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“...2
CHINA.
In the following report and tables the rate for the Haikwan
tael, local currency, has been taken at os. Ad. This is found- to
have been the average value for the year, and is the same as that
taken for last year; a comparison of the two years is thus easy.
'-Total. The total value of the trade of the port for 1896 differs little
from that for 1895, the figures being 2,375,0162. and 2,373,8232.
respectively. The factors of the total are, however, very different,
imports having increased by 240,0002., and exports having decreased
by nearly as large an amount.
Imports.
Nearly every article of imports has increased.
Cottons. Cotton piece-goods and yarn are the most noticeable. These
consist mostly, perhaps to the extent of five-sixths, of English and
Indian manufactures respectively, the remainder are mostly
American. It has often been offered as an explanation when a
falling-off has been noticed in piece-goods, that it was due to the
increase in the import of yarn, but this...”
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“...KIUKIANG.
3
more than in 1894. Tin is also less, but iron and steel show an
increase, and in the form of nail rods the former is said to be
coming more and .-more into favour, and displacing the native
product.
Although the return shows, as usual, a decrease, which has Opium,
been continuous for a number of years, the value in currency of
the drug imported has not fallen-off continuously, as the following
table, which gives the weights and values for the six years since
the beginning of the decade, shows. The average currency value
for the period is greater than the currency value for 1892, the
value in 1894 is the highest, and that for the year under review
higher than that of 1893. It thus seems that a pretty constant
sum is spent on opium by the natives, and the falling-off in the
quantity imported is due to its increased price, which again is
perhaps due to exchange:—
About the middle of the year a levy for the advancement of
seri-culture in the province was agreed to be raised...”
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“...dealt in by foreigners at this port.
Exports.
Tea- Tea, the principal product of the province, shows a great
falling-off. There are several reasons for this. First, bad weather
at the picking season spoilt much of the crop, so that no purchasers
for it could be found, and some that was bought was pronounced
mouldy when it reached London, and is, I believe, still unsold
there. Secondly, China teas are undoubtedly giving way more
and more to teas from India and Ceylon, and lastly, the enhanced
value of copper cash caused a high buying price in ICiukiang.
The prospects are no better for this year, cash "being dearer now
than they were at this time last year, and, in fact, it seems that
unless some radical improvement in the mode of preparing the
leaf can be introduced the teas from here must gradually fall out
of the English market. I hear that quite lately operations, such
as are employed in the manufacture of Indian teas, have been
introduced in the Foochow district with much success. Brick...”
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“...business is done, there
is no unusual difficulty as regards navigation, but if the river was
very low in the winter, less than two feet of water and bad
navigation would be found in many places, and, if my informa-
tion is correct, steamers could not be used. The Company has
petitioned for a monopoly for 15 years, but I do not think this
has as yet been granted. Their present fleet consists of five
steamers, one of 18 tons, two of 10 tons each, one of 6 tons, and
one of 4 tons.
CaBh. The enhanced value of cash, as compared with the dollar, is
a circumstance that must be borne in mind continually
while considering the values of the different articles of trade
during the year. At the present time (March, 1897) 830 cash
is all that can be got for a dollar, whereas at the beginning of last
year it would fetch 900. The practice of melting down good
cash to make inferior lias been going on for a long time, and...”
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“...A scheme was mooted at one time to import
cash from the South, but for some reason or other nothing came
of it. It is to be feared that the chances of a profitable tea season
in 1897 are much diminished in consequence of the cash
exchange.
The total amount of treasure negotiated during the year Treasure,
was not quite half the amount of the preceding, although the
exports were double, the imports fell off greatly, as will be seen
by the following table :—
Treasure in Sycee and Dollars.
Value.
Year.
Imports. Exports.
1895 ........ 1896 ........ £ 638,387 263,241 £ 31,159 66,955
The river rose to its highest in October, when it was 42 Miscel-
feet above zero, and just lapping over the bund. This is an lancous-
ordinary rise, but the time was later than usual. A few vessels
have been aground during the year, but beyond the accident to
the " Sultan " mentioned above, none have suffered much.
A sanatorium has been started at the top of the Lu-Shan hills,
in the vicinity...”
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