LAPPA TRADE REPORT,FOR THE YEAR 1909


　　1°.LOCAL.-The tendency to a rising trade which was shown in the two preceding years has not been maintained. The net total value of the trade controlled by the Lappa Customs in 1909 shows a decrease of Hk.Tls. 2,679,552 when compared with that of 1908. This decrease of nearly 15 per cent. is not alarming, however, when it is ascertained that a good local rice harvest and a diminution in the importation of opium, that cursed poison which every good citizen of this vast Empire should wish to see disappear at the earliest possible date from our statistics,are the only causes for it. Taking off from the above total the sum of Hk.Tls. 2,664,061, which represents the shortage in the importation of rice and opium, there only remains an insignificant decrease of Hk.Tls. 15,491. There is no doubt, however, that trade in this district is stagnant.The reasons which have brought about this state of things have made the subject of many previous reports; it seems unnecessary, therefore, to refer to them again. The completion of the Sunning-Yeungkong (甯陽鐵路) Railway and the actual building up of the new commercial city of Heungchow (馿洿) clearly prove that energy and money are not deficient in this district,and, should both be employed in the right direction, it is almost a certainty that trade could be fostered with better results.—On the 3rd June took place the ceremony in celebration of the completion of the Sunning-Yeungkong Railway, with the usual, firing of crackers and bombs, the blowing of bugles, and demonstrative drum-beating by students dressed in semi-foreign uniforms. CH'ÉN WANG-TSÉNG (陳望朿), Taotai for home industries, represented the Board of Posts and Communications and K'UNG CH'ING-HUI (孔慶輿) the Viceroy of Canton. The district through which the railway runs is fertile and prosperous. The country is level, and as no tunnelling has been found necessary no great difficulty has been experienced in building the line. The few streams that are met en route have been crossed by strong wooden bridges. The trip on the 3rd June was accomplished without a hitch. An interesting point to be noted is the fact that this railway has been built by a purely Chinese company, solely with Chinese money,and entirely by Chinese engineers, without any sort of foreign assistance whatsoever, and to Mr. CHIN GEE HEE (陳宜禿), who, since his return to his native district from America, where he spent 43 years, has devoted both time and money to the building of the line, must be given the chief credit for the success of the enterprise. The company possesses nine locomotives, of which six are American and three German, ranging from 25 to 65 tons. All the cars (81, of which eight are of the corridor type) came from America. The subscribed capital of the company is $3,000,000 in $5 shares, three-fourths of which were taken up by Sunning men in California and the balance locally. The northern terminus is for the present at Kungyifow(公益埿), on the Sunwui River, and the southern at Towshan (斗山), on the south-east coast, about 5 miles east of the important seaport of Kwonghoi (廣海), but the line will be extended on the west side towards Yeungkong (陽江) and on the east side and up north towards Sunwui(新會), Kongmoon (江門), and probably Fatshan (佛山). The Kungyik-Sunwui section of 38 miles is already conceded and a few miles of rails laid on. For the present the earnings of the company are about $23,000 per month—The cutting of the first sod of the new commercial port of Heungchow (香洲) was performed on the 22nd April by His Excellency the Viceroy of the Two Kwang in drenching rain and to the accompaniment of a tremendous fusillade of firecrackers.The Viceroy was accompanied by Admiral L1, the Taotai for home industries, and the Tsinshan (前山)and Heungshan (香山) Magistrates. Eight Chinese gunboats assembled at the new port and various steamers brought visitors from Hongkong, Canton, and Macao.The site of the new port is a level sandy piece of ground of parched appearance, clothed in the primitive simplicity of nature, about 2 miles long and half a mile wide, situated on the shore of Yehli (野貍) Bay, exactly 10 miles by water from Macao Inner Harbour and about 4 miles north of the Lappa Customs Nine Islands station. Those who are familiar with the coast are of opinion that Kumsingmoon (金星門), 7 miles further north, where there is a good, natural harbour with deep water, would have been a much better selection, but it does not come within the scope of this report to give the reasons why Yehli Bay was chosen by the promoters of the new port. It is openly stated, however, that a new Chinese city, with all foreign comforts, as it is intended to make Heungchow, will be a great attraction to many wealthy Chinese emigrants,who are averse to returning to their own country and making their homes in an ordinary Chinese city or village, for the reason that, owing to long residence in foreign countries, they have acquired foreign habits, likings, and tastes. The promoters scheme is a most ambitious one. Of prime necessity there will be the construction of an immensely strong breakwater, over a mile long, and an extensive dredging, as there is no natural harbour, Yehli Bay, with an average depth of from 3 to 8 feet of water, being unprotected and open from the north-east to the southeast with a clear stretch of water to the east of from 15 to 20 miles, which makes it practically an open roadstead with a lee shore. Jetties are to be solidly constructed of large blocks of stone, which exists in large quantities in the neighbouring hills, sunk in layers between rows of wooden piles. The scheme allows for a well laid-out city, with broad streets and foreign buildings for shops and residences, which is to be governed by a municipal council; it also provides for schools, charitable institutions, police and fire stations, theatre, public gardens, electric light and trams, waterworks, afforestation, chamber of commerce, free libraries, and, in fact, everything that may tend to public good. Opium smoking and gambling of all sorts are to be strictly prohibited. Post office, telegraph, and telephone stations will be erected in the near future. Docks are to be built for the construction of large and small ships. Eight months have now elapsed since the opening ceremony of Heungchow was officially performed by His Excellency CHANG JÊN-CHÛN (張人駿), Viceroy of Canton. There are about 200 matshedserected at present, which are employed for contractors houses, carpenters workshops, coolies sleeping and eating houses, etc. There are also a few butcher, barber, blacksmith, and general dealers shops. A good many brick buildings of foreign type are in course of erection, two of them being completely finished and already let to a house builder and to a shopkeeper: these buildings are all situated on the main street leading up from the sea front. This street, which is about 80 feet wide, goes right through the new city from the first jetty, which is now practically completed, to a very substantial building, with one wing at each side, which will subsequently be used as the public works department. The police and fire brigade stations are both completed and occupied. Several wells have been sunk, giving a plentiful supply of good clear water, and drains, made of bricks and cement, are already built under the principal thoroughfares. A Customs station was established on the 1st September, and a revenue of Hk.Tls. 958 was collected during the last four months of the year. It is to be hoped that all the capital already spent will not be wasted, and that the promoters, notwithstanding the enormous difficulties of their task, will succeed in their gigantic enterprise.The following table shows the distribution of the trade among the various Customs stations in the Lappa district:‿br>
　 MALOWCHOW.  TSINSHAN.  TUNGHO.  HEUNGCHOW. (4 months.)   TOTAL.


Inwards .........
Outwards .........

TOTAL .........

 Hk.Tls
9,669,706
4,412,307		 Hk.Tls 
609,578
22,872		 Hk.Tls
339,514
364,755		 Hk.Tls 
44,643
24,146		 Hk.Tls
10,663,441
4,824,080
14,082,013 632,450 704,269 68,789 15,487,521

　　2°.REVENUE.—The yearly Lappa collection has been gradually sinking for the last four years, the revenue for 1909 of Tls. 302,427 being Tls. 122,172 below that for 1905, opium accounting for Hk.Tls. 83,749 of the decrease. Compared with the revenue of the preceding year there is a falling off of a little over 10 per cent, opium being always the chief cause of the deficiency, to the extent of Tls. 26,744 in the total decrease of Tls.34,506.
　　3°.FOREIGN GOODS.-(a.) Imports, Direct and Coastwