FOREIGN OFFICE.

1897.

ANNUAL SERIES.

N°· 1890.

DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR REPORTS ON TRADE AND FI NANCE.

CI-IIN A.

REPORT FOR THE YEAR 189G

ON THE

TRADE AND COMMERCE OF CHINKIANG.

REFlrn,ENCE 'fO PREViOUS REPORT, Ar,nunl Series No. 1824 ..

Presented to both Ilouscs <( Parlia111c11t by Commm; d oJ Iler lllajest.11 . MAY, 18!)7.

LOl\"T>OX: PRINTED FOR HF.TI, l'lf A.ms l'Y'8 HLI TfOXIUff OF i<JClC,

· BY HARJUSOX A XD SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, PRINT ERS IN URl>II\AltY TO HER MAJESTY.

. . And to be pnrcl,ased. either directly or through any Bookseller. from , EYRF. & SPOTTISWOODE , EAST H A,:D l!'W STRE~;T, l•'r.EET S'1'JtEl•:T, E .C., 111111

32, Anil'iGDO!'i STJti:E'l' . ,Vt:STl!l!'iS1'ER, s."'·; or JOHN MENZIES & Co., 12. ITANOn:R STREET, EllINmmcn, aml

. . 90 , ,v~:sT Xn,F: S·,·i,~:F:T, Gr.ASGO\V; or I:ODGES, FIGGIS, & Co., Lirnitc,1 , 10-L, GRAFTON S-rnKu

1 D:·1<1.1:f.

18ft7.

P1·ia One l'c1111y.

New Series of Reports.

R'.i::ron-rs of the Annual Series have been issued from Her Majesty's D;pJomatic and Consular Officers at the following places, and may be obtr.ined from tho s0urces indicated· on the title-page:-:No. l. 768 . Chcfoo l 7ti9. Caracas 1770. Palermo 1771. Mombasa lii2. Nice .. 1773. Buchare~t 1774. Port Said 1775. Galatz 17i6. Madrid 1777. Vienna 177 8, Canton li'i 9. Yckohama

. l i SO. N ewchwang , • li8l. Wulrn .. 1 i 82. Athens 1; 83. 'l'onga 1784. Smyrna 17 85. Baghdad 1n6. Hiogoand Osaka 1787. Bangkok 1a8. Odesaa 17 89. Naples J 790. Bey rout !i9l. 'l'unis 1792. Kiukiang 1793. Bangkok 1794. llio Gran de do Sul •• 1795. V u.lparniso J 796. Brindisi 1797. Bnshirc 1798. Christiania 1799. Cadiz 1800 . .Meshecl 1801. SL. l'etcr$b:,rg 1802. Br,toum 1803. l'cking 1804. Samos 1805. Dantzig 1806. Antwerp 1807. _\jaccio 1808. Stettin 1809. Aleppo 1810. 'l'angier 1811. Tokio l 812. Jlfadcira. 1813. Vera Cruz 18.14. Oporto 18!5. Hamburg 1816. N cw Orleans 1817. Bengazi 1818. llfarmagao , • 1819. Gothenburg , , 1820. Dar-al-Baida. .• 1821. Erzeroum 1822. Munich 1823. Samoa 1824. Chinkiang 1825. Jeddah 1826. Sofia •• 1827. Mexico 1828. Tencriffe

Price. l<l. {d.

111d, id,

Hd. 4!d, Hd. Hd,

2d. 2d. ld.

l~d. Id. ld. 2d. !d. ~d. ld.

4ld. ld. 2d. 2d. Id.

l{-d. ad. ld. Id. 4'1.

21d. 2d.

fi1d, 2d.

2-tcl. 4}<l.

ld. 3d. }d. 2,l.

l}d. Hd. 3d. ld.

2!d, 3!d.

l;-d. ld. lcl.

l~cl. Hd. }d. {cl. 2d. 3d. }d.

2}d. !d, Id. ld.

l}d. 2d.

•• 3!d.

