| 1 |
 |
“..............23
Nanking-Hunan....................................................................................................................................23
VI.—Mining and other industries—
Coal mines .....................................................................................................................................................23
Mining regulations .........................................................................................................23
Cotton mills............................................................................................................................24
Electric light ................................................................................................................................................25
Other enterprises..........................................................................................................................................25
VII.—Miscellaneous—
Customs revenue...............”
|
|
| 2 |
 |
“...and sheetings to which it has hitherto been confined,
but in the better qualities, such as fine sheetings, grey and white
shirtings, brocades and prints.
Cotton yarn.—The figures in the import table show that although
Indian yarn continued to increase, a still greater increase took
place in Japanese yarn, and that India and Japan now divide
almost equally the supply of the yarn imported into China from
abroad. Both lands are met with the increasing competition of
the Chinese cotton spinning mills, which again enjoyed extraordinary
prosperity, the profits in 1913 exceeding the record of 1912, in spite
of four months inactivity from May to August. As will be seen later,
the number of spindles erected in Shanghai is constantly increasing.
Metals and minerals.—The total value under this head rose from
2,783,8642. in 1912 to 4,403,7842. in 1913, the principal item of
increase being copper ingots and slabs from Japan for use in the
provincial mints.
Cigarettes, which increased from 3,800,000...”
|
|
| 3 |
 |
“...imported
in 1913 was 3,091,454 cwts., an amount which, although less by some
700,000 cwts. than in 1912, compares favourably with the imports of
previous years. The decline in the import compared with the previous
year is probably partly due to the increase in the quantity of rice
imported from abroad, which rose from 3,158,280 to 6,446,305 cwts.
To judge from the greatly diminished surplus of Chinese flour shown
by the export returns as available for export the factor of increased
produce of native mills has as yet played little part in checking the
importation of foreign flour.
Glass, window.—The considerable increase shown in the import
of window glass points to a renewal of building activity in China
after the depression of the previous two years.
Machine tools and machinery.—The total entries under these two
heads (including cotton gins, which appear separately in the customs
returns) amounted in 1913 to a value of 1,087,862/., being an increase
of 382,8631, over the corresponding figures...”
|
|
| 4 |
 |
“...CHINA.
17
heat and dryness of the summer, and the production in North China
was not up to the usual standard of quality. The chief cause of the
decline in export was the high exchange prevailing, which enabled
Japan to get cotton cheaper from India. It may be noticed that the
quantity of raw cotton imported into China was less than half what
it was in 1912, and this fact in itself points, in a year when the cotton
mills were exceptionally busy, to increased consumption of the native
raw material.
In last year's report mention was made of an estimate furnished
by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture of the average annual
production of cotton during the years 1909-11. The very large
figures supplied by the Ministry have excited some comment, and it
is perhaps well to emphasise the fact that the production of statistics
by Chinese Government departments (always excepting the Maritime
Customs) is in a backward condition, and that little attention should
be paid to any such figures in the...”
|
|
| 5 |
 |
“...1907 and 1911, but it is extremely
doubtful whether they are calculated to effect their avowed purpose
of attracting foreign capital. At all events they have not been
accepted by His Majesty's Government as completely fulfilling the
obligation imposed on the Chinese Government by Article IX of the
Shanghai Commercial Treaty of 1902.
Cotton mills.—Considerable additions have been recently made to
the cotton spinning and weaving mills in Shanghai. The following
list, for which I am indebted to the North China " Daily News,"
shows the cotton mills operating in China at the beginning of 1914.
The figures for the spindles and looms in the Chinese-managed mills
are only approximate :—■
Mill. District. Management. Spindles. Looms.
Ewo ......... Shanghai Foreign 72,264 500
Rung Yik ...... Shanghai 25,676 300
Yangtszepoo Shanghai ii 9,936
Hong-Kong Hong-Kong ... it 45,696
International ... Pootung ii 48,200 300
Soy Chee Shanghai ii • • • 40,768
Laou Kung Mow Shanghai it 40,096
Shanghai Cotton...”
|
|
