The evening times., 1900-05-11
CHJNA'S FOREIGN TRADE.
Rapid Development of Business
With The United States.


Bureau of Statistics. The statement in
question. from the Returns of Trade"
by the Imperial Maritime Customs Service
Of China, shows especially rapid develop
ment in the section where railways have
recently been opened
The following are extracts from the re-
port:
The foreign trade of China during the
year 1899 wastcharaeterized by an aston
ishing development. and merchants. both
foreign and native, made handsome prof
It's in almost, every branch The political
situation. although still unsettled. gave
rise to no immediate fears; exchange re-
mained remarkably steady: the rice crop
was abundant; the spring weather curing
the critical period for the silkworms was
unusually favorable. and except Tor a re-
crudescence OF piracy on the West River,
there were 70 disturbances to check trade.
Inc gratifying result was that the year
peat ali previous records and showed an
advance without precedent The total
trade was valued at 460. So, ,2S8 haikwan
taets tine average value of the haikwan
taeI was SLlis in 1890. $0e97 In 1898. and
So.t<z IN le99). a rise Of 81. .Sl6 sos haikwan
hgures Tor 1880 The internal trade OF the
country was also unusually brisk. and the
important changes which will be brought
ABOUT by the extension OF railways have
ALREADY been proved. Newchang and Tfen-
tsin have promptly responded TO the slim
uius OF better means of communication.
ana the trade of those ports has leaped
forward, although the former suffered
from a severe outbreak of the plague Il
fr,rp
run. districts through which there was lit
Iie tralc, such as between Paoting and
fehin, suddenly commence to hum with
ne ana activity. and there springs up a
nourlshing trade which was for nerIy IN
dreamed OF and impossible for want of
cheap transport. The Russian line has
oeeh completed as far north as Moukden,
ana the extraordinary richness Of Man
churia viii soon become evident The Lu-
han Railway. from Pekin 70 Hankow.
makes steady progress. Within six
months II Is expected that trains viii be
running as Tar south as Chingting. The
ulihcultles IN The southern section. where
extensive tunneling is required make con-
struction slower there. but rails have beea
Iaid Tor forty kilometres northward from,
iidAhOW- Ihe track is now being made
aS Tar as Sinyan, to which place il is
hcped to run trains within two vesrs ana
completed IN nve years. including the dif-
ncult engineering feat Of bridging the Vel
low RIVER. The line between Taku Tien-
'slh' ana Pekin continues to advance in
prosperity and the extension - bevoud
ShanhaikWan toward Newchang viii
SHORTY De connected by rail with the capi-
tai Dihiculties regarding the question OF
eohtrol are hampering the concessionarfes
=, 'aFioos other lines, but il is 70 be hopeI
that these VIII soon be satisfactorily ar
ranged. as there is no longer any Doubt
that the effect OF cheap traneuort viii Ios5
trade.
me Eet value Of the import trade vas
z29.l4S.4 100 hk- It's, being an advance OF
"o' 'Io5, IL hk It's over the previous wear
ana double the figures for 1899.
me Jraoe IN cotton goods. which had re-
NAMED practically stationary for three
years made great advance. the value
haVlng risen from T7.61SS24 hk tIs IA
lU5. oiS ak. It's. Il would be te,Iious N
p$rticularize ali the gains. but every az
ucle mentioned in the table Of imports
Win the exception OF grey sAirtinrs lin
slgnlheaht decreased T-cioths Frglisr
ana Dutch jeans. and English yarn. we're
imported in quantities exceeding the Gg
nres Tor 1SsS-s - regaTds the falling on "a
I-cloihs, IL IS explained that their place is
ne.
usde as Conuneltals.' which are includos
IN our returns under the heading Of Sheet
lhgs- English sheetings showed an sd-
vance from 523.366 TO -63. .752 pieces ana
the increase must be ascribed partly 10
contInentals and partly to the rfpbsr
prices which prevailed in the V1ifs5
states American sheetings rose aglip
rom rom z;+sS'ssl TO S,9'5,S03 pieces. Speaking
generally, the year commenced with small
a-4 e
snort cotton crop throughout the world
gradually raised prices but contracts for
delivery in China were made so far in a.
vance that importers were able 20 Law
Gown their goods at prices which rallied
handsome profits. Toward the close of The
year higher prices tended 10 cheek br,si-
ness. and il is possible that importers nav 4
nave 20 face some delay in dispos:ng of
'he linportatl0as which arrive al iearer
rates The feature most worthy OK rota
was the continued advance of America,
ana Japanese goods. the latter especially
showing very rapid development. The
eiSSs OF white shirtings now imported is
greatly superior TO what came formerly &
tne people demanding a better article l.
Is worth noticing. as evidence OF Uro5 +
perity, that what may be described as cot I
ION goods de luxe. such as chintizes. print-
ed tWllls. cambriCS. etc. and handkerchiefs T!
Jumped from 305.3I4 to 67S. .25s Iozars 4
cotton flannel showed q remarkable in 4
crease. from l53,SS5 TO 3S7. .4S9 pieces. ana 4
japanese cotton flannel from 80 S25 >,
1866 pieces. English cotton warn suTer- /
ed a falling OF. while Indian and Jsnanesa .
increased. the latter having nov risen N 4
dis.'cO piculs- Ii is probable thar the To-
cal mills viii gradually get the better of
their foreign rivals The yarn made from
Chinese cotton is much whiter than the
Indian yarn and obtains better prices
which explains why Japan imports raw cot
ton from China TO mix with Iadia.
"Woolen goods, though not showing such
promising progress as the cotton goods
made distinct advance. eamlets. hastings
ong els. and blankets ali having increas-
ed.
The metal trade ren, aims fnelastic and
me total value was slightly below that of
he previous year
The value CT the exports was estimated
&C 19o. 7Sf.o32 hk. It's, an increase of Sc
1853 hk. It's over the previous years
otal. and, as in the case of imports. mora
han double the figures for 1880. In view
II the fact that railways are now opening
ip districts previously cut OF from com,
nunication with ports it is fairly safe "a
predict that in less than another ten wears
he trade will have again doubled. Fx-
'orts are at present checked by prices ana
nferior quality-the former due to cost
Il carriage and heavy tGxation. the latter
o edulteration or faulty methods of p-en-
lration for foreign markets Prices viii
ome down when railways bring the goods
ncre eaeaply to the ports and increase the
upply."
THE La PAZ NAVAL STATION