No. 1829. Batoum 1830. Cadiz .. 1831. lli:J.rtinique 1832. Odessa 1833, Ghilan 1834. Old Ca.la.bar . •• 1835. T:.imsui 1836. Copenhagen , • 1837 . Salonica 1838. Honolulu 1839. Buenos Ayres 18JO. Para. •• 1841. Bolivia 1842. Washington .. 18 4 3. Berlin 1844. Uganda 1845. Belgrade 1846. Du.kar 1847. Florence 1848. Copenhagen , , 1849. lfavre 1850. Serajcvo 185 l. Madrid 1852, La Rochelle , , l 863. Chicago 1854. Berlin 1855. Cherbourg 1856. Beira .. 1857. Charleston 1858. Su.igon 1859. Suu.kin 1860. Houen 1861. Patras 18G2. Barcelona 1863. Amoy J 8ti4. 'l'rebizor.d l 8G5. Lisuou J 8 66. Callao 1867. l'ernnmlmco .. 186!:l. Nu.pies 1869. Ne ll' Orleans 1870. Vera Cruz 1871. l\ladeira 1872. Jerusalem •• 1873. Ningpo l 8i 4. ltio de J anciro 18 7 5. 'l'rieste 1876. Cnra~oa 18i7. Goa .. 1878. ()u.glinri l h7~. Guu.yaquil 1830. Havana 1881. l!cy~jadk (Iceland) 1~8:l. illilau ltl83. Baltimore J38J. \.'cainje l 8S5. Hiluao 1886. l•'lorcncc 1887. 11 ,est .. 1~88 .. ilar.;dilcs 18:9. l\'uhn

Price. ld. ld. Id. 1,1. lei.

6!-d. Id; {-d.

Hd. Id.

2!d. Id. 2d. 3d. 2d. 1 d.

l~d. 1d.

Ltd. 2d. 2d. ld. 2d.

Hd. 4d. Id.

2-}cl. Id.

2ld; {d. ]d. 2d.

Hu. 2d.

2td. Id.

2!d. 2d. iicl.

l{d. 2}d. 2!d,

ld. Id. ld.

2-}d. Id. Id. Id. ld. ld.

l!d. ld.

J!d. ld. id.

2!d. Hd. Hd. l!d,

Id.

No. 1890.

R1j,•reuce lo pre1,iu11s Heport, Annual Serie:; Xu. LB.!-1.

CHINA.

CHINKIANG.

Consul Carles to the Marquess of $alisbury.

My Lor<l, (Reccirncl at Forr-ign Office, April 26, 1897.)

I HAVE the honour to forward herewith my Report on the Trade an<l Commerce of this Port for 1896. 'l'o it are appended Returns 0f Shipping, of the principal Imports (Foreign and l',;ati \'C), an<l the principal Exports.

I have, &r .• (8igncdJ W. R CARLES.

Report on the l'raclc ancl C'ommcrcc of Chinl,;iang fur the Year 189G.

'l'ra,l,i and commerce Sumnrnrr of Lraclc Shipping-

TADLE of Contents.

Dispute with S,rntow shippers Imports--

Cottons nn<l woollens .. Onium , , ll[etals .. Sun<liies

Native imports-­Machine-mad,! piece-goods Sundries

Exporls-'l'mnsil p,1,sc., • Ground-nuts ,, Silks Lily llo ,,;ers Hi,les and skina Grains .. Eggs Inaccuracies in list of exporti

,Silk filatures, &c. (2370)

rAGII 2 2

2

3 3 3 3

4 4

4 5 5 G G 6 6 (j

·Q

cm:,.;,.

T.-\BLE of Cnntcnt;,....:..co11tinncd.

General rema1 ks---Building tru.de and its regulations , , Principal guil<ls Coal mines .. Changes in the h:11 bour Yan!l't:,;e trade regulations PosL ofli~cs

Trade and Commerce.

PAGE

Summary of The gross Yaluc of the trade of this port in 18!)6 was trade. 3,8:-34,727/. (2::\,008)164 1-faikwan taels), as compared wit!t

4,895,19:3[. (29,!)32,:JV2 Haikwan tacls) in 1895. The falling-off is entirely clue to the reYersinn of a large por­

tion of the grain trade to its natural port, ,V nlrn, on the with­drawal of the prohibition of its export from that port. The more regular trade of this port, instead of the reaction ,vhiclt might have been expected nfter bei11g artificially inflated, s!tows an increase or nearly 4,000,000 tacls on that of 1894, and is almost double that of 1889, which was 12,427,242 taels.

The imports have risen from 2,4!3::l,25Gl. in 18\).J.., aml 2,950,00Sl. in 1895, to :1,0G0,8691. (18,41!1,215 Haikll'an taels), and the increase is found both in f,n·t!ign a11d i11 natiH' illlport~, though principally in the Llttcr.

Exports haYe fallen from l,!).J.,i,18.:il. in 1 WI.\ io ,·G+ 8.'iS/. rn 189G, but arc o,·cr 400,000 Haikmtll tnels iu excr.'s;;; ot' those of 1894, which was the largest at that time on record.

