Bevieu- of Eeviews, Hi/ 13. 



LEAD/XG ARTICLES. 



175 



THE FAR EAST. 



CHINA'S UNDEVELOPED 

 RESOURCES. 



If the new Government of China 

 takes a statesmanlike view of the situa- 

 tion, steps will be taken to reverse the 

 old Manchu policy of the closed door, 

 and the great country will take its 

 place amongst the foremost industrial 

 nations of the world. England and 

 Germany have been able to secure their 

 position owing to the presence of coal 

 and iron in their respective borders, and 

 China is, if anything, much more highly 

 favoured in respect of the character 

 and extent of her mineral supplies. 



In that interesting magazine. The 

 Republican Advocate, Mr. C. C. Lue 

 writes on " The Future Outlook of 

 China," and indicates the extent of the 

 mineral deposits of the middle-king- 

 dom. He says : — 



In practically every province in China 

 ithere are moiintainis of unlimited wealtli 

 in the ores, precious stones, and useful 

 metals. It is certainly surprising to find 

 that in Shansi the immense deposit.s of coal, 

 iron, and limest-one should lie so closely laid 

 down, so as to provide for a very convenient 

 and economical development of metallurgical 



industry. The coalfield in that province 

 alone i.s able to snpply the whole world, at 

 the present rate of consumption, for several 

 thousand years. Yunnan is undoubtedly the 

 richest province, as minerals of almost every 

 description are to be found, such as copper, 

 silver, lead, zinc, gold, tin, gypsum, alum, 

 marble, coal, and precious .stones of various 

 kinds; and in some districts platinum and 

 nickel have also been found. Szechuan is 

 again famous for its natural resources. Coal 

 and iron deposits are to be seen nearly 

 everywhere. Ores of copper, silver, tin, gold, 

 lead, and zinc are abundant. Moreover, the 

 natural gas in this western part of Cliina 

 has been used for ages in evaporating salt 

 water and procuring salt, and the innumer- 

 able cascades which tlasli doAvn the ravines 

 of the extensive mountain chains can be 

 utilised, as in the case of the Niagara Falls 

 for producing electric power. Kwei-Chow 

 is capable of producing copper, iron, coal, 

 quicksilver, zinc, lead, and nitre. Kwangsi 

 is abundant in gold, silver, lead, iron, tin, 

 antimony, coal and platinum. Kwangtung 

 is rich in coal iron, slate, silver, copper, lead 

 and tin. Among the northern provinces 

 Shangtung abounds in coal, iron, lead, cop- 

 per, gold, and quicksilver; Shensi produces 

 good iron and coal; and Kansu is known to 

 have treasures of iron, gold, silver, and 

 'petroleum. In Central China, Honan is 

 famous for its coal, iron, and antimony, and 

 is also rich in gold, lead, copper, zinc, and 

 tin ; Hunan is productive in coal, tin, iron, 

 and lead; whilst Hupeh is abundant in iron, 

 coal, lead, zinc, and manganese. Speaking 



Miii'kno'h^i-pao.] 



The Cliincsc Giant and His "Iriciidi." 



