The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-06
FOREIGN TRADE Of CHINA.
INTERESTING FIGURES REGARD
ING VALUE OF BUSINESS.
RAILWAY building Has Had the If
feet OF opcnins New Territory TO
the Arts OF Commerce and won-
derful Results Are Anticipated.

WASHINGTON July 5--Tha foreign
trade Of China in lSs9 and especially tho
effect of the railways upon business in
the section where the present disturb
+, ances are in progress. Is discussed In the
! annual report OF the imperial customs
service Of that country. just received by
/ the treasury bureau Of statistics, Tho
following are extracts from the report;
The foreign trade ~ China during tho
year 1899 was characterised by an aston
ishing development and merchants both
foreign and native, made handsome prof
! Its In almost every branch, The political
| situation, although still unsettled. gave
rise TO. no immediate fears; exchange re-
manned remarkably steady. the rico crop
was abundant. the spring weather dur
Ing the critical period for the SIR worms
was unusually favorable, and except for
a recrudescence OF piracy on the West
river there were no disturbances To check
the trade. The gratifying result was that
the year beat all previous records and
showed an advance without precedent,
The total trade was valued AT hatkwau
taeis $50, ~, rise OF haiswan taels
/ the figures for 1890 The internal trade Of
the country was also unusually brisk, and
the important changes which win be
brought about by the extension OF rail-
| ways have already been proved New
chwang and Tientsin have promptly re-
Spondea TO the stimulus OF better means
OF communication aud the trade at these
ports has leapt forward. although tho
former suffered from severe outbreak
OF prague. IL Is round thAt immediately
trains begin 90 run districts through
which there was comparatively little trait
he, such as between paoiing and Picking,
suddenly commence 70 hum with life and
activity and there springs NJ a flourish
ing trade which was formerly undreamt
Of and impossible, for want 81 cheap
been completed ~ far north "a Moukdcn.
and the extraordinary richness OF Man
churia will soon become evident The Luz
makes steady ' progress ss within r six
months It is expected tina, trains will be
running as far south az Chingting
As what was written last year con-
corning Chlna's foreign trade was criti-
eised In some quarters as too optimistic.
II may be well to point out that the re-
port dealt with the condition and pros
poets OF the commerce as affecting Chi
mas national Interests and prosperity.
and not from the point 81 view % tho
individual foreign merchant who finds the
volume % trade too restricted for the
amount Of competition encountered. II Is
tics are considered. IS OF small dimsn.
stons; but the future Il distinctly bright.
IL the results 20 he expected from the COM
nese, from the highest TO the lowest, ara
traders by instinct, and ere prompt "a,
take advantage % every opportunity ~
profit. To form an i1es ~ what future
prospects are n - fair 90 make a com.
parison with India The areas of the
two empires are almost Identical and
their prospects very similar. bu, China
has y larger. a moro industrious and more
Intelligent population; while on the whole
the country Is probably more fertile and
possesses greater mineral resourcrs. In
the former country trade II assisted hv
good roads, railways and lighlncsH W alb
seflce OF taxation In the latter nj present
II Is hampered by directly opposite con-
dittonE. The result Is that the exports
from india are worth three times the ex-
ports from china With equal npportuni-
ties. which the building " railways and
opening OF mines wilt bring about his
discrepancy should disappear Tn. wear
fkft has ahgAu "a atf "a hat
nm advance IL made when creumRtan noes
are propiious. A win he shown later
on, the year was favorable "a axpartp
ana we have NJ result to record IN each
direction the highest figures ever reached
The net value " the import trade was
haikwan iseis 2st,Tis, 80. being an advances
Of hnikwnn taela s.. is9. i2z over the pre-
vtous year. and double the nrurea for
so opium u all kinds jumped frnm to-
muncrative prices Both importers nul
native dealers made large profits The
reason for this remarkable Increase IN a
trade which has been steadily DYING not.
was probably due Go bnd srupN ~ tha
native drug. The Chinese government has
been warned 81 the exfis which are re-
suiting from the improper use ~ fhss
drug. and steps are now being taken 20
have the importation restricted.
The trade ia cotton goods which had
remained practically stationary for three
years made great advance. the saius
having risen from haikwsn taeis Ti.eisst
20 haikwan tReis ms isa9B II would hs
tedious Ia particuRFtEe an the RAinn
which will he found on rrfnrpure rs he
table 81 imports, where ., viii be seen
exception ~ sray shirtipaB lsn Insignia
cant decrease T. cloths TB9tlAh ana
Dutch leans. and Ensilsh warn wsa i'm.
ported IN quantities exceeding fhc aanfas
for iEss - regards the falling ~ IN r
cloths. n f. explained that their place Il
being tsken, b. what az. generally knewn
are included 30 our returns nntef ihs
heading ~ sheeiinrs. u VII be- Observed
that Jnslish Nheaiinre showed as mHeAnf a
from 1920 70 79.leg pieees, abd tne la.
crease must be Hncrihed rarity ~ cnBti-
n%niais and parity - thn higher rrissa
which have prevailed IN ths t'aitpi
States American ahrstings rose aatfu.
from 2 80 % 20 z g1h 20 pieces 4gss kfng
generally, she year commenced aifh
brisk short cotton rfan thFnBwt ,sstat
the world gradually raised prlret hgs
contracts fer delivery 80 China ssfs
made - fat in advance that Importers
wsre able "a lay down thrif goods ID
Lries' which F.alired hapasouss profits
prices tended ~ check business. ana Il i
possible that importers mag have
- face some dsiay ~ eisfsesug y fh~
tsng.artn Tors whlrh arrive M 9nafsv
fateF The feN'uee n.Hs' wgftaY ~ note
was the Continued advance ~ American
ard Japanese goods the latter especially
ciass - ~hlie shifitnKs now ifnssostes "a
greatly RHfeFiof 20 WhNf rRrwa Il .reup~fv
M ps9pls detagsn aing q estter a,tisle
value from taikvaa fssia - -. ne 20 halk-
wan fFcif so 81 VI. ard % 70 tuferratif.x
e ng,ite 'he shsie in 'his inrfsaHe iskoa
~ articles hho~iHg prnsfess 20 wealth
caod..sr. cigars asa elgarstjer eiocEs asi
rnsfehss Hsef.er. fsFgguser7. saa- az
aHd umbrellas werp s7t rurs hsefd erfirN
frssiY F1our whitA is use1 ~ 'he tnakInw
~ fanrY tNssr. gese fgtsgn hagk war taaks
11A7i2 % taikEHn fHsfn lA1 sc d. knr.
ot+ ne eil q #iil Pc seen There NaF fail