The trade report for 1920 on Kowloon, issued by the Maritime Customs, position in Hongkong during the year. It is compiled by Mr. W. G. Lay, Commissioner, who inserts an exceedingly interesting introductory paragraph to the following effect With the abnormal conditions prevailing in the adjacent province and the south of China generally throughout a considerable portion of the year, the fact that trade by junk in the Kowloon district did not cease altogether is evidence once more of the extraordinary vitality of this class of commerce and trader m China; but that the year's figures for movements ut cargo should exhibit not inconsiderable improvement when compared with those for the previous 12 months makes one realize how much aw few years of uninterrupted peace would mean to the now much-harassed merchant 2nd junk owner and to the country's prosperity in general.
The trade value figures for 1920 at first glance, it is true, indicate somewhat less prosperous state of affairs than during 1919; but on closer inspection of the statistics accompanying this report it will be seen that, if the rice import—which in 1920 alone was valued at over Hk. Tls. 3,500,000 "less than that in 1919—is excluded from both years' returns, the commodities imported and exported throughout 1920 by junk and by' rail were valued at a figure which 12 Hk. Tls. 2,700,- 000 above that for the previous year and brought in a total revenue exceeding that collected during 1919} Over 21 per cent.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.