126 



CHINA. 



chow with 82, Yunnan with 51, and the great 

 province of Shenking with only 10 persons to 

 the square mile. 



The dependencies of China, not including 

 Corea, which is practically independent in its 

 internal and external affairs, subject to a suze- 

 rain control that is kept almost entirely in 

 abeyance, have an estimated area and popula- 

 tion as follow : 



The greater part of the Hi, or Kulja, terri- 

 tory in Jungaria was receded to China by the 

 treaty concluded with Russia, Feb. 24, 1881, 

 but 4,340 square miles were annexed to Eussia, 

 which received also 8,120 square miles on the 

 Black Irtysh. 



The population of Peking, the capital, is esti- 

 mated variously at from 500,000 to 1,650,000. 

 Several cities in the interior are supposed to 

 contain over 1,000,000 inhabitants. The esti- 

 mated population of the treaty ports is as fol- 

 lows: Canton, 1,600,000; Tientsin, 950,000; 

 Foochow, 630,000; Hangchow, 600,000; 

 Shanghai, 350,000; Ningpo, 260,000; Takao 

 and Taiwan, 235,000; Nanking, 150,000; 

 Chinkiang, 135,000; Amoy, 95,600; Tamsui, 

 90,000; Wenchow, 83,000; Kelung, 70,000; 

 Niuchwang, 60,000 ; Wuhu, 60,000 ; Kiukiang, 

 53,000; Chefoo, 35,000; Ichang, 34,000 ; Swa- 

 tow, 30,000; Kiungchow, 30,000; Pakhoi, 

 25,000. 



The number of foreigners residing in the 

 treaty ports in 1882 was reported as 4,894, of 

 whom 2,402 were English, 474 Germans, 472 

 Japanese, 410 Americans, 335 French, 202 

 Spaniards, and 599 of other nationalities. 



Commerce and Agriculture. The annual value 

 of the foreign commerce for the past six years 

 was as follows, in taels (1 Haikwan tael= 

 $1.50): 



The imports in 1882 from Great Britain, Hong- 

 Kong, East India and other British possessions 

 amounted to 67,640,000 taels; the exports to 

 Great Britain and British dependencies to 40,- 

 301,000 taels; the imports from the United 

 States to 3,277,000 taels, as against 3,300,000 

 in 1881 ; the exports to the United States to 

 8,420,000 taels, as against 10,222,000; the im- 

 ports from Continental countries, not includ- 

 ing Russia, to 2,484,000 taels ; the exports to 

 Continental Europe to 8,752,000 taels ; the ex- 



ports to Russia by ship to Odessa, 946, 00( 

 taels, overland via Kiachta, 3,286,000 taels 

 imports from Japan, 4,442,000 taels ; export: 

 to Japan, 1,767,000 taels ; imports from am 

 exports to other countries, 1,644,000 and 3, 

 865,000 taels respectively. The main part o: 

 the import trade is through Shanghai, whicl 

 does also the largest export trade, Canton com 

 ing next, and after it Foochow and Hangchow 

 The following table gives an analysis of th< 

 foreign trade of 1881 and 1882, showing th< 

 values imported and exported of the differem 

 classes of merchandise, in taels : 



Chinese trade has suffered for a year or tw< 

 .from various causes. In 1882, in consequent 

 of excessive speculation in joint-stock enter 

 prises, occurred a financial crisis. Interest ros< 

 at times in 1882 to 30 and 35 per cent. Man} 

 failures happened in consequence. The im- 

 ports of gray and white shirtings were less bj 

 a million pieces than in 1881, and prices wen 

 10 per cent, lower. Opium imports fell of 

 9,000 chests. The reformatory efforts of th< 

 Chinese Government and the use of theSzech- 

 uen product have nearly expelled the Indiar 

 drug from northern China. The quantity im- 

 ported at the northern ports was but little 

 more than a third as much as in 1879. The 

 yield of silk has fallen off to an alarming ex- 

 tent. The cause is supposed to be the ravages 

 of a disease of the silk-worm similar to thai 

 which prevails in Europe. The falling off was 

 considerable in 1882; but in 1883 the quantity 

 fit for export was not more than half as much 

 as in average years. The cultivation of the 

 sugar-cane is extending in southern China in 

 the country back of Amoy, Swatow, and Can- 

 ton, and on the island of Hainan and the south- 

 ern part of Formosa. The exports of sugar go 

 mostly to Australia and Japan. In certain dis- 

 tricts along the East river as much as 40 per 

 cent, of the area is planted to sugar, exciting 

 the anxiety of conservative native economists, 

 who see the more necessary rice-culture neg- 

 lected for the more profitable new product. 



In 1882, notwithstanding the general depres- 

 sion in trade, there was a further develop- 

 ment of the tendency which first showed itself 

 a year or two before, on the part of Chinese 