The improvement in the tmdc is further eviclenectl by the tleveloprneut of local imlm,tries, and in the steady increase in the total tonnagr. of shipping: _

Shipping. The total tonnage of Briti,;h shipping e11tcretl and cleflred in the year was 2,40.J., lOO tons out of a 0;ross total of :J,G2fi,807 tons, or approximately GG per cent., but the value of the cn.rgo carried in British bottoms was only 1,921,968/., as against l,!)22,452!. in foreign bottoms, or less than 50 per cent.

This unusually small proportion-in 189,J British shipping carried 63 per cent.. out of a total of 4,720,973[.-was llne to a fight between the river steamer companies and the Swatow traders_ The latter lrnil for years been in the habit of not paying freight until after ddiYery of goods, and for some years past a practice had prevailcll of refusing paymeut pending satisfaction of claims for losses which the steamer companies maintained had not been incurred, but paid rather than lose their customers, for the latter threatened to taboo the companies' steamers whenever their claim was disputed.

But in :March last the three chief rivet· steamer companies agreed together to deliver no cargo from Swatow on which freight had not been paid. The shippers thereupon discontinued ship­ments by those lines and chartered steamers for themselves. In spite of having to pay much higher charges for freight, &c., the

CIIINKIANG. 3

Swatow folk rituck to their guns until January of this year, when they agreed to the steamers' terms.

Thi~ is one of the few instance~ or~ record in which foreign ,compames have succeeded by combmat10n among themselves in refusing to yield to terms dictated by the Swatow Guild. In this instance the case is the more remal'lrnble in that orie of the three steamer companies which entered the combination was the China Merchants Company.

Imp01·ts.

In 189:"i there was a consideral>le increase in the demand for Cottons and cottons aud woollens. This has continued in the case of some woollene. · articles, snch ns grey sbirtings, T-cloths, English drills, and cotton prints aull lastings, and in Indian yarn the increase has been very lar~e. Dnt in English sheetings, and some other classes qf cottons, and in woollens generally, there has been a falling-off. Still the .advance in the two classes of goods combined exceeds 100,000l. in value. .

Indian opium shows a falling off al>out 600 cwts., hut has still Incliau opium, cf\S large an import as in 1890. In 1891-92 the decrease was very co11siderable. In 1893 a large recovery took place, which in 1894 grew to an improvement of over 700 cwts. on that of 1890, but in 1895 a partial fall ensued, which in 1896 has continued rnducing the import to a leYel with that of 1890.

The only cause which I can assign for the favoural>le returns of the import of opium at Chinkiang, as compared with other Treaty ports, is that Indian opium had been so largely adulteratecl for many years at Chinkiang, that when the customs took some­what more careful precautions against its adulteration while in bond, and before being sent inland under customs certificate, the <lrug in its more genuine condition obtained a much wider market, .rrncl is only now beginning to feel the effects which might have been expected earlier in its competition with the native drug, when the latter is mol'e lightly taxed and ·mucl1 cheaper.

I am inclined to think that the import \Youlcl improve if tlie customs took more rigorous measure.s to secure that the clrug is not tarn pered with, not on! y after arrival in port, and before it receives the customs certificate, but also before it is put on this market, as it is suspected that the adulteration begins before the ,)pium reaches Chinkiang.

The tracle in metals still continues to be unimportant. On the i\Ictals. whole there was an advance in IS~G un the imports of 189.'i, but the incrnase is not considerable, a11d is confined to a few articles.

Snu<lries form tlie only category in which no i111prove111ent is Snnclrie~. ·seen, but the fallinrr-off is not very material to foreign trade, as it is mainly in bags u~ed in the grain trade, and in sugars of Chinese origin.

Native imports share in the general advance of the trade of ~:cti,·c 1.lie port. Of these, over 50 per cent. were received from Hnnkow, 1111 rorl$.

(~070)

•rr·u-it ]>H;c,.

4 CRTS.\.

and 20 per cent. from S1rntow, tbe bala:1ce comin3· from lGnkiang,. :::lhanghai, and other ports.

An interesting fen,ture in tiiem is the small qnru1tity of cotton: goods manufactured by cotton mills at Shanghai which- is imported into Ohinkiang. The total va.lne oE the Shanghai shirtings, drills,,. and yarn was only G,2211. The figures of the classes of goods in, which competition exists with foreign nnnnfactnres are as follows:-

Grey ~l1irtings Drilh Yarn

, • Pieces

: : I c,;'ts.

Quantity. Yn.hm.

i . Foreign. ! .Na1ive. Foreign. j Native ..

