TEE IRRIGATION AGE. 



creased from 33,960,050 haikwan taels in 1895 to 40,161,115 in 1899, and 

 from the continent of Europe (Russia excepted), they increased from 

 7,552,099 Haikwan taels in 1895 to 10,172,398 in 1899. Thus, while the 

 imports from Great Britain show an increase of 18 per cent, from 

 1895 to 1899, and those from Europe show an increase of 35 per cent., 

 those from the United States show an increase of 337 per cent. Tak- 

 ing the imports from all parts of the world, the figures for 1895 show 

 a total of 171,696,715 Haikwan taels and in 1899, 264,748,456, or an in- 

 crease in the entire importation of 54 per cent, against an increase of 

 337 per cent, in the imports from the United Sta.tes. 



Reporting upon the foreign trade of Shanghai, the Commissioner 

 of Customs at that port says: "The import trade in piece goods dur- 

 ing the year showed great vitality. Almost every item of importance 

 show improvement, the most remarkable being found in white shirt- 

 ings, sheetings of all descriptions, chintzes and twills, handkerchiefs, 

 towels and cotton flannel. Notwithstanding the continued increase in 

 the consumption of American domestics, English goods have managed 

 to show satisfactory progress. There are several makes, notably 

 prints and dyed fancy fabrics, which are not interfered with by Amer- 

 ican competition as yet; and although they must be looked upon more 

 as luxuries than as actual necessities, the trade in them is growing in 

 importance and value." 



The Commissioner of Customs at Canton reports as follows: "The 

 value of our foreign imports exceeded that for 1898 by nearly two- 

 million taels, being 13,861,995 Haikwan taels. With the exception of 

 cotton yarn, nearly all the staple articles, such as Manchester goods, 

 kerosene oil and American flour advanced considerably." 



Commenting upon the growth in the import trade at Tientsin, 

 which showed a gain of 6,700.000 taels over 1898, the commissioner at 

 that point says: " The conspicuous gains are in white shirtings, and 

 more especially in American sheetings; this last article having gained 

 90,000 pieces over the record of 1898. American drills have declined 

 17 per cent, below the import quantity of 1898, although as regards 

 value they show a gain of 6 per cent. American kerosene oil has 

 fallen off greatly, the import (1,868,000 gallons) being only half that 

 of 1898. Machinery, railway materials, munitions of war and govern- 

 ment stores all show an increase over the figures for 1897 and 1898." 



Imports into the United States from Porto Rico have trebled, and 

 exports to that island from the United States have quadrupled in the 

 five months since the enactment of the new Porto Rican tariff act, as 

 compared with those of the corresponding months of 1896 and 1897 

 when Porto Rico was under the Spanish flag. The Porto Rican tariff 

 act went into effect May 1, 1900. The imports from the island in the- 



