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“...a certain satisfaction in noting an increase over 1901 Cottons,
in the import of cotton' manufactures with a few exceptions, such as
American jeans and cotton flannel. But reference to old returns
proves that yarn has grown at the expense of shirtings, which in
1883 totalled 1,750,000 pieces. The Indian yarn forwarded to
the western market was nearly three times the net import, while
of Japanese 3'arn only 20,511 cwts. were re-exported against
60,079 cwts. of Shanghai manufacture. The Wuchang Mills
having proved a costly failure under official management, were late
in the year, after negotiations with a Japanese had fallen through,
leased to a Cantonese Syndicate, which, if it keep the machinery
up-to-date, should do well.
Woollens, after last year's spurt, fell away ; but plush and Woollens,
imitation seal-skin sprang from 413 and 143 pieces, to 1,494 and
351 pieces.
In metals the chief increase was in copper ingots, due as was Metals,
the rise in copper slabs and in zinc, to the local...”
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“...HANKOW.
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were the chief items. The consumption of Japanese yam trebled,
while Indian yarn fell nearly one-half. Of kerosene, only
1,550,510 gallons, against 1,919,030 gallons, took out pusses, and
of this quantity 1,253,750 gallons were Sumatra oil.
Of China-made cottons the Wuchang yarn gained on the
Shanghai, the sheetings of which found some favour in Hunan;
but the value of the trade of the mills at botli places was only
44,848/.
In the outward transit trade some sesamum seed and tobacco
leaf were brought down by a French and a British merchant, and
with the introduction of an amended version of the Chinkiang
Rules in spring of 1903, it is probable that this branch, which gives
protection against likin rapacity, will r;ipidly develop.
A gain of over 40 per cent, in the export of native produce Exports,
constitutes a record for Hankow, and proves that the Chinese are
ready and able promptly to meet demands for their products.
Merchants complain, however, that the natives are too...”
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“...the difficulty of maintaining quality.
Silk, though bulking largely in the customs' table, is not dealt
with by resident firms. The value shows a decrease of 12 per
cent., chieily in raw yellow silk.
More tlian half the increased value of exports is due to beans,
cotton, sesamum seed and wheat.
Beans for Swatow and Canton were in great demand, and
provided welcome freight for steamers.
A bumper crop of raw cotton found a ready market in Japan,
and even Europe, besides supplying the Shanghai mills.
Foreign dealers in sesamum seed now clean it by machinery.
The low exchange enables the China product to compete with the
Indian.
When the failure of the Kuangtung rice crops induced a keen
demand for Hunan rice, shipments were hampered by the existence
of the system of special permits, by which the Chinese authorities
all along the river have always tiied to control the trade. As the
issue of such permits lay entirely in the discretion of the Customs
Superintendent, the arrangement did not...”
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