This page needs to be proofread.

644

HONG KONG.

Years

Exports from Hong Kong

Imports of British Produce

to Great Britain

into Hong Kong

£

£

1865

773,068

1,548,698

1866

282,273

2,387,017

1867

183.373

2.471,809

1868

235,804

2,185,972

1869

281,932

2,130,837

The chief article of exports from Hong Kong to Great Britain in the five years 18G5-69 was raw cotton, the value of which amounted to 532,059/. in 1865, but sank to 10,0017. in 1867, and ceased altogether in 1868. Tea, of the value of 48,9647. in 1869, against 157,907/. in 1868, was the only other notable export article during the same period. The British imports into Hong Kong consist almost entirely of manufactured textile fabrics, mainly cotton goods.

The subjoined table gives the value of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufactures from 1850 to 1869, exhibiting separately the imports into China and into Hong Kong, and jointly to both, so as to show the share of Hone Kong in Chinese commerce.

Imports of

Imports of

I

Tears

British Produce '

British Produce

Total into

into China

into Hong Kong

China and Hong Kong

£

£

£

1850

975,954

598,191

1,574.145

1851

1,528.869

632,399

2,161,268

1852

1,918.244

585,355

2,503,599

1853

1,373,689

375,908

1,749.597

1864

532.639

468.077

1.000,716

1855

888.679

389,265

1,277,944

1856

.415.178

800,645

2,216.123

1857

L,728,885

721.097

2,449,982

1858

1.730,778

1,145,669

2,876,447

1859

2,525.997

1,931.576

4,457,573

I860

2,872,045

2,445,991

5,318.036

1861

3,114.694

1,733,963

4.848.657

1863

2,024.118

1,113.224

3,137,342

1863

2,416.705

1,473.222

3,889,927

1864

3,093,865

1,618.867

4,711,478

1865

3,603,595

1,548.698

5.152,293

1866

5,090.1)7 1

2.387,017

7.477.091

1867

4,996.469

2.171.809

7,468,278

1868

6,312,175

2,185,972

8,498,147

1869

6,842,840

2,130,837

8,973,677

It will be seen that the British trade Avith Hong Kong underwent great fluctuations in the twenty years from 1850 to 1869, but