Tae volume of Customs Reports on trade for the year 1875 contains a new feature, in the shape of a report on the aggregate trade of China, of much interest and value, Under this title Mr. Kopsch, the late Statistical Secretary, has made a comprehensive digest of the whole native and foreign trade, which we are glad to assume will be given in all future volumes. Daring the year under review the total value of the direct Foreign trade was Tls. 136,716,000; divided in nearly equal proportion between Imports Tls. 67,803,000, and Exports Tls. 68,912,000. Shanghai figures for more than half of this large total, in the proportion Tls. 45,862,000 Imports, and "Us, 30,808,000 Exports. But this of course is owing simply to the concentration here of the shipping trade; Shanghai itself being neither so large a producer or consumer as some other ports. The total value of the foreign trade has fluctuated since 1866 between Ils. 114,617,000 (in 1867) and crest the pri- Tls. 142,605,000 (in 1872); but the latter figures have not since been equalled. It is worthy of note that up to the year 1872 the value of Imports far exceeded that of Exports, but since that date the case has been reversed. As Mr. Kopsch points out, however the great depreciation in the value of manufactured goods accounts in a great measure for the change. But it is also a fact that the import of manufactured goods for the past nine years has been characterised by great fluctuation rather than by a steady and permanent increase, "As far back as 1867, we find the net importation of Cotton Piece Goods amounted to 4,617,800 pieces, half of which consisted of Grey Shirtings and T-Cloths. In 1868 and 1869, the import rose to over 9,000,000 and 10,500,000 pieces respectively, but the following year there was a diminution of nearly' half-a-million pieces. The next twelve months, 1871, the consumption rose to 14,439,151 pieces, which undoubtedly glutted the market, for the following year the import fell to 12,241,491 pieces, and in 1873 to 8,789,022 pieces, In 1874, trade began to recover again, and the import rose to 9,763,092 pieces, which increase was maintained during 1875, the consumption for the year reaching 10,720,099 pieces, or only 200,000 pieces over the figures of 1869. The last nine years' average consumption of Cottons amounts to 9,492,896 pieces, or 11,281,171 pieces as the annual average of the five years 1871 to 1875; so that the consignments of 1875, although exceeding the nine years' average demand by 1,228,208 pieces, are below the five years' average by over half-a-million pieces."
Mr. Kopsch is disinclined to think excessive taxation is the cause of this apparent stagnation, as at "all the main outlets for imports the transit pass, as a rule now enables manufactures to reach the interior without payne of lekin or other burdensome charge." But the transit pass only protects the goods along the road to some priveipal inland mart. They are at the merey of the tax collector directly the bulk is broken and they begin to circulate in the small channels of commerce. It is of course a simple question of cost, and any tax on their movement is a heavy handicap on foreign goods as against the locally produced article. As an argument against increase, Mr, Kopsch points out that China "is essentially an agricultural country, and its tillers in many parts getting two crops a year—grain and cotton—are too exclusively labouring men not to prefer their own native cloth, especially as it is made at no expense, within their own doors, from material grown on their own land." But this is only true of districts where cotton is produced, and then only of the country. In non cotton-growing districts and in cities it is, as we said before, 2 question of cost and excellence. The same reasons which he suggests for the comparative stagnation of ihe Cotton trade, Mr. Kopsch would apply also to Woollens, "in the importation of which there has been no recent increase whatever. Nine years ago the importation exceeded 840,000 pieces, but these figures have never since been equalled. The average importation of the nine years 1867 to 1875 amounted to 661,504 pices, which quantity has not been maintained during the Inst two years." As in the ense of Cottons, it is suggested that the gradual repopulation Of provinces decimated by the Taipings, and consequent development of native manufacturing industries, is tending slowly to lessen the demand. "Silk culture and silk manufacture is gradually resuming the important position it held prior to the rebellion, and as the out-turn of the looms is all intended for home consumption it cannot but affect the demand for expensive foreign fabrics. Our Returns afford no means of ascertaining the products of the Silk manufnetures of China, as comparatively little is carried coastwise by foreign vessels; but it is beyond question that silk weaving is again assuming large dimensions. It should not be forgotten that many vast districts famous for their sill: manufactures and employing thousands of weavers were almost entirely depopulated by the rebels, who not only destroyed the looms but the mulberries as well, so that it would require several yenrs nnd much en pital to recover from the ramons condition in which the country was loft after the rebel occupation. Great progress has however been made of Into years, and largo quantities of Silk Piece Goods are being woven in the districts bordering on the lower Yang tze, which must naturally interfere with the consumption of such foreign fabrics as Silk Goods are destined to displace."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.