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“...prospects. A fairly extensive business was transacted in
the beginning, but as the year advanced the continually increas-
ing price of cotton considerably enhanced yarn values and con-
sumption became in the end slightly reduced. On the whole the
year was particularly remunerative to importers and Chinese
dealers alike, seeing that the market ruled over on an upward
tendency. On the other hand, owing to the increasing cost of
manufacture, as the result of extraordinarily dear raw material,
the mills fared very badly. The year closed with stocks light and
prices abnormally high.
A new feature in the yarn trade of the Colony was the floating
of several limited liability companies with Chinese capital for the
transaction of business in cotton and cotton yarns, which have
given a new life to the trade....”
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“...decrease.
Mats and Carpets.The market was fairly active during the
year, the largest exports being to Europe.
Metals.Prices ruled fairly low with consequent increase in
business.
Flour.The total reported imports of flour during the year
amounted to 58,583 tons, as against 91,312 tons in 1908, a decrease
of 35'8 per cent. The decrease is due to the fact, noted last year,
that direct shipments to coast ports are now made. Another dis-
posing cause for the decrease is the fact that the Shanghai flour
mills, which obtain their raw material locally, are now success-
fully competing with American flour at the coast ports, Foo-
chow, Amoy, Swatow, &c., and are even sending through cargoes
to Canton.
Rice.In spite of a hopeful outlook last year, rice has failed
to come back to its previous figure. It has again declined from
721,254 tons to 541,078 tons, or 25 per cent. This is due to a
partial failure of the crops in Cochin China, and to the fact that
many cargoes of rice from Saigon have been sent direct...”
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