Ir is pitiable to see how Foochow continues to deserve the title of a port in decay. Mr, Walter Lay begins his report for 1901 by saying: "The year cannot be suid to have been 9 prosperous one from a mercantile point of view, as numerous complaints have reached me that trade was in a depressed state throughout the province." 'I'he net value of the trade of the port was Hk. Tls. 14,432,516 against Tls. 15,341,825 in 1900 and Tis, 17,351,807 in 1899. Looking back, the decay of Foochow is easily explained. The export of black tea in 1882 was Pls, 649,755; in 1901
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.