COMMERCE
725
foreign syndieate is working for petroleum . Copper ore is plentiful in Yunnan, where the copper-mining industry has long existed ; near Kiukiang rich veins of copper ore are now lieing worked, and near the city of Mengtsz tin, lead, and silver are found. Antimony ore is exported from Hunan. In Tam Chiu (Hainan) mining for tin and gold has been begun under the Chinese Board of Works ; silver, copper, and lead are known to exist in the island. Many mining concessions have been granted, but in the majority of cases, the foreign concessio)iaires have failed to make any practical use of the concessions granted to them, although the first 3 coal mines named above are all foreign enterprises.
The mineral exports of China in two years are given as follows : —
Exports
1910
1011
Tons.
£
Tons.
£
Antimony :
Begulus and reflnecl .
6,538
85,503
6,878
95,310
Ore
Iron : Pig and manufactnred
5,670
60,174
6,704
r.3,286
64,348
213,097
60,7.-5
214,877
Ore
130,466
30,708
110,521
33,648
Lead
2
30
11
155
„ Oro
5,004
16,003
5,325
16.711
QuicksilveT ....
48
0,207
IS
3,916
Tin in slabs
6,407
840,023
5,060
866,451
Zinc .....
206
2,604
600
11,976
M Ore
0,631
15,581
4,705
6,082
Tin is the most important mineral export. It is mined in Yunnan, and through Mengtsz it reaches Hong Kong, whence it is shipped to foreign countries. Coal exports are increasing rapidly, amounting in 1911 to 326,610 tons, value 256,640^ as against 318,124 tons, value 229,602Z. in 1910.
Commerce.
Foreign trade of China (exclusive of bullion) : —
—
1907
£
67,664,222 42,061,8(13
1908
1909
1910
1911
Net Imports . Exports
£ 52,600,730 36,888,050
£ 54,477,665 44,139,689
£ 62,331,472 51,273,654
£ 63,481,130 50,803,081
Trade by countries in '
1911 : —
-
Imports from
Exports to
Total Trade
£
£
£
United Kingdom .
12,116,701
2,328,469
14,445,260
Hong Kong .
19,959,611
13,057,619
33,917,230
India
4,986,003
782,196
5,768,289
Russia and Sil)r>ria
2,324,571
6,828,414
9,152,985
France .
406,376
5,264,558
5.670,934
fiprmany
3,023,463
1,897,779
4,021,242
Belijinin .
1,463,142
011,685
2,374,827
Italy
90,804
1.258,202
1,349,186
United States
5,406,202
4,572,083
10,069,185
Japan
10,704,361
8,353,937
19,058,298
The imports into China from Hong Kong come originally from, and the exports from China to that colony are further carried on to. Great Britain, Germany, France, America, Austr^ia, India, the Straits, and other countries.
