Commissioner of Customs in charge at Canton, sees ni wy in the statistics of the trade there in 1902 to indicate the existence of any such depression as was "alleged by some people" to have made tet felt. The ne value of the year's trade reached Hk. Tis, 79,744,707, the highest figure on record, and nearly twenty million-taels above the point reached in 1901. This prosperity was attained in the face of droughts both in spring and autumn which seriously damaged the first crop of rice, and practically ruined the second, Rice was fortunately plentiful in the Yangtze Valley, and the importation of nearly two million piculs in the last quarter of the year kept the prices of this Chinese staff of life within a reasonable range. The fleet of steamers plying between Canton and Hon; kong is constantly being cular; the number of foreign firms at Canton constantly increases; there has been considerable building activity on Shamien, notwithstanding whicl the house accommodation is insufticient for the requirements; and there is a talk of acquiring a Foreign Settlement on the southern side of the river, on the Honam Back Reach. "All things considered," says Mr, Johnston, "there is every indication in favour of a continued expansion of the trade of the port."
The revenue collected during the year was the largest on record, Hk, Ts, 2,592,260, Mr. Johnston gives three causes for this (1) the general improvement in trade; (2) the new tariff; (3) the transfer of traffic from junks to steamers owing to the placing of the Native Customs under the control of the Imperial Maritime Customs. There were no special features to record in connection with foreign imports, whose total value was fit. Tle. 16,500,000 there were noticeable increases in Indian cotton yarn, tinplates, pig lead, raw cotton, kerosene oil, and white sugar, while the trade in cotton piece-goods was stationary.
Tt is very satisfactory that the trade in exports at Canton continues to expand. "The steady depreciation of silver has influenced this branch and stimulated exports to such an extent that, as regards one or two of the principal staples, the supply was not equal to the demand, and both native and foreign merchants engaged in it have hod a fairly remunerative year. The increases are chiefly in cassia lignea, matting, and silk." Very high prices had
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.