136 COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



European cotton piece-goods imported (via Shanghai) into Ningpo, etc. Continued. 



* Average. 



PROVINCE OF KWANGTUNG. 



REPORT BY CONSUL SEYMOUR, OF CANTON. 

 QUANTITY AND KIND IMPORTED PER ANNUM. 



The official return of the six Imperial custom-houses at the coast 

 port of the province of Kwangtung, show that in 1888, which was 

 nearly an average year, cotton manufactures or textiles were imported 

 to the value of $3,062,640 United States currency. Of this amount 

 about three-fourths (or $2,300,000) consisted of white and gray shirtings ; 

 including the better qualities gray shirting cloths, which are designated 

 in custom-house returns, and by British traders and merchants in mar- 

 ket reports, as T-cloths, which are really " gray shirtings." 



The other fourth of imported cotton textiles (stated in their relative 

 order as to value of imports), consists of chintz and furnitures, velvets 

 and velveteens, dyed, figured, brocaded, and spotted shirtings, drills, 

 towels, plain and printed cambrics, muslins, and lawns, damasks, quilts, 

 and handkerchiefs, cretonne, mosquito netting, Turkey reds, etc. 



WEIGHT AND QUALITY. 



The circular called for " weight of cotton textiles per yard ;" t>ut in 

 China, as in all other countries, such goods as " gray and white shirt- 

 ings " are described, bought, and sold, with reference to width, length, 

 and weight per piece ; and buyers and sellers also take into considera- 

 tion the fineness or coarseness of texture, and styles of dressing, with 

 the presence or absence of pipe-clay or other materials affecting weight 

 and appearance; as many European goods are "loaded." Gray ehirt- 

 ings in lengths of 38 to 39 yards, and from 36 to 39 inches in width, 

 vary from 6 to 10 pounds per piece in weight. 



Gray T-cloths (gray shirtings) in lengths of 24 yards, and 32 inches 

 in width, vary from 6 to 8J pounds per piece. White shirtings, in 