723,632 86;495

116.,204

370 900

2,462

£ 120,60-'i

43,166 361,6:33

£ 6!

456: 6,674-

The imports of cloths of hand~made manufacture, such as ­na:nkeens and grass cloths, are much morn important, having a -total value of 60,300t., showing an increase of nea;rly 5,001)1. on. that of 1895.

The principal articles among native imports are sng,n·, timber, tobacco, wood-oil, and vegetable tallow. The q nantity of coal is. sti-11 trilling, only 19,660 tons.

Exports.

,'cry little of the produce of this neighbourhood is suitable for cx,port to foreign countries, except to supply the wants of Chinese abroad. As the import trade in opium and piece"goods has. always been considerable, and the counter movement of produce from the interior is hampered at every step by likin barriers, Chinese merchants h:>.ve sought to obtain the facilities to whieh foreign merchants are entitled hy treaty for export o'f prmlnce. Under an Imperial ordinance of last year Chinese merchants were· allowed to take out transit passes, subject to the same regnlations:­;ts those in force for foreigners at Chinkiang. ]3n,t these-· tlocuments, when issued to Uhinese, receive 1-ittle c01~sickrntio11 from inland likiu officers, and Chinese merchants still adhere to-­an o'hl practice of obtaining the protection of foreigners' names by taking out passes through them. Dnt the fact that the gooc1s are· not really forcign-ownecl robs the passes of some of their value,. nnrl the native merchants pn~for to 1my auy reasonable sum rather­thnu incur serious delay at the Ii-kin stations.

At most places the charge is a mere trifle for vic-<\ing tlte pass,.. arnl allowing the goocl;; to rm~s without such delay as might l!ic­occasionecl liv a ri:;orous rxarnination. Hllt nt Hnai-k11a11 where­an 1-mverial Superintencknt of Cnstu111s is stal i,m,~d, e\·e 11 f;Jr s1wh dw:ip goods a,; grot111Ll-1ll:t~, tl.c reg11Lir cliar6c• 011 100 picnls i&

CHI'.\l<IANG. 5

7 dol. Huai-kuan is better known as Hua-tzu-kuan, or Beggars' Barrier, on account of its exorbitant :,queezes. There are also heavy charges at Chingho, a few miles further on, where another high official, the Director-General of Grain Transport, is sLatione{~. It is impossible to obtain exact figures of the total amounts paid, but apparently the amounts levied en route on ground-nuts con­veyed under transit pass is about 18,000 cash per 100 piculs, while on those not protected by transit pass the charges amount to 40,000 cash.

In spite of such heavy taxation the quantity of goods brougl1t down under transit pass is very considerable, and in 1896 amounted to a value of 278,477l., out of a total export of 755,1H2l.

It is unclou btedly by encouraging the exp0rt trade that the import trade is advanced, bnt iu my opinion foreign merchants, by lending their names to Chinese, are losing, for the sake of a small commission. a profibble lrnsiness in which they would have all the advantages seemed by treaty to assist them in competition with Chinese, burdened with all its evils of a corrupt and ignorant system of tax;i,tion.

How great; these evils :uc, even those officials who arc enriched by th~m can hardly g;i,uge. At Huai-kuan, by tricks in exchange, 1 tael of duty ma_y cost a man 5 or 6 taels to pay it. The returns furnished to the Imperial Snperintcndent give no imlication of such manipulations, nor of sucl1 practices as entering 100 piculs as 70 piculs.

It is, howr.ver, the nncertainty of the amount of taxation likely to be imposecl which is the grc:itcst scourge of the export trade.

The largest item iu the exports is that of ground-nuts, and Grijun<l·n~t.. ground-nut oil. Of the former the value 1ras 149,650l., and of the latter 30,0241.

In the northern portion of this provineo, and in the adjoining portion of An Hui, them i,; much country with a light sandy soil which, until lately, had little value. But the demand in the Canton market for ground-nut oil lias so largely enconraged t!ie growth of the plallt that the value of this Janel has more thall <1 nallrn ple1l. The plant yields tll'o crops a year, and returns ab,rn t 17 Liao (about 20 dol.) to the 111on1• There is h:1t litLle l:tl,onr reqnin·Ll, :tll(l 110 rnannre is needed. The reason thnt it is mainly exported in bnlk is that leakage of oil is avoided in transit, a,111 that tl1e 1·el'11so has a l1ighcr value in Crmton tlian Lerc. In Canton the sliells are saicl to be nsc•d for feeding cattle, aud also for 11rnm11'c. In this neighbourhood beau-cake is prel'errccl for feeding cattle.

