Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/464

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452 CHINA though the cash (tsieri) is the only native coin now current, while Mexican dollars are em- ployed as a commercial medium along the coast. The tael (equal to 10 mace, or 100 candareens, or 1,000 cash) varies in different parts of the empire. At Shanghai the intrinsic value of a Mexican dollar is esteemed -?$ of a tael. This would make the tael about $1 39 Mexican. The market value of the Mexican dollar fluctuates from '72 to '82 ; an average value is about '75. The Carolus dollar, for- merly much used, passed for a considerable period as the equivalent of the tael. It is now seldom seen in China. The native bullion is called sycee, and the ingots weigh from 5 to 50 taels. The tael (liang catty (kin), and pecul (tan) are the weights commonly employed. The catty is 1 Ib. avoirdupois, the tael 1J oz., and the pecul 133^ Ibs. Of long measures, the chih or foot is the unit of length (according to the tariff, 14-1 inches English). It is subdi- vided into 10 Uun, and each tsun into 10 fan. The decimal division runs through nearly all the Chinese weights and measures. The Chi- nese mile (li) is 0-3576 of the statute mile. The land measures are the man, fun (-fa of the man), li (-^j- fun), and hau ( T ' T li). The usual mau is about 7,000 square feet ; 1 00 mau make a king. The following tables exhibit the trade of China with the countries named for the year 1871, the values being expressed in Shanghai taels (1 tael equals about $1 40 gold). They are taken from reports published by Mr. Hart, and show the trade carried on under foreign flags at the open or treaty ports. No accurate exhibit of the trade of China can be made in the absence of data regarding that of Hong Kong, or that carried on with Hong Kong under the native flag. It should be mentioned also that Hong Kong produces nothing and consumes but little, and that the merchandise exchanged with the colony comes from or is destined for Great Britain, America, India, the Straits, &c. COUNTRIES. Great Britain Hong Kong India United States Continent of Europe Japan Australia. Siberia and Russia via Kiakhta Singapore and Straits. . . Russia ( Odessa) Philippine Islands Java Slam Cochin China British Channel British America Amoor Provinces. New Zealand South America South Africa Suez. Less reexports. Total. . . ImporU. 29,152,268* 25.876.627 20.928.023 601,105 268,120 2,109.202 417,087 90 684,446 Export*. Total. 224.S1 1 158,622 247,411 210,475 14,972 186.510 80.414.709 2,224.616 89.OS,6!)6 12,505,499 284,110 11,597,745 4,088.520 1,816.250 j 1,876,954 1,087.577 899,768 445,142 192,959 240.898 116,845 148.427 882,156 201,818 19,885 106,886 98.725 27.041 25,754 78,190,093 74,860,550 158,050,648 6^,960.954 87,882.126 20,157,188 12.09S.850 4.846.640 8,425,452 2,298,991 1.087,667 1,084,209 445,142 417.770 894.520 864.256 858,902 882.156 216.290 155,845 106.886 98.725 27.041 25,754 NATURE OF THE TRADE IMPORTS. Opium* 29.261,518 Cotton goods 29,808,788 Woollen goods 4.765.K76 Raw cotton 8,974,597 Metals 2,488,544 Coal Seaweed and agar-agar Sugar, brown ' white Ginseng Rice Birds' nests Biche de mar. . . 808,440 751,938 869,886 274,192 450,187 405,620 385,125 249,236 Unenumerated articles 4,207.651 Total 78,190,098 NATURE OF THE TRADE EXPORTS. Silk, raw and thrown . . 25,174,297 " reftase 874,065 " coarse and wild 294,825 " cocoons 109,169 " piece goods 2.852,781 u manufactured but unclassed .1 195,169 Silkworm eggs 2,147 2^,503,453 Tea, black 80,484,280 " green 9,082,417 " brick 754,495 " dust 4,588 40,826,775 Cassia. Sugar, brown 678,412 " white 269.485 " candy 174,056 Mats and matting 514,687 China ware 819,928 Unenumerated articles 8,175,176 6,081,822 Total 74,860,560 TRADE OF THE SEVERAL PORTS. PORTS ImporU. ErporU. Newchwang 209,866 149,006 Tientsin 1,844,708 1,118,767 ('hefoo 822,737 154,942 126,029 8,549,880 Kiukiang 81,997 Chlnkiang Shanghai 56,967,794 40,146,448 646,197 8,849 2,977,282 12,109,918 Tamsui 480,217 69,590 Takow 402,218 490,188 Amoy 4,289,288 2,708,106 Swatow 6,584,566 429,954 Canton 6,618,812 18,848,460 Total 80,414,709 74,860,550 Reexports from Shanghai .... " " other ports . '. 1,821,217 808,899 Total reSxports 2,224,616 Net total exports 78,190,098 The aggregate number of entrances and clear- ances of foreign vessels at the treaty ports in 1871 was 14,963; total tonnage, 7,381,557. Of the vessels 7,160, with a tonnage of 3,330,- 881, were British; 4,600, of 3,187,643 tons, were American; and 1,480, of 428,747 tons, were German. The Chinese exhibit but little disposition to emigrate, and considering the vast population of the empire but few are found outside of its borders. The migration to Java, Siam, and the straits of Malacca has extended

  • The value of the opium imported into Hong Kong over

that imported Into the open ports and stated above is 1 6,266.066 taels. All or nearly all of this excess ultimately reaches China.