ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

The undoubted success of this enterprise has led to other similar undertakings, and no less than four are organizing or in contemplation.

An interesting feature of the year has been the publication by the inspector-general of customs of an extensive report on the silk culture of China. This work contains much valuable information as to the various kinds of silkworms found in the different provinces and the modes of rearing them. It likewise deals very fully with the native silk manufactures, giving drawings of the machinery employed. But in the matter of statistics as to production and consumption it leaves much to be desired, the figures supplied by the various commissioners being frequently both conflicting and confused.

The absence of care displayed in this direction renders it almost impossible to form a reliable estimate of the total silk production of China, but after patient investigation there seems good reason to believe that the entire crop of silk produced in the empire (Canton included) for the year 1879 was about 180,000 piculs, of which less than one-half was exported.

I am indebted to Messrs. Russell & Co., at this port, for the valuable information contained in the above report on silk.

STRAW BRAID.

During the past five years, ending the 30th June, 1881, the export of straw braid from China to foreign countries has shown a remarkable increase, and for the last year of the time, viz, from July 1 to June 30, reached the gross amount of 50,391 piculs. The relative annual export for the term named was as follows:

[blocks in formation]

With the exception of a trifling quantity, the whole of the export is shipped to the London and New York markets, and the following figures show the relative quantity destined for those markets during the past two years, viz:

Year ending June 30, 1880..
Year ending June 30, 1881

For London. 23, 779 piculs.

36, 204 piculs.

For New York. 14, 345 piculs. 13,608 piculs.

From these figures it will be observed that the increase of export for the past year was entirely destined for London, and the consequence of the shipment of such heavy supplies, which took place during the first half of the term (i. e., for six months ending 31st December, 1880), was to overstock and depress that market and restrict subsequent shipments, so that those during the latter part of the term showed but little increase over the shipments of the corresponding term of the previous year. The unusually large export of last year was doubtless originally induced by the large production, consequent on an abundant harvest in 1880 and the low range of prices which prevailed in China, but it is worthy of remark that even at such low cost the trade, when pushed to the extreme, ceased to be profitable, and very heavy losses are believed to have been suffered by those interested in the business, whilst the London market is still overstocked and depressed.

A similar condition has prevailed in the New York market, and this state of depression in the two great consuming markets has reacted upon the markets in this country, prices for straw braid having fallen

below those at which the article can be profitably produced, and the natives, in despair of getting cost for their products, have, in realizing at the market rates, become sharers in the general losses that owe their origin to overproduction. At last low prices have curtailed production, and it is reasonable to suppose that, in due season, a return of trade to a healthy state may be anticipated."

The whole of the export to foreign countries is finally made from the port of Shanghai, but the produce is originally shipped from the northern ports of Chefoo and Tientsin, which receive it from the interior producing districts.

These producing districts are situated for the most part in the provinces of Hunan, Shansi, Shantung, and Chihli, and chiefly in the former two provinces. The communication between these districts and the ports of Chefoo and Tientsin, where the produce first finds a foreign market, is long and arduous, the transit occupying a space of from two to three weeks, and being liable to frequent interruption from stress of weather, rendering the roads and canals impassable.

The braid is made from wheat straw, of which a spring and autumn crop is gathered, and the character of the straw is affected by the season. The straw is selected and stored, available to such extent as the state of the market may warrant.

[ocr errors]

If the cost of preparing the braid is not covered by the outturn, the product is naturally suspended, and it may so happen that a considerable portion of the straw stored for possible use is ultimately thrown away for want of a market for the braid.

Heretofore it has been very difficult to induce the natives to manufacture new patterns in braid whilst they could sell their usual makes at any profit at all. The recent season of depression has, however, induced more enterprise on their part, and many new patterns have been made in imitation of samples of home-made braids furnished to them by foreigners. The manufacture is in great part suspended during the winter, when it is difficult to manipulate the wetted straw.

EXCHANGE.

The rates ruling on the 30th June, 1880, maintained their steadiness with an upward tendency until they reached, on the 3d of August, to 5s. 4d. for four months' bank paper. The cause of this advance might be attributed to an active silk market at the opening of the season.

Money getting very plentiful, rates by the end of the month reached 58. 24d. For the remaining months of the year, and as always happens at this time when importers are anxious to dispose of their piece goods before the closing of the northern ports, rates dropped until they reached by the end of December to 5s. 13d. for four months' sight paper.

