We publish below the Report on the Trade of Chinkiang for 1908, by Mr. #1. M. Hillier, Comfaissio ner of Custome from a volume just issued by the Statistical Department of the Imperial Maritime Customs Unseasonable rains, calamitous floods, and an almost complete failure, not only of grain crops, but also of the many other agricultural products of the vast jon which feeds the trade of the nang, might not unreasonably be expected to herald " corresponding shrinkage in the revenue of the port most lent for ita trade on the districts affected; but, though the above conditions have prevailed to an extent unknown for nearly forty yeara, the revenue has reach od the highest total hitherto recorded. The explanation of this anomaly will appear Jater. It will be interesting at firat to give " fow details of the abnormal conditions above alluded to. The early spring wheat crop was the fret disappointment to the farmer; Isck of rain caused © poor development of grain in the ear, aod just at the time of harvest the rain came with exceptional violones, utterly destroying the slresdy poor crop, which, when garnered, produced, little but empty and blackened ears. At this time the prospect of the Tice crop was encouraging, but the -ain cantinged, with the result that in the lowlands northward, which form the greater part of the producing ares, the young paddy plants were too much under water for healthy growth. The high price of rice in May led to riots at bygone Shaopu and Siennumiao; the populace believing that dealers and farmers wore holding their stocks for further rise. Order was restored by the authorities fixing " lower price, but again in July the rioting st Siennumiso became serious that it was only quelled by the despstoh of an armed force under orders from the Viosroy. Serious disturbances took place simultaneously at Taichou, Paoying, Yangobou, Kusebon, Shaopy, and Tsiogkiangpu, where Fige shops were sacked and officials assaulted. In the higher lying valleys southward of Chinkiang, s comparative: small area, the crop proved exceptionally good; but very deficient in the Hosian avd Yangehou prefectures, which embrace an important rice. growing country eastward of the Grand Canal, below the level of its bed, aod comprised in the districts Tungtai, Kaya, Hight Taichou, and Paoying. Thirty-nine years sgo this whole country was devastated by the sudden rush of water sot free by premature op f the dykes; crops, bouses, cattle, and many human lives were lost. Ta 1906 the danger was again imminent, but was partially averted by the energy and watchfulness ut the Husian Tsotai, K'uai Kuavg-tiao, who earned the praises of the people by through many days the canal was. flooded to the brim, weak places and pre currenceof any breach in the embankment. At last, on August 16, it became necessary to relieve tt! pressure of the flood. The stone dike at Chelopa was first cut, followed by others, thus allowing the waters to flow into the numerous smaller drainage canals which intersect the country, overflowing their banks and spreading over the fields at first, but gradually finding their way through these ohannols to theses. By this time, however, much of the crops hed been gathered in and stored in safety; four-tenths, it is estimated, having, been secured, The people wore thu greater calamity of igkiangpa the conditions were leas favourable, The Hungtse Lake, fed by the Huai River and innumerable streams, lies in close proximity to ite western side, with a narrow outlet for its waters st Lintsingyon into the Grand Canal, the old bed of the Yellow River also crosses the canal from the north-west just above this point and formerly flowed eastward to the sea, but the mouth is now blocked with siltage, though the river bed still carries " coptiderable body of water; running for some distance parallel with it from the north-west comes the Grand. Canal. From these three sources came the disssteous flood that will make the year long memorable. Drainag channels loseling seawards once existed, but have been neglected and have become useless with silt. The old mouth of the Yellow River might have relieved jood, but is also blocked, and th fertile prosperous country became vast Luke between Sisohsien and Tsing-ho on the west to Haichou and Antung on the enst, Crops were utterly destroyed throughout this district and the inhabitants rendered destitute, About the middle of November the destitute country folk with their families had found their way to the leeding cities on the "Grand Canal, where the authorities took them under their protection, forming camps, oF sections, for greater convenience of control and relief, given chiefly in the form of copper money. Many refugees also came to Chinkiang and Nanking, but the greater number were detained in the camps on the canal. Widely different estimates have been given of the number of sufferers, One authority, who travelled through the district, puta the number of those entirely destitute at about " million and half, which seems to accord with the opinions of those best in a position to know. The direct cost of the famine, cost of supporting and feeding the people, is estimated at from two to three, millions of teals; the insirest cost in loss of life, crops, property and trade,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.