OS AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



in a solution of camphor, dried, and polished, only an expert can dis- 

 tinguish between the genuine and the counterfeit. Teak, China fir, 

 and the genuine camphor wood are imported from the interior of China. 

 A small quantity of Oregon pine is brought from the United States. 

 This is at present used only for repairing ships and replacing masts 

 and spars. The quantity is comparatively small, the bulk of it being 

 brought by one vessel, a bark of about 800 tons, which makes one 

 voyage a year. 



DUTY AND PRICES. 



Hongkong being a u free port," there are no import duties and no 

 custom-house; hence it is absolutely impossible to obtain any statistics 

 of the amount of lumber imported from other countries. 



Oregon pine sells for about $30 per 1,000 feet. The various hard 

 woods bring from 60 cents to $1.25 a cubic foot, according to quality. 



CLIMATE. 



We have practically only two seasons in the year, the dry and the 

 rainy. The first lasts usually from September or October to February, 

 inclusive, the second during the rest of the year. The heaviest rainfall 

 is usually in June, when the heat is oppressive. After the 1st of July 

 the humidity of the atmosphere greatly diminishes, and although the 

 temperature during July and August averages 80 to 81 F. (the maxi- 

 mum for last year being 93.9), the heat is by no means unbearable 

 for persons properly clothed. 



During July, August, and September Hongkong is subject to fre- 

 quent circular storms or typhoons, which usually arise in the Philip- 

 pines and travel northward up the Formosa Channel and the east coast 

 of China, occasionally proving very destructive to life and property, 

 particularly if they bend to the westward and go inland. 



From October to January is usually the pleasantest part of the year, 

 closely resembling the New England autumn or Indian summer. The 

 lowest temperature recorded in 1892 was 44.2 F. 



Although the city is built on a rocky hillside, malaria is very preva- 

 lent; but this is chiefly attributable to the entire absence (until 

 recently) of drainage. Under the present enlightened regime there 

 is no doubt that Hongkong should become, like Singapore, a recog- 

 nized sanitarium for those debilitated by malaria or bowel diseases. 



W. E. HUNT, 

 Consul. 



HONGKONG, February 2, 1894. 