Thcrn v;ould appear to lJe room for foreign c•n terp-ise i 11

extmcting the oil, a11d in furnishing some better vessd for carry in_~ it than the rmper-1ineL1 b:iskets in use, the leakage from \1·hiclt 011

sea voyages is ve"-y consiclernble. The local demaud for the oil is but small. In other parts of China than the Canton province, rape-seed, bean, or sesamurn-seed oils seem to be preferred to ground-11nt oil. -

Silk piecu-goods show a ,ery large increase having risen from Silh

Toicd lily !lowers.

lfides am! !kins.

Grains.

6 CJI IX A.

· a value ol' 65,'218!. in 189.'5 to 1G9,657/., with a corresponding increase in quantity. This is said t1.1 be due in part to an excep-

. tion made by the eu1:toms in favour of silks from Nanking, which are treated as though exported Jrom Chi11kin11g, when brought down by steamer and lleclared on ani val here. As N ::mking silks and satins have a consiclcmlJle l1m1l repntati,m, it i,1 to be hoped that the growth of this industry rn.1y eontiuue.

Dried lily flowers han ahrnys fonnell oue of the staple exports from Cliinkia11g. The returns for 18\)(i show nn export of nearly 80,000 c,,-ts., which is lm gcr tlwn in any year for some time past, their nlue bein~ :i:l,:Z:351., ,,r rall1er less Lliau lJ per cent. of the total of cxportlo. There i.'; ~nill to be a falling-off iu the denrnnd for (;:difornia nml .\mlrali.1, a1ul a:; it ha<; al\\':,ys been subject to great tluctuntious of pri•;t', the steadier retmns of the ground-nut trade are kadi11:..; to a l.1rge )l·Jrtion of the land formerly grown "'ith lilies (ltcme/'u1;a/{i.~ .r1r,,.1111:nm, and l1.cmero,:alli8 flava) being plant0tl with gronncl-nutR. Lily ilowcrs, of which the perianth only is preserved, m·e much esteemed as a relish with meats, especially pol'k, and other dishes.

Cow hides show a steady incre.tse, and liave risen from. 4,731 cwts., with a value of 8,8Ul. in 1895, to oYer D,000 ewts. in 1896, with a value of 19,564l. Goat skins show a considerable falling off, viz., from 1,518,219 skins in 1895, nilned at 37,299/., to 883,759 skins, valued at 14,904/. The profits made in the export of these to the United States wcrn for some time very considerable Wool rc11rnins almost stationary.

Grains ha,·e fallen Y.:l'y largely, owing to the reversion of the trade to '\V ulrn. The tnvle is capable of mnch expansion as there is still mnch laml lyi11g uncultivated.

The only other artiqle which calls for notice is eggs. An albumen focLory has been started by a German. firm, in which <l.ucks' eggs aloud are used. During the winter the supply is too s:nall to keep th'3 fadory constantly employed, but for some months in the year the supply is Yery large, and would be larger if the eggs could be more easily collected while fresh. The albumen is sepamtecl from the yolk and made into slabs, which ni·e exported to Germany to be used in the printing of cottons, the preparation of leather, &c. The yolks are paekecl in barrels after undergoing .a course of treatment, anu are exported for use in confectionerv r.,ncl for bur rooms.

:rfarca!·a"iC3 iii- list of

It was poin"ted ont many years ago by Dr. Brettselrncider that many of the articles wl1ich 1ignre in the customs returns are in­eorrectly uamed. The "Dr,tes," "Hemp," and "Sellna" d Chin­kiang arc cases in point. Neither the .Date tree, nor Hemp, nor

exports.

Senna are found in this district. The "Dates" arc jujubes (zizyplws riilgaris) ; the " Black Dates" are from Shan Tuug, the frnit of the DiO-"Jl.'Jr11s Lotus; the so-called "Hemp" is the fibre of tlte Grns., clot!L plant (!Jceh111cria nivcci); and ":Senna seeds" are Ja.cob's tears ( Ooix l11aima).

~ilk tilaluw. Two silk lilatures h:irn been establisl1cd at Chinkiang in the fast ye1r. One of thc:11 ]J('gan working last month. Like Lhe

CHIN KIANG. 7

other it is Chinese owned, and the management is purely Chinese . . Even the machinery is of Chinese mamifacture, at1d the buildings were constructed without foreign assistance. The total cost of construction is said to have been 60,000 dol. (roughly speaking 6,500l. ). The machinery is equal to working 300 basins, hut only 200 basins are at present put up. The supply of silk is said to 'be quite Jarge enough; the best cottons are from 1Vu-hsi, which is one of the sources .of supply of the Shanghai market. The hands employed arc women, of whom the majority come from Shanghai, as there is at present 110 skilled labour here. The hours of work are 12 hours per diem, and Sumby is a holiday. The maximum wages are about 40 c. (lO}d.) per diem, and are said to he higher than those at Shanghai, but when local labour only is em­ployed an economy is expected. The silk is exported to France, the waste and pierced cocoons arc sent to Ja pan, and the dead grubs are sent to the fish ponds in Canton. It is too early as yet to foretell what success will attend this venture. but native merchants prerlict speedy failure on account of the c~mplete lack of skilled superintendence. .

The capital of the other fila.ture is found insufficient to work it, and the building will probably soon be in the market.

Close to them is a new distillery, where spirit is distilled from rice grown in the Tan-yang district, which resembles the famous wine of Shao-hsing. This is said to pay very well.

The introduction of factories into Ohinkiang will probably Buil~cra soon extend, and the demand for labour which will then arise Guilil. lends interest to the conditions which exist in the building trade, which at present is by no means a large one.

Though labour is cheap the workmen seem able to dictate their own terms. Neither masons nor carpenters begin work in winter. much before 9 A.M.; in summer they knock off work for a long two hours' siesta in the middle of the day; and at all seasons of the year smoke, chink tea, and rest· whenever it suits them. .According to the printed regulations of the Guild, wages arc 120 c:i,sh per diem if the rna;;ter finds the men's food, or 180 cash (about 5~d.) if the men find their own food. These wages are supplemcnte,1, in tbe case of skilled labourers, by their apprentices' wages, which are paid at the same rate. .Apprentices arc bound for three years, after which time they are free to take apprentices. How small is the supply of skilled labour is shown hy the fact that on many works at least half the men are apprentices .

.As accidents are frequent in the trade, and especially among unskilled hands, the parents of the apprentice have to give an engagement in writing holding the boy's master free from all liability for los., of life or for injury incurred during the term of apprenticeship, but a present is expected in case of an accident.

Tl1e rules, a copy of which lias come into my bands, evidently Rules of the supplement earlier rules, che gist of which I have only been able Guil<l. to g.,ther by questioning, and the information furnished ma lacks much as to the conditions of apprenticeship and other matters.

Principal guilds.

-8 CHIN.A.

The rules are much clearer as to the position of masters. towardS-­eacl1 other and the public.

No interference is permitted with a customeT's engaging any · builder preferred by him. Touting for employment is punishable by a fine to be fixed in public meeting. No outside. firm is allowed to work until it has joined the Guild, and received a certificate of this, the fee for which varies from 8 to 20 dol. Assistants or foremen who endeavour to obtain business on their own account from persons for ,vhom their masters work are liable to a heavy fine. Masters have to pay the Guild a cash per diem for every man employed by them, to form a fund to meet subscriptions for canal works, &c. A similr,r tax is levied on assistants to meet the cost of festivals, illuminations, &c. If trouble occurs between a builder and his employes and work is stopped, no other labour can be engrtged until all outstanding accounts are settled. Breaches of this rnle are punislrnble by fine levied in public meeting.

Attendance is obligatory at meetings called to fix the quota to be paid towards subscription funds. A fine of 5 dol. is levied on absentees. Members who excuse themselves from attending public meetings held to consider public questions arc liable to a heavy fine.

A payment of 200 cash to the general fund is required for every house built of a certain size. The payment on smaller houses is one-half this amount.

Disputes between masters and men are not allowed in the Guild-house. They must be arranged in the tea-houses or opium shops.

I have spoken of the buihling trade as a guild, but there are only five trades in Chinkiang which are recognised as really important gnilds. These are the Silk and Piece-Goods, the Banks, the Sugar, the Rice, and General Dealers. Members of these guilds are taxed in proportion to their business to meet the varions subscriptions required from the guilds towards canal works, festivals, &c. The funds of these guilds are also devoted towards the relief of widows and orphan children of former members. There is no fixed rule as to the amonnts given in such eases, but they are left to the discretion of the managing committee.

There are many other small guilds of the same status as the Builders' G uilcl, lmt the power of such bodies over their members is imperfect, and even in the five larger guilds, the Sugar Trade is the only one which ia looked upon as thoroughly capable of enforeing its decision by complete combination among its members. The General Dealers are not unfrequently able to dictate their own terms to steamer companies, but the other guilds are weakened by having too many members to seclue unanimity.

