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The people on the island speak several languages, Among the Hans alone, there exist five different dialects, while the Li clansmen have their own peculiar language. The most popular dialects, however, are the Cantonese and the Kiungchow.
'Communteation with the island is mostly by means of junk and steam~ ships, which make frequent from' Hongkong, Kwangchow Bay, Singapore, Siam, Macao and Canton. The Island carries on a prosperous trade with the South Seas, Siam and Annam, As to land communication on the island, highways totalling a length of more than 3,600 kilometres have been constructed in recent years, and much of the traMe is by motor-car. The Hainan authorities, it Is learned, are now planning to build a highway through the Li districts at a cost of deal for Agriculture In view of its tropical climate and fertility of the soil, the island Ideal for agriculture.' The plains are suitable for the plantation of cereals, sugar, peanuts, coffee, tobacco, pineapples, rubber, palm trees, cocoanut trees, tea and beans. Forests are found at various mountain ranges on} the istand, their areas reaching 1,610, 000 mow.' The island also possesses various kinds of tropical products.
The industries on the island are also not Insignificant. Among those worth wile mentioning are sugar, Yeather, vegetable oils, porcelain and chinaware, charcoal, " buffalo skin, Teather cases, texile goods, shoes, ice, soap, glass bamboo and ropes.
Despite numerous industries, economic conditions. on the island are backward. Wages are surprisingly low. The average daily pay for the men and women workers is only 60 cents at the most and 30 cents at the least.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.