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“.........................................................................................................................................A
Glass........................................................................................................................................................................0
Paper........................................................................................................................................................................0
South Manchuria Railway........................................................................................................................(I
Steamship service ....................................................................................................................................7
Other works......................................................................................................................................................7
Electric lighting ................................”
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“...SKETCH MAP of part of MANCHURIA
to accompany Dairen Trade Report for 1908.
OrJsujsu?} .Survey Of'/hyz. Soicljtxi/ns/jfsjii• 1 !)()!/...”
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“...per cent, below the
silver yen. The silver yen circulates pretty freely now all through
Southern Manchuria, and this may be taken as evidence of the com-
manding position to which the Yokohama Specie Bank has attained
with its branches here and at Port Arthur, Newchwang, Liaoyang,
Mukden, Tiehling, Changchun and Antung. Further to complicate the
currency, the business with the local government, the South Manchuria
Railway Company and most of the Japanese shops in the town has to
be done on the gold yen basis. The average value of the principal
currency during the past two years was as follows :—
1907. 1908.
s. d. s. d.
Haikwan tael ... ... ... ... 3 3 2 8
Gold yen ........................2 0| 2
Silver yen ........................1 llf 1 9±
Weights and measures.—Business with the Chinese is done in piculs
and catties, with the Japanese according to the Japanese measures.
The South Manchuria Railway statistics are made up in short tons.
The Chinese among themselves have a measure of 5...”
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“...DAIliEN.
5
outlet of a great part of Manchuria, the absence of import duties and
the supply of coal at reasonable rates, afford excellent opportunities for
the establishment of industrial enterprises which will, no doubt, be
taken advantage of in the near future.
Possible industries.—From investigations undertaken by the
Japanese authorities the principal industries for which there appear to
be good prospects are :—
I. The distilling of spirits
II. The wild silk industry
III. The manufacture of bean cake and bean oil
IV. The making of soap from bean oil
V. The manufacture of glass
VI. The making of paper from kaoliang stalks
As regards these possibilities the following extracts from an article
by the Director of the Kwantung Government Experimental Laboratory
at Dairen may not be without interest.
I. Distilling of spirits.—The distilling of Chinese spirits from kaoliang
has long been carried on in Manchuria, the annual production in the
southern districts alone being about 8...”
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“...the leased territory
there exist most of the materials necessary for making glass, and that a
manufactory established on a large scale should turn out a profitable
enterprise. There exist already in Dairen a few glass making concerns,
but they are all on a very small scale.
VI. Paper.—Paper has been successfully made from kaoliang
stalks, and it may be advisable for large consumers of paper to turn
their attention to Manchuria, where the kaoliang is grown in almost
unlimited quantities.
The South Manchuria Railway.—The work of broadening the main
line of the South Manchuria Railway and its Fushun and Newchwang
branches from the 3 feet 6 inches gauge to the standard gauge of 4 feet
inches was completed by the end of April, 1908. A new and improved
system of trains was introduced, and a revision of fares and traffic rates,...”
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“...purpose of conveying the coal from the
company's mines at Fushun, in the Mukden district, but will also have
the effect of relieving the traffic over more than half the distance of the
main line.
Steamship service.—In August, 1908, a passenger steamer was
chartered to run between Dairen and Shanghai, and the South Manchuria
Railway now affords the quickest route between London and Shanghai,
saving two days as compared with the Vladivostock route. The
service will be strengthened as time goes on, and should have the effect
of considerably reducing the present high prices of commodities.
Other works of the railway company.—In addition to the working of.
its railway the South Manchuria Railway Company undertakes various
electrical enterprises, the construction and maintenance of the harbour
works at Dairen, the working of the Fushun coal mines, the construction
and upkeep of hotels, and the prov'sion of public works in the various
railway settlements.
Electric lighting.—Electric lighting was...”
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“...ng, it must be remem-
bered that, apart from irregular boats running to Chinese ports, the only
means of communication was with that country, through which came
practically everything from Europe and America, except the materials
for the reconstruction of the South Manchuria Railway.
Im.ports.^-In a year which showed considerable depression of trade
throughout the East, and in spite of the low rate of silver, in consequence
of which the purchasing power of the inhabitants decreased, the import
trade of Dairen cannot be considered as otherwise than satisfactory,
showing as it does an increase from 2,533,3371, in 1907 to 2,855,071Z. in
1908. So far as imports are concerned, Newchwang still holds the
premier place in Manchuria. This is due to the long established
connections at the latter place and to better communications, but, with
the improvement of communications with Dairen, and the settling here
of Chinese traders, Newchwang may have to look to her laurels. The
principal articles that...”
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“...period no returns are
available : —
Rice ... ... Bales 144,348
Tinned goods ... ... Cases 3,292
Fruit and vegetables... Baskets 30 027
Soy ......... ... Casks 30,099
Miso ......... 3.752
Sugar ... ... Bags 10,673
Beer ... ... Cases 9,264
Cigarettes 7,752
Medicines 1,694
Paints......... ... Casks 6,674
on ......... ... ,, 5,873
Cotton—
Yarn ... Bales 1,402
Cloth 4,178
Gunny bags ... ... ,, 10,285
Exports.—A glance at the return of exports will show that the trade
in the staple products of Manchuria was eminently satisfactory. The
amount of beans and bean cake respectively sent away during 1908 was
well over 200,000 tons, while the value of the beans was more than half as
much again as in 1907, and that of bean cakes nearly twice as much.
Beans.—Soya beans have been shipped to Europe from Hankow
for some years past, and attempts have been made to open up a trade
from Newclrwang, but these do not appear to have been successful. It
is said that the reason for this is that beans brought down...”
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“...500,000 acres in the Hsin-an-chin
district, 1,650,000 acres in the four districts of Yo-nan-fu, Tsi-nan,
Kai-ton and Ankuan, and over 330,000 acres in Takia, altogether some
2,500,000 acres. It is a question whether the products of these districts
will be brought into South Manchuria or not. Though this is quite
possible, it cannot be stated definitely that these districts come within
the sphere of the South Manchuria Railway.
" At present there is a tendency for the products of North Manchuria
to be brought down to South Manchuria. For instance, 150,000 tons of
the beans brought to the south this year came from the districts of
Suan-chen-fu, Petuna and Takia. This was due to the better arrange-
ments for transactions in beans that exist in the south, and to the fact
that the principal customers are Japan and South China. Freight
rates also contributed, but it is doubtful whether this situation will
continue for long. At present there is a new demand for beans in
Europe, but it is said that...”
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“...12
DAIREN.
Now let us take into consideration the average annual production of
beans in South Manchuria, and in the districts which may be considered
as being within the influence of the South Manchuria Railway.
" The total area of cultivated land in South Manchuria may be taken
10,000,000 acres. This estimate has been obtained from many reliable
sources and checked from the amount of production, so that it may be
taken as being as near as possible to the correct figure; at the same time,
further minute investigation is required. Of the total area, some three-
tenths have been planted with beans, which would produce altogether in
an average year 1,200,000 tons. But, of the afore-mentioned 10,000,000
acres, only about 5,835,000 acres are near at hand to the South Manchuria
Railway, and of this roughly 1,750,000 acres are under bean cultivation,
producing annually some 700,000 tons. Of the remaining 4,145,000
acres under cultivation about 1,250,000 acres are planted with beans,
producing...”
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“...on
increasing without any limit, simply because affairs are in a flourishing
state at present. If the demand for beans increases the production will
increase in the north rather than in the south, and more especially in
the newly cultivated lands of the Amur district, from Merkon to the
north bank of the Sungari, which has an area of about 6,665,000 acres,
of which one-quarter is cultivated."
The foregoing has been quoted fully, as it gives a very fair idea not
only of the possibilities of Manchuria as a producer of beans, but of the
share in the trade that is likely to be taken by the three ports of New-
chwang, Dairen and Vladivostock. The figures admittedly are not
precisely accurate, and, from what information has come to hand since
thearticle was written—towards the end of 1908—they may be considered
as under rather than over the mark.
Method of business in the trade.—Before leaving the subject of beans,
it may be as well to give a word of advice to those who may be desirous
of engaging...”
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“...the coast. The increase in ships under the Chinese
flag is due also to the same cause, a small boat running between here and
Chefoo twice a week. German and Norwegian shipping showed fair
increases. The number of British ships entered at the Consulate was
111 of 183,333 tons, and those cleared 114 of 193,159 tons (net). Most
of these belonged to the China coast companies. The vessels entering
from the United States were those chartered to bring railway material
and rolling-stock for the South Manchuria Railway.
Conversion of currency.—In the returns annexed to this report the
yen has been converted at the rate of 2s. 0\d.
Annex 1.—Return of the Import Trade of Dairen during the Years
1907-08.
1907. 1908.
Grains and seeds Rice Other £ 135,402 3,687 £ 179,679 13,118
Total ..J 139,089 192,797
Provisions Tea ...... Marino products ... Fruit and vegetables Soy ...... Miso ...... Tinned goods Flour ...... Other ...... ...' 2,681 11,985 33,880 22,367 2,138 5,423 146,027 27,515 6,452...”
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