Business commenced at the beginning of the year at 5s. 147. for four months' sight bank paper; but, consequent on a tightness of money in London and an advance in bar silver, rates increased before the end of the months to 58. 13d.

About the beginning of February there was a rumor of a bimetallic conference of the different European powers and the United States to be called, and this to a certain extent added stability to rates, and, indeed, was the cause of an advance about the middle of the month to 5s. 24d., and which, gradually advancing, saw quotations at the beginning of March at 58. 24d. Bar silver again getting a little easier in England, 58. 2d. was the quotation for bank paper about the middle of the month. During the month of April, as usually happens when banks

begin to lay in funds for the coming season, rates gradually improved to 58. 21d., but immediately afterwards dropped, fears being entertained that nothing would result from the conference, and at the beginning of the next month, although rates at this time of the year meet all the sup port they can from the banks to secure high sterling rates for the tea bills at Hankow, yet they declined to 5s. 17d., and towards the middle of the month, silver still declining, they dropped to 5s. 1gd. at the very height of the tea season at Hankow, when we usually see the highest rates ruling. Fluctuations continued very slight to the end of this month.

The middle of June saw the rate at 5s. 14d. About the end of June one of the many periodical money squeezes to which foreigners are subjected by the native banks, who raised interest to 30 per cent., was a great factor in the course of rates advancing to 58. 24d.

Subjoined are the closing rates of exchange for four months' sight documentary paper for each European mail, viz:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Table showing the exportation of sundry articles from Shanghai to the United States for years

[blocks in formation]

Table showing the value of the importation of metals during the years 1879 and 1880.

[blocks in formation]

Manufactured, unclassed, as hardware, brass ware, brass buttons, steel

ware

[blocks in formation]

Tin ware, cutlery

472, 799

462, 466.

Table showing the revenue collected by the Chinese imperial maritime customs during the years 1879 and 1880.

[blocks in formation]

Report by Consul Goldsborough.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,
Amoy, September 30, 1881.

In accordance with instructions, I have the honor to submit herewith my annual report for the year ended (unless where otherwise designated) June 30, 1881.

AMERICAN SHIPPING.

Table A shows the amount of American shipping during the year ending September 30, 1881, are nine vessels, showing a tonnage of 3,356, entered, and eight vessels cleared.

FOREIGN SHIPPING.

Table B shows the nationality, number, and tonnage of all the foreign vessels which have entered and cleared during the year ended June 30, 1881.

Foreign vessels to the number of 759, with a total tonnage of 482,786, entered at this port. Of these, 553 vessels, with a total tonnage of 399,506, were under the British flag, being 495 steamers and 58 sailing vessels, 29 Chinese, 10 Danish, 2 French, 119 German, 4 Netherlands, 33 Spanish, 2 Swedish, and 7 Siamese vessels. These totals show an increase over last year of 29 vessels, with a tonnage of 28,227.

NATIVE JUNKS.

The amount of trade in native junks, which is considerable, cannot be ascertained. The officials in charge of the native customs establishment do not feel disposed to furnish any information as to the number of vessels entering and leaving the port, or the amount of revenue accrued.

I am assured, on what would seem to be competent authority, that few sea-going junks are now built at Amoy or at any of the small adjacent ports, the low freights in foreign bottoms making it unprofitable to replace the old junks put out of service with new ones.

SUGAR EXPORT.

One hundred and thirty-three thousand four hundred and thirty-one piculs, or 17,790,800 pounds, of brown sugar were shipped from Takow, in Formosa, to the United States during the year 1880.

The present sugar crop at this port and Formosa is said to be large, and is estimated by the Chinese merchants at somewhere about double that of 1880. The foreign merchants regard this estimate as excessive; but it is doubtful whether the total value of the foreign trade will be very far in excess of that of last year, inasmuch as the supply so far exceeds the demand.

Prices are, therefore, much lower, and the profits are rather in favor of the shipper than of the producer, which tends to limit the export trade, as the producer prefers to hold his stock rather than sell at present prices.

The quantities of sugar exported from the ports of Amoy and Formosa to foreign countries and Chinese ports during the year 1880 are as follows:

[blocks in formation]

Of the quantity to foreign countries, 29,621 piculs were shipped to Great Britain, 22,470 piculs to Hong-Kong, 3,498 piculs to the Straits, and the balance to Siam, Cochin-China, Japan, and Java.

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »