New-York tribune., 1900-05-13
CHIN4'S GROWING TRADE.
LAST YEAR BEAT ALL PREVIOUS REC
oRDS-INFLUENCE OF RAILWAY
COMMUNICATION.

Washington. May u (SpeciaD.-China's foreign
trade, and especially her trade with the United
States developed rapidly in 1899, is shown by
statement just received by the Treasury Bureau of
Statistics. The statement in question, from the
Returns of Trade" by the Imperial Maritime Gus
toms Service Of China. shows especially rapid de-
velopment IN the section where railways have
Gently been opened.
The following are extracts from the report III
question:
was was Iaoterized by an astonishing development
sn9 & anercaants b9tn foreign and native made hand
situation although still unsettled. rise to
steady the rice crop was abundant; the spring
worms was Unusually favorable. and. except
for recrudescence Of piracy the West River
gratifying result was that the year beat all previ
GUS aus reSSrds and showed an advance without prege
dent The total trade was valued at $50 53S 2Ss hak
a wan saels 20 he aysrage aye M value of the 4a5wan "a I
isss S Of s aSwan SSS an isS Sls ana IN is zz ann IN
more than double the figures for 1890. The internal
the important changes which will be brought about
proved New-Chwans and Tien-Tsin have promptly
RESPONDED &c the stimulus OF better means Of COM
forward. although the former suffered from a Sc
we're outbreak OF the plague Il is found that i'm
which there was little traffic, such as between
life and activity, and there springs up a iourish-
Ing trade which was formerly undreamed Of and
impossible for want Of cheap transport.
The Russian line has been completed as far north
Mancagria viii soon % become eTdenty The hHan
Railway. from Peking to Han-Kow, makes steady
The ANTIQUITIES in the southern section Where eS
slower there. but rails nave been laid for forty
kilometres northward from an-K0w: the track
is now being made as far sinyanh, to which
and the wo line 20 of twde hndrnd TE
is 20 be completed in five years. including the
River The line between Taku' Tien-Tsin and
pekng continues 70 advanSe in pTosPeTity and the
will shortly be connected by rail with the capital
hampering The concessionaires of various other
lines but il is TO be hoped that these will soon be
doubt that the effect Of cheap transport VIII lead
The value, Of the import trade 2s4 74s. .45e
haikwan taels. being advance of DO 69.l22 hsik-
snres for @ e he trade IN ai9 cotton goods
which had remained practically stationary for
having risen from 77slS,S2s haikwan taels to ios
an he gains but De every Article
mentioned in the table Of imports, with the
T-ciotbs, English and Butch Jeans and English
a in aGantes hes sse eff the
T-cloths il is explained that their place is taken
iinentals" which are included in our returns under
the heading Of sheetings Englisl sheetngs showed
increase must be ascribed partly 10 Continentas
,he aeg sae So Rmerpan sheen o san
from 2.4s3,ssI to 3.s7s.f0e pieces.
stocks on hand and demand was brisk Short
cotton crop throughout the world gradually raised
prices. but contracts for delivery in China were
made so far II. advance that importers were able
70 lay down their goods prices which realized
handsome profits Toward the close OF the year
higher prices tended 70 check business and il is
possible that importers may have 10 face some
Delay in disposing Of the inportations which arrive
at dearer rates. The feature most worthy Of note
was the continued advance Of American and Jap
anese goods. the latter especially showing very
rapid development The class Of white shirtings
now imported is greatly superior 10 what for
merry The people demanding a better article II is
worth noticing. evidence of prosperity that what
may be described as cotton goods de luxe. such as
kerchiefs Jumped from 3o5s3l4 TO 67s3s6 dozens.
Cotton ia mel showed a able increase. from
l53 ss5 20 3s7 fss pieces and japanese cotton fan
nsi from Sc s35 17s GIG pieces English cotton yarn
suffered a falling off while Indian and japanese
Increased. the latter having now risen 70 l7s 7e
icr. Ii is ble that the local mills viii grad
,sliy ger the better of their foreign rivals The
warm made from Chinese cotton is much whittier
fIsn tha Indian yarn and obtains better prices.