1917

CHINA-
677
ut‘\v and suitable premises are to be erected sEortTy. In 1908 the value of Japan’s
direct trade with China was Hk. Tls. 89,620,908, and in 1915 it amounted to Hk. Tls.
197,926,S31, without including the unrecorded trade at Kiaochow during eight months
of the year, probably worth another 14 millions. From which it would appear that
results have fully justified Japanese methods of developing trade.
Value in Silver and Sterling of the Foreign Trade of China, 1891 to 1915
Average
Exchange,
s, d.
Imports.
Exports.
1891 ...
1892 ...
1893 ...
1894 ...
1895 ...
1896 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1899*...
1900t...
1901 ...
1902 ...
1903 ...
1904 ...
1905 ...
1906 ...
1907 ..
1908 ..
1909 ..
1910 ..
1911+..
1912 ..
1913$..
19141|..
1915 ..
3 n
2 11*
2 7i
2 7*
2 10f
3 0.
31"
Hk. Tls.
139,661,186
140,298,086
149,928,703
163,897,525
172,853,145
209.106,866
204,554,227
217,761,975
280.907.296
223,791.888
280,472*693
335,601,739
343,300,115
348,603,090
458,340,485
414,184,061
422,838,531
396,261,991
417,586.237
462,437,260
473,517,685
471,809.192
570,064,611
546.425.296
454,475,719
£
34,333,375
30,544,061
29,517,212
26,206,530
2s,268,688
34,851,143
30,470,055
31,416,701
42,282,402
34,734,365
41,559,625
43,628,226
45,296,542
49,966,442
68,942,047
68,167,793
68,711,261
. 52,834,932
54,264,460
62,260,433
63,628,938
72,000,048
86,103,508
74,564,285
58,939,820
Hk. Tls.
100,947,849
102,583,525
116,632,311
128,104,522
143,293,211
131,081,421
163,501,358
159,037,149
195,784,832
158,996,752
169,656,757
21-4,181,584
214,352,467
239,486,683
227,888,197
•236,456.739
264,380,697
276.660.403
338,992,814
380,833,328
377,338,166
370.520.403
403,305,546
345,280,874
418,861,164
£
24,816,346
22,333,288
22,961,986
20,483,379
23,434,411
21,816,903
24,354,889
22,944,422
29,469,696
24,677,621
25,139,243
27,843,605
28,282,616
34,326,424
34,278,183
38,916,838
42,961,863
36,888,053
44,051,410
51,273,653
50,704,816
56,542.957
60,915,941
47,116,453
54,321.057
It is interesting to observe in this table that an increase in silver values does not
always mean an increase in trade when measured in sterling.
Railways
Although China is traversed in all directions by roads, they are usually mere-
tracks, or at best footpaths, along which the transport of goods is a tedious and
difficult undertaking. A vast internal trade is, however, carried on over the roads, and
by means of numerous canals and navigable rivers. The most populous part of China
is singularly well adapted for the construction of a network of railways, and a first
attempt to introduce them into the country was made in 1876, when a line from
Shanghai to Wcosung. ten miles in length, was constructed by an English company^
This little railway was subsequently purchased by the Chinese Government and closed
by them on the 21st October, 1877. Since that time the principle of railways has been
fully accepted. The railway from Shanghai to Woosung was re-opened in 1898, as
forming part of a line to Soochow, which the provincial authorities had obtained per¬
mission from the Throne to construct. A tramway, a few miles in length, begun in 1881
to carry coal from the Kaiping coal mines, near Tongshan, to the canal bank, has.
been extended to Tientsin and Taku on the one hand, and to Kinchow and Newchwang
on the Gulf of Liao-tung on the other. This track was only completed in the early
part of 1900, and during the summer months was, between Kiuchow and Newchwang,
largely destroyed by the Chinese so as to preclude the advance of Russian forces on
Peking via Manchuria. A line from Peking to Tientsin was opened in 1897, the-
* Influence of railways felt. | Revolution in October. || European war from Augusti
t Boxer outbreak. § Rebellion in summer.