| 1 |
 |
“...the crossing of the Yalu, near Wiju, and
gained a signal victory over the Russians under Sassulitch, and
obtained possession of Chiuliencheng on Chinese soil.
Thus the Japanese laid the foundations at the very first of the
preponderance of interest in South-Eastern Manchuria on which the
strenuous policy of the Japanese Government is at present building.
So it comes about that at the beginning of the year 1907, when
the trade of the port was beginning to settle down into its normal
channels, the Japanese were already established in a settlement
of an area of nearly a square mile and with a population of some
6,000.
The Chinese town of Antung is one of comparatively recent
growth. The land on the eastern frontier of Manchuria was thrown
open for cultivation in the first year of the reign of the present
Emperor of China (1874). Settlers began to arrive, and a town has
now sprung up on the banks of the Yalu River, with a population of
some 18,000 during the winter months, increased to perhaps...”
|
|
| 2 |
 |
“...rafting of the timber.
The Chinese native town, which is above the Japanese settle-
ment, would thus be entirely cut off from direct trade by steamer
and large junk.
It is much to be hoped, therefore, that in the interests of the
general development of the trade of the port the Japanese Railway
Bureau will be induced either to make a drawbridge at the point
indicated or to bridge the river at a point higher up above the Chinese
town.
Collection of consumption tax.--The Provincial Government of
Manchuria, in their endeavour to replenish their empty coffers,
imposed a tax of 2 per cent, on the retail selling value of all
goods consumed within the territory subject to their jurisdiction.
A more unfortunate tax could scarcely have been designed. When
the authorities should have been engaged in coaxing trade back to
its norma] channels, this tax acted as a direct deterrent to the
merchant who was re-establishing his business connections.
Moreover, the tax played right into the hands of the Japanese...”
|
|
| 3 |
 |
“...some 25 per cent., and direct imports from Hong-Kong, chiefly
flour, would account for the remaining 9 per cent.
Table 2 shows the principal articles imported through the Chinese
Imperial Maritime Customs during the year. Reference to Table 5
will indicate some of the chief articles imported through the native
customs.
Piece-goods and cotton yam.—Sir Alexander Hosie in his report
on the foreign trade of China for the year 1906 dwells upon the
absorption by Japan of the piece-goods trade in Manchuria. A
glance at the customs returns would seem to demonstrate clearly
that Antung is no exception to this general rule.
Japanese cotton goods are of an inferior character. The Chinese
complain that they neither wear well nor wash well. Though there
will always be a large demand for the cheap inferior article, it is
probable that the Chinese purchasers will in many cases learn by
experience that it is false economy to buy goods which do not wear,
and there should then be an increased demand for...”
|
|
| 4 |
 |
“...of timber felled and rafted and marketed annually is
very large. Conditions last year were adverse to the Chinese
timber merchants owing to the prolongation of the negotiations
between China and Japan and the action of the Japanese Timber
Bureau in trying to force a settlement.
Cocoons.—Antung is the market for cocoons for a large part of
Fengtien province. South-Eastern Manchuria is the home of the
wild silkworm, which produces much of the silk used in the manu-
facture of pongees for the supply of the Chinese and Japanese
markets. The silkworm feeds on the small oak trees which cover
the hills in this part of Manchuria. The crop begins to arrive in
Antung during the latter half of October, and continues right up
to the beginning of December, when the Yalu River is closed by ice
to navigation.
The crop this year was an unusually plentiful one. The average
price per 1,000 cocoons this year may be taken at 1-10 to 1-20
.Antung taels, equal, reckoning 2s. 9d. to the Shanghai tael, to from...”
|
|
| 5 |
 |
“...products.—Antung claims a very considerable
share of this great export business of Manchuria.
The crushing of beans and expressing of oil therefrom is a local
industry. The beans, while the oil is being expressed, are pressed
together into cakes, which are the bean cake of commerce. Bean
cake is used as a manure. Large quantities of Manchurian bean cake
are shipped to Swatow and Amoy, and there broken up to fertilise
the sugar canefields.
Exemption certificates.—The Imperial Maritime Customs have
recently issued provisional regulations in accordance with which
special exemption certificates will be issued exempting from further
taxation all import duty-paid foreign and export and coast trade
duty-paid native goods sent from Antung and Tatungkou declared
for conveyance to any open Manchurian trade mart.
Exchange.—Exchange at Antung is as difficult and uncertain and
unsatisfactory as in other parts of Manchuria. The Antung tael
is the money of the Chinese merchant. Subsidiary coins (fractions...”
|
|
