Tue first in geographical order of the ports that gave a reduced revenue in the last quarter of 1890 was Chefoo, but though the collection was considerably less than in 1889, it was slightly larger than in 1888." The falling-off was entirely in export duty, every other head of revenue showing an improvement. Imports were more than well maintained, cotton yarn increasing from 18,000 to 29,000 piculs. Luxuries such as sugar and seaweed showed a very considerable advance. In many of the staple exports the decline was very marked, as the following extract from the table shows 1890.
1889, Beancake Bean Dried dates Vermicelli Of the two river ports that showed a decline, that at Hankow amounted to about 16 per cent., and the collection 7 was smaller than in 1888. As might be expected, the falling-off was chiefly in the export duty, which amounted to Ts. 330,000 in 1889, and only to 4 Ts. 267,000 in 1890. The import business was satisfactory throughout in quantity, 66,000 piculs of yarn being taken against 10,000 piculs in the previous year, and this did not interfere with the import of cotton goods. The exports of produce kept up well, except in the case of tea. Black tea fell from 55,000 to 23,000 piculs, and black brick tea from 91,000 to.82,600 piculs. InKiukiang the collection was also below that of 1888, export duty being again the culprit, amounting as it did to only Ts. 72,000 against Ils. 89,000 in 1889. Imports were fairly maintained in Kin-Kiang except in the case of grey shirtings; yarn rose from 4,600 to 7,800 piculs. Except chinaware, all the principal exports showed a decline hemp, paper, black, green, and brick, tea, and tobacco. The decline in that disappointing port Wenchow was altogether in opium duty and likin, only 21 piculs, having been imported in the quarter against 36 piculs in 1889. Otherwise the trade of Wéenchow was about up to the average. The collection at Foochow was not only markedly below that in 1889, but' also considerably smaller than in 1888; the export duty in 1890 amounting only to Tls. 299,000 against Us, 395,000 in 1889. There was only a slight decline in the import of opium, and_a considerable increase in cotton goods, while imports generally, and most of the exports, were up to the average. Black tea, however, declined from Pls, 149,000 in 1889 to Pls. 106,000 in 1890, and this alone accounts for the deficiency in the collection. The deficiency in-tamsui was only trifling, and it occurred in the export duty, a small advance being shown under every other head of revenue. The staple exports of tamsui are coal and tea; 7,000 tons ofthe former were exported in 1890 against 11,000 tons in 1889, and Pls. 24,000 of oolong against Pls. 27,000 in the previous year. The revenue of Amoy appears to be con tinuously declining. For the last. quarter of the year it was/I'ls. 283,000 in 1890, Us. 301,000 in 1889, and Ts. 338,000 in 1888, he decline in 1890 was, in export duty and opium duty and likin, Imports were fairly well maintained, that of opium only showing a slight decline, while Indian yarn rose from Pls. 12,000 to Pls. 15,000. In the principal exports there was a decline which we should have expected to affect the collection more seriously than it did, for sugar fell from Pls. 52,000 to Pls, 22,000, and tea from Pls. 68,000 to Pls. 22,400, the smallest export for the quarter for some time. Of these quantities of tea, Pls. 12,000 in 1890 were re-exports, against Pls. 52,000 in the previous year. At Canton the collection, though so much smaller than that in 1889, was larger than that in 1888. The falling-off in 1890 was universal; but export duty was. the principal culprit, the revere under that head being Tls. 225,000 in 1889, and Tls, 178,000 in. 1890. The imports of piece-goods into Canton were generally below those in the previous year, but yarn recovered nearly to the figures of 1887, the table showing an import of Pls. 29,000 in that year, 18,000 in 1888 and 1889, and 27,000 in 1890. The chief feature in the imports into Canton was the advance in rice and paddy from Pls. 563,000 in 1889 to Pls. 1,215,000 in 1890. The export of canes, fans, matting, sugar, and prepared tobacco showed an advance; but cassia fell from Pls. 8,400. to Pls, 1,800; raw silk from
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.