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“...CONTENTS.
PAGE
Total value of trade..............................................................................................................................H
Imports ............................................................................................................................................................4
Opium............................................................................................................................................................4
Cotton............................................................................................................................................................4
Kerosene oil ..........................................................................................................................................4
Sugar ............................................................................................................................................................4
Exports ..............”
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“...No. 4150.
Annual Series.
Reference to previous Iieport, Annual Series No. 3841.
Report on the Trade of Wenchow for the Year 1907
By Mk. Acting-Consul L. R. Bakr.
Total trade.—The total value of the trade of Wenchow for 1907
was 2,072,269 Haikuan taels, equivalent, at 3s. 3d. to the tael, to
336,738Z. These figures show a slight decrease (of about 50,000L) as
compared with those for 1906, the deficiency being fairly equally
divided between the export and the import trade.
Although the year's trade would thus at first sight appear to have
been unsatisfactory, it was, as a matter of fact, far better than might
have been expected in view of the extremely adverse conditions
with which it had to contend. Among these may be mentioned
the widespread commercial depression which prevailed during 1906
and continued with practically no reaction during the past year;
a long and severe drought in the late summer, causing a partial
failure of the rice crops and a temporary suspension of the inland...”
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“...and, lying
moored in mid stream, since the China Merchants' Company own
the only wharf in the port, loaded a full cargo of tobacco and sailed
for Formosa direct, after a stay of a few hours only. It is probable
that these shipments will be continued in future. The fact that it
was worth this steamer's while actually to call in empty for this
cargo furnishes an interesting commentary on the condition of the
shipping at this port, as I have indicated above.
The following table shows the total value each year for the trade
of Wenchow during the past five years :—
1903. 1904. ' 1905. 1906. 1907.
£ I £ £ £ £
Imports—
Foreign ... 141,139 161.292 157,444 171,435 140,583
Native... ... 51,393 i 56,916 69,427 70,266 74,155
Exports ... ... 148,902 : 124,166 109,664 144,531 122,000
Total ... 341,434 ! 342,374 336,535 386,232 336,738
Imports.—The total foreign imports were 18 per cent, below those
of 1906; the decrease was on the whole fairly evenly distributed,being
slightly greater on the...”
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“...tobacco in 1906, due chiefly to its shipment by steamer instead of by
junk, failed to hold good during the past year. It should be noted,
however, that although the quantity exported was something under
50 per cent, of the 1906 total, it was at the same time nearly three
times as great as the average export for the three preceding years.
Junk trade.—In confirmation of what has been said above and
in last year's report, as to the prohibitive steamer freights, the
following figures, which give the value of the junk trade for 1906-07,
show the increasingly large amount of trade which is forced by this
monopoly into the hands of the junk owners :—
In conclusion, I desire gratefully to express my indebtedness
to Mr. J. M. Moorhead, Acting Commissioner of Customs, for very
kindly allowing me access to the customs returns before their
publication.
Imports—
Native
Foreign
Exports
1906. 1907.
£ £
31,507 33,231
3,392 1,701
90,117 105,942
Total..
125,016 140,874...”
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“...213 1,250 450 189 54
Chinese ... ti ... 4,490 6,326 6,320 3,758 8,025
Kerosene oil—
American Gallons 76,000 78,600 78,500 72,500 81,300
Russian ... »« 228,500 124,800 66,000 16,000
Sumatran 421,500 910,000 751,000 575,000 274,630
Bornean...... 255,940
Sugar—
• ^Brown ...... Cwts. ... 14,729 14,870 15,183 20,495 10,684
, ^ White ...... »» • • 15,598 18,656 21,565 26,893 22,152
Aniline dyes Value £ 2,518 3,288 2,981 2,432 2,195
Annex III.—Return of Principal Articles of Export from Wenchow
during the Years 1903-07.
Articles. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907.
Charcoal Value £ 3,348 5,844 4,144 2,713 3,426
Medicines » £ 2,638 3,923 4,375 3,987 4,236
Oranges Cwts. ... 20,712 26,395 39,744 51,349 49,282
Tea—
Black Lbs. ... 167,867 77,333 6,000 109,333 50,407
Green J 9 * • • 1,999,067 1,876,533 1,603,067 1,383,867 1,198,314
Leaf and
unfired ... )> • • • 3,024,400 1,458,133 590,667 916,267 849,870
Timber (soft-
wood planks) Sq. feet 3,230,790 4,083,625 3,119,046...”
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