The whole power of trade in China rests in combination and monopoly. This has been weakened by foreign inflnerlftG, bnt every attempt at developing new branches 0f trade leads to an

C HlN:KL\ NG.

attempt to return to the old principles by seeking Government protection against competition.

General Reinarks.

At the instance of a censor at Peking a survey was macle last Coal mine11. year of the coal mines between Chinkiang and N anking. A report on them was furnished by a German engineer, but their development awaits events elsewhere. The mines are the same· a:s those which were examined more than 20 years ago by Baron von Richtlwfen, and also by M. Kingsmill. ··

The rapid extension of banks on the south shore of the river Shippi~g and: continues to make the water shallower off the British concession. navign,tion.

Hulks have had to be shifted, and it is possible that t1ie business Changes in centre may drift farther clown the riveT. But the advantage the harbour. which the port possesses in being accessible to large steamers at -all times of the year seems bound to lead to a large development of its tnacle.

In the interest of steamers it is very desirable that the Yangtz~ trade regulations of trade on the Yangt,,e should Le speedily revised. regulations.

A htrge proportion of the shipping does not ascend further up the river than vV uhn. "\Vhen the regulations were framed that port was not opened to trade, and its trade formed a portion of that of Chinkiang. The opening of ,vnhu exposed steamers visiting tlmt port to the vexations provisions which apply to steamers ascend.ing to Hankow, and whid1 were designed :30 years ago almost solely with a vimv to preventing the supply of arms and ammunition to the Tai l'ing rebels.

The institution of the Imperial post-office has clmwn attention Post oflicca., to the work of the now defunct local post-office, which has for some years been of great service to the community, chm·ging very low rates for its local service, and distributing, free of cost to tlie public and the offices coneemecl, tlie ma,ils received from the BTitish post otlices at S1ianghai and Hong-Kong.

RETURN of all Shipping at the Port of Chinkiang during the Year :!.896.

ENTERED.

