Tus Customs Returns for the frst quarter of 1886 show several uoticeable Auotuations, but on the whole, as will be soon by the following table, gain in data und dation collected of Pla, 160,000, or over eight per cent, above the oullection for (he sume quader of 1885, The conclusion of peace with France, which was still in the fatare in Tunuary-March last your, is responsible for @ great portion ut this gain, but as non rly two-thirds of it wns made in Shanghai alone, we may congratulate ourselves (hat it is largely duo to a legitimate expaugion of trade, The following is the table Statement of Dues and Duties collected, January-March Quarter, 1886. 1886.
188:
Newchwang Tientein Chefoo Ichang Hankow Wal Chinkiang Shanghai Wenchow Fovchow Amoy Swatow Canton Taking the ports seriatim, we find an increase of over Tls. 14,000 in Nowchwang, due apparently to the earlier opening of navigation, The duties cvllegied in the first quarters of 1884 1885 were only Tls. 741 and Tia, 854 respectively, aguinst over is, 15,000 this year, ssu that no comparison is possible. Tientsin, while showing only a moderate increase in duties cul. lected, displays a very large increase in cotton goods imported, the total being roughly 530,000 piroes in 1886, against 230,000 in 1885, American sheetings alone having gone up from 16,000 pieces Inst, to 108,000 pieces this, year. In Chefoo, also, Amer. ican cheetings were imported very largely this yenr, but Grey shirtings and 'T-Clotha have fallen off very con. sidornbly, while Cotton Yarn sprang up from 4,400 picula in 1885 to 17,700 picals in 1886, The import of rou and Steel into Chefoo shews " very marked increase, but, us in Lientain, Matohes and themselves, Inrgo trade—are much reduced Lhe export duties are the chief delinquents in the collection in Chefoo. In the import of Cottons and Woollens, Ichang fell of this year very considerably, but the collection was snyed by the largely increased export of Szeciuen Silk, and of White Wax. Noticeable among the sundries is the large import into Ichang of Dyes and Colours, the total being 136,000 bottles in 1886 against under 5,000 in 1885, The duties collected in Hankow were nearly ton per cent, larger than in 1885, all the gum being in the export duties, Grey Shirtinga and T-Cloths were taken in reduced quantities, but Fancy Cottons of all kinds shew a murked improvement. Woollens were steady, but Metals, lend year, the falling off being in the export duties. The import of Cotton Goods was above that of 1885, and Woollens wore steady: the export of fine Paper, staple of Kiukinng, and Tobacco shows a very large decline, The collection in Wahu made a great stride forward this year, the gum being in the export duties, In imports, Grey Shirtings alone shew a marked ad. vance; the export of rice rose from 130,000 piculs in 1885 to 414,000 in 1886, while duty to the extent of Tis, 34,000 was remitted on rice sent to Canton this sear, on acvonnt of Kuang. tang province. he collection in Chin. Kinng was more than twenty per cout. higher (his sear than last, here also the gain being chiefly in the export duties. In imports, Cotton Goods shewed considerable decline on Inst yont's figures, and Woollons a slight advance. Rice rose from 26,000 piculs in 1885 to 204,000 this year. The differences in the collection in Shanghai are remarkable, The import duties were Tls. 466,000 in 1886 against Tis, 369,000 in 1885; the export duties Tle. 210,000 against is, 151,000; the opium daty Ils, 188,000 against Tls. 252,000; nud the tonnage dues Tis, 39,000 against Tis, 29,000. The import of Cotton Goods generally shewa a decline on 1885, though Drills and Sheetings came in largely enhanced quantity. All kinds of Woulleu Goode shew m maked advance; Icon also doubled itself, while Tin fell off mate. tinily. Kerosene Oil has risen from 4,000,000 gallons in 1883 to nearly 4,500,000 in 1886, The import of Cotton Yarn rose from 10,800 piculs in 188, to 36,000 in 1886, It would be impossible in this brief notice to go through the table of Exports; but we notice that over 1,000,000 piculs of rice went forward this year against loss than 200,000 piculs in 1885, In Ningpo the collection thie year was uonrly fifty per cent. lurger than Inst yont's, the export, const trade, and opium daties, having all increased, The import of Cotton Goods Inst year was very much below the average: thin year it quite recovered itself, while Woollens and Metals held their own, Weénchow, which showed a heavy deorense in the duties collected in 1885, owing probably to the presence of the French on the const, line nearly recovered this year to 1884's figures, and would have exceeded them considerably but for the largo fulling-of in the opium duty, There was a fair import of Cottons and Wooll in Metals, All the itema in the list of exports shew an increase, 'I'he collec tion in Foochow was considerably lees than Inst year's, the chief decline being in Woe export duties 10 import of Cotton Goods was considerably larger, Grey Shirtings and 'l-Cloths surpassing the average of normal years; Woollens and Metals were steady. There is nothing in Uke table of exports to account for the large falling off in the duties, Tameui and Takow were blockaded in the frat quarter of 1885, and no daties were collected during the period; in Tamsui both import and opium duties are higher than 1884, Woollens and Metals showing a Inrgor advance than Cottons, In Tukow the collection was only half that in 1884, every branch showing a decline, imports and exporta alike having fallen off enormously, Amoy also shews a very heavy decline in duties collected, the opium duty alone being is, 62,000 less than in 1885, Grey and White Shirtings and Camlets were taken in mach less quantity, while Metals went more freely: und the table of oxporls is sufficiently reassuring. The collection at Swatow in 1885 was con. siderably less (han in 1884, and 1886 shews a farther slight reduction, whiok may be considered accidental, as it occurs almost entirely in the Tonnage dues. The import of Piece Goods was about up to the average, and that of rice shows a large increase; there is little to remark in the table of exports, The collection at Canton fell off this year about five per cent., Opiam being responsible for the decline; the import of Cottons and Woollens was about up
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.