| 1 |
 |
“...this port at the present time, however, is : in
what way and to what extent will that trade be affected by the
opening of Nanning as a port of international trade ? I would
point out here that I am assuming the recent opening of Nanning
by the establishment of an office of the Imperial Maritime
Customs there, and the publication of a set of provisional
regulations for the inter-port traffic between Wuchow and
Nanning, to have been a genuine and effective opening of the place
to trade.
In speaking of the result to Wuchow trade of this opening of
Nanning, I am aware that I am treading on the dangerous ground of
personal conjecture, and do not intend, therefore, to treat the
matter at any great length or in detail.
Fffcct on While I do not perhaps fully agree with the optimistic opinions
Wuehow some—a decided minority, it must be confessed—that the
opening of Nanning will prove to be an immediate boon and
blessing to the trade of this port, and will cause a great expansion
therein, I am...”
|
|
| 2 |
 |
“...representative to fight their battles for them
with offending Chinese officials, whether of the " likin " or any other
department.
The opening of Nanning, however, apart from the question of Effect on
its effect in expanding trade, will cause an important change in trade 'or^Utions -i-i
conditions at Wuchow, hitherto the controlling centre on the West Wueliow.
Kiver.
Cargo from Nanning district, which has hitherto been secured by
the foreign steamship companies at Wuchow through the medium
of Wuchow forwarding agents, who obtained transit passes and
distributed them amongst their Nanning and other up-country
clients, will, under existing circumstances, no longer be procured
by means of these passes, but will be forwarded from Nanning
to Wuchow mainly by chartered junks. Under the new system
the facilitated importation and exportation of goods at Nanning
will tend to place in the hands of merchants at that port a more
direct control over and a rightful benefit in their trade. In
these circumstances...”
|
|
| 3 |
 |
“...with last year, the totals being 579,4642. in 1906 as
against 642,090?. in 1905.
This may to some extent be attributed to a decrease during
a great part of 1906 in the native opium trade passing into or through
the provinces of Kwangsi and Kwangtung, resulting in a diminished
transit of yarn and piece-goods through West River waters, by reason
of the system of barter obtaining up-country, of which mention has
already been made.
The trade, which is chiefly conducted at Kweichow, Paksik
(Pose), Nanning, Kweilin and Wuchow, was thoroughly dislocated
last year on account of heavier taxation, but showed a revival
during the last quarter of the year, owing to the need of replenishing
exhausted stocks in this and the neighbouring province, and surplus
stocks of yarn and piece-goods found a sudden market, which
immediately induced a smart revival in the import of those com-
modities.
Erroneous I would here point out that the classification of the various kinds
classification Q| co-fcton goods in...”
|
|
| 4 |
 |
“...8
WUCHOW.
the making and binding of women's clothes. In Nanning towards
the end of January there was such a big demand, owing to a
scarcity in the market, that the price rose 25 to 30 per cent, in one
day.
Yel vei s and Velveteens are rapidly disappearing from the market, but there
velveteens, js a big demand for medium quality velvets, costing 40 to 45 c.
(lOfrf. to Is.) per yard. In fact the import has steadily increased
during the past three years, as the following figures show :—
Year. Quantity.
Yards.
1904.... 163,002
1905.... 198,056
1906.... 223,831
Cotton
blankets.
Cotton yarn.
Indian yarn.
Japanese
yarn.
The velvet, which is in various colours, is used for shoes, hats,
better class clothing and " Sunday-best" wear. It comes mostly
if not entirely from Germany, Leipzig being a great centre, and
British manufacturers do not seem to be able to compete success-
fully, the home manufactured article being either too good or too
inferior in quality.
From 1900 to 1903...”
|
|
| 5 |
 |
“...these anticipations has not yet come.
During 1906 914 cwts. of camphor, valued at 3,920/., were ex- Camphor,
ported to Hong-Kong. The bulk of this was brought down under
transit pass as follows :—
There was a very large increase in the export of tin in slabs, Minerals,
the quantity rising from 393 cwts. in 1905 to 1,093 cwts. in 1906. Tin >n Blabs-
To— Quantity. 1 1906. | 1905.
Cwts. Cwts.
Hong-Kong 8,550 i 18,456
Chinese ports 17,450 24,190
Total 26,000 42,646
From— ! Quantity.
Cwts.
Nanning .... ....I 599
Pose 261
Lungehow ...J 18
Hsiinchow 1
Total 879...”
|
|
| 6 |
 |
“...closed for some
time after running at a loss of 2001, to 300L a month. The cost
of running them latterly was about 6001, a month, including about
5d. a day each for some 250 coolies, and the output was valued
at from 3001, to 400Z. a month. The coal used for smelting was
Japanese, the monthly consumption being about 100 tons. The
cost of delivery at the mines was 21. per ton, inclusive of 12s. per ton
for carriage by coolies over the hills from Kueihsien.
I hear that the Na P'o coal mine, near Nanning, which, on
account of the increased demand for native coal was re-opened and
worked by the authorities as an official speculation, has been doing
fairly well.
The following tables show the value of the inland transit trade
transit trade, during 1906 and the number of passes taken out and used :—
(a) Provinces to which Foreign Goods were forwarded under
Transit Pass during the Year 1906.
Coal.
Inland
Number of Passes. Value.
i ! •* > £
Kwangsi .... 17,951 74,883
ICwangtung 5,272 14,469
Kweichow...”
|
|
| 7 |
 |
“...WUCHOW.
•15
(Ib) Pbovinces from which Native Goods were brought under
Transit Pass during the Year 1906.
Number of Passes. Value.
Kwangsi .... Kwangtung Yunnan .Total 2,564 5 53 2,612 £ 314,171 702 3,804 318,677
As previously,mentioned, the opium trade is conducted on what Native
is practically a system of barter, the merchants at Nanning °Pmm-
sending agents into Yunnan, Kweichow and, I am informed, even
into Szechuen with foreign goods, mostly yarn and piece-goods,
which they exchange for opium to be exported to Kwangsi and
Kwangtung.
It is obvious, therefore, that the effect of increased taxation
would be a diminished trade in native opium, with its attendant
decrease in foreign imports.
Such, indeed, was one result of a sudden great increase in Decem-
ber, 1904, in the tax imposed on native opium imported into the
two provinces of Kwangsi and Kwangtung.
Another result was that opium from Yunnan, where the taxation
was comparatively light, was driven back from Kwangsi and...”
|
|
| 8 |
 |
“...WUCHOW.
•17
1004. 1906. 1906.
Nationality.
Number Number Number
of Tonnage. of Tonnage. of Tonnage.
Vessels. Vessels. Vessels.
British ........ 1,519 32,982 1,351 28,925 1,452 36,756
American 6 124
German........ 10 124
French 121 1,656 24 282 113 1,411
Chinese 1,930 26,414 2,013 25,458 1,706 22,844
It is worthy of notice that the " TienKong," an electric motor boat
belonging to this port, made successful trips from Wuchow to
Nanning at the dead low-water season, a feat which a few years
ago would have been pronounced impossible.
This vessel, built of teak wood, was constructed at Hong-Kong,
and is specially designed for shallow water navigation.
Her dimensions, &c., are:—Length, 72 feet; beam, 14 feet; depth,
4J feet; tonnage, 50 tons ; deadweight, 15 tons (with 50 passengers)
on a draught of 2 feet 2 inches ; speed, 9 miles per hour with a full
load ; kerosene oil motor, 45 horse-power.
In conclusion I would remark that the trade of Wuchow is Concluding...”
|
|