I Sailing. Steam. I 'l'otul.

~~~ ' I I Number of Number of I Number of _____ .. _ Vc:iscls. Tons~ Vcsscls._._Ton~_. _ Vessels. I ~ 1

~--

British ... ... ... ... l,100 ' l,201,2831 1,100 I l(!Ol,28~ Gcrm!Ln ..• ... ... ... 73 i i510~!J 7 3 i5,0l!I Norwegilln ..• .. ... ... 39 I 35 BD3 39 ;J;\89~ Japanese ... ... ... ... 2 ! lif,-14- 2 1,541 Chin~sc ... ... t110 11G,i04 2DG :;rn,~~6 I 1,21 I

1

1 4!16,~~o Swcd!Sb •.. •. ... ... I i 3,0 I .J,O

, , for the year Total OICJ 146,70.! ' J,511 1,663,GG! I 2,426 I l,Sl0,3GS

preceding 2,2-ID l, 7~1,,fi'S

10

Sailing.

Nationality. Nmnb~r of 1

1

. Tons. Vessels.

CHINA.

CLEARED.;

Steam.

I Number of \

Vessels. Tons.

1,101 1,202;919 73 75,029 39 35,893

l,Ml

Total.

Number of Vessels.

1,101 73 39 2

Tons.

ilritish r.ermn11 }Torwegian ... .. Japa.nesc Cninese S\vedish

940 150,239 296 3'1!"1,546 1,236

1,202,818 ,a,029 35,893 1,644

1,499,785 370 1 370 1

Total ... . •• !HO ! 150,239 1/,1'2 116651200

I 2,452 1,815,439

,, for the year preceding 2,240 j 1,i26,4-12

.Annex B.-RETUltN" of Principal }'oreign Articles of Import into Chinkiang <luring the Years 1896-95.

189G. I 18&5.

Shirting-Grey ... ... Pieces White

'f-cloths

Articles. -------

1~ntity, . Vaine:!_ ; Quanti!:_ I Vulue.*

I ,£

I

,£

I 723,632 I 296,689 749,09! 287,883 b~,885 57,03! 96,73G 57,422 95,90-1 35,325 89,253 27,879

l>ril!s-English Amerh·un ···I

i 3;)1 9Di> 17,0oO

I 34,084 H,604

•11,fliO 21,61:J 44,G70 21,332 .Sheeting~, gnglish .. . Cotton prints, plain .. .

, , Jmtings, fig urcd Yarn, Im.llan ... Cwi;.

Tut~l cotton goods

Long ells :-.pa111sh stripes ... .Clutb, broad, new bnbit lL:.:.lian cluth ...

Total woollen gouds

-01,ium .••

~ron-Nnil rod Ohl ...

C,,~))1Cr sla'!Ja .Steel ...

plate cuttings ...

Total metals

H~cho de mar ... Ha~s ... Cl1al .•• DJes, aniline ...

Ip· ···1 LCeCS ••• 11 ... ,,

:::1 " ... ]c.~

Cwts. Pic:ce~ Tons

F.:111~. trimmed and un~ t.rimmc<l ...

:M,L:chc:1 '();! 1 kcrosene­

,\ nwrican ... Hussinn ...

,, at8hai S.ind .. .d wool! ..• SL1gar-

Jlrown J:e1ioed Others

Total 1rnnd rics

::_I ... •• I

Total fon•if!n imports ... j Nath·t! irn1,1urts ... . .. ,

Net to1a.l im11ort trnde ...

Gross

Gallons

• I llail!won tac!= 3,. 4d.

47,709 (HJ,U!-16 20,993

IIG,201

7,060 5,310

988 11,903

4,076

56,961 79,203 3,C52 G,390

2G,410

3.48:J 1,411,120

13,400

7,272,320 G5::t,115

2,5Gl,270 l,8G9,230

20,00~ 31,B5:.I

:ll4.4f,O I:a,H7 5~,40G

-----

23,855 2'l,t:iti5 15,119

3GI,G:!J

962,383

5 754 !):921 4,149

13,157

348,619

21,070 14,070 6,675 3,2:19 9,432

79,085

19,487 9,634

13,132 11,619

8,,122 20,415

53,CD8 35,373

·113 38,783

155,023 113,324-5i/>21

-----

65,305 63,412 16,U6 92,829

8,740 6,858 l,ltlrl

15,5~0

"4,976

67,G93 69,415

2,093 8,033

11,itU

3,732 7,401,918

7,87i

5,29G, 225 ~G3,340

2,710, I50 7~3,700 i:.!01 900 35,8~:J

25f\20G l 7:!,,105 5U,i4li

----

31,293 18,667 10,148

264,101

849,790

G,738 11,530

4,638 13,672

47,159

368,859

23,899 11,609 4,108 4,250 5,472

76,340

20,59G 46,331

9,103 12,79?.

5,83( 27,G67

52,0U 15,484 3,597

42,23[

]2,J,279 157,400 54,173

----675,294 iGl,589

... 1· 2, IOG,305 ... 2, 10:J, 737

... D0:J,~G4 , ... eS~,017

I ... I 3,0G9,809 I ... I 2,992, 75{

t I !fair.wan tael = 3r. 3jd.

Clll'.\KIA:SG. 11

RETUR:l" of Principal Native Articles of Import into Chinkiang during the Y cars 1896-95.

Article•.

Cool... • .. Cloth, native, and nnnltecns Gross cloth, fine ...

11e~P Wood-oil Silks ... Sugars

coarse

Tons Cwts.

I 1805. --------' -----·-·----

1806.

: Quantity. I Value. Quantity. I Value.

£ I £ 10,060 23,166 15,0ni , 10,w:i 3,908 18,947 4,Gi9 22,3:J!I 1,80G 15,160 1,285 10,f>OO 5,2:J6 26,195 5,:117 I 21.~0t

17,040 18,040 13,703 12,G:II 1201630 129,720 1801DG5 1~9,8-;"ti

500 26,763 3a~ W,SGI 30!),800 209,313 302,55i 204,iGO

llETGRN of Principal Articles of Export from Chinkiang cluri11g the Years 1896-95.

I I 1896. 13g5_

Artiolee. ! ·-··------··- -------- ------1 ' i Quantity. ; Value. Quantity. I Value.

- Beans ancl peae ---.-. ,

1

-1i91:·:~--7-

1

37,~63 --~51;~::-' ,f525

Dates, red a,nd black . , , 21,370 11,827 18,729 7,976 Ground-nuts . . .. \ !il6,6Hi 149,617 419,223 91,568 Ground-nut oil., , , I 39,190 30,024 63,~40 39,243 Hides, cow and buffalo \ 9,020 19,564 4,731 8,812 Lily flowers .. .. 1 79,210 53,255 72,328 40,43~ Rice , , .. .. ! 610,389 131,1152 946,050 l,'.H5,50:} Silk piece-goods .... 1

1

3,100 169,657 1,293 66,218 Wheat .. 435,440 64,645 1,045,054 119,153

LONDON:

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, BY HARRISON AND SONS,

Printers in Ordinary to Her Majestyj (1250 5 I 97-H & S 2S70)