The Trade of Szechuan 9 



Chung-king in the year 1897, viz. of those that paid duty at 

 the Imperial Maritime Customs, compared with those of the 

 previous year : Chung-king being the commercial metropolis 

 of West China, to which the Yang-tse Gorges form the 

 approach. 



The above figures provide a fair resume of the trade of 

 Szechuan as it stands to-day, but they are incomplete, as it 

 is optional to the Chinese merchant to pass his goods either 

 through the " foreign " or through the native Customs ; he, 

 of course, selects the cheaper " squeeze " of the two, accord- 

 ing to the quality and destination of his shipment. When 

 the day comes in which all merchandise will be carried by 

 steam, then all will come under the control of the Maritime 

 Customs ; but it is to be hoped that in that good time the 

 folly of multiplying Custom-houses all over the interior 

 country wiU be so universally apparent as to have led to 

 their abolition at the inland ports. Increased " Maritime " 

 dues at the coast ports might be conceded as an equivalent, 

 and the vexatious delays and restrictions of the present 

 mediteval system of collecting the necessary revenue be 

 removed. 



Chung-king was formally opened to foreign trade in 1890, 

 and, during the seven years since elapsed, the Imperial 

 Maritime Customs' receipts have advanced in a way most 

 satisfactory to the Central, although less so to the Provincial, 

 Government. The figures for 1897 were as under : — 



Total customs revenue Customs revenue on Proportion of Sze- 



at thirty-two treaty Szechuan trade col- chuan collections to 



ports. Haikwan lected at Chung- whole of China, 3 '6 



taels 22,742,000. king and Ichang. percent. 

 Haikwan ta«ls 

 8 1 3, OCXS. 



Import of cotton piece Import of cotton piece Proportion of Sze- 



goods into whole of goods into Chung- chuan import, 38 



China: 15,156,074 king: 582,679pieces percent. 

 pieces =;^5,723,ooo. =£2^\,^it. 



