684 3,106 516,134
The net result, as compared with the figures for 1908, is as
follows:The inward transit pass trade shows a decrease of 411 in
the number of passes and of 336,569/. in value, while the outward
transit pass trade shows an increase of 617 in the number of passes
and 73,740/. in value. Inward transit pass goods are now, for the
most part, conveyed under Shanghai transit passes in native boats to
Sha T'ou K'ou, some 6 miles below Chinkiang...”
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| 5 |
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“...people
to subscribe capital to build this railway, was being freely distributed
among the Chinese. The gist of it was to the effect that the trade of
Chinkiang would suffer by the completion of the Tientsin-Pukow
Eailway (which is probably quite true), and that the Kua-Hsii line
was the only thing to save the situation. All were therefore urged
to buy shares at 5 dol. each, payable at the rate of 1 dol. a year.
The exhortation included women and children, artisans and coolies,
and the present value of the Peking-Hankow Eailway shares was put
forward as an incentive.
Shanghai-Nanking Railway.The year 1909 saw the railway
jetty provided with a hulk for cargo to and from river steamers.
Freight cars can be run right down to this hulk. A bund station
was also opened near the west end of the concession, to which certain
trains run from the main station for the convenience of passengers.
For some months outward transit pass cargo sent from the interior
to Shanghai under Shanghai transit passes...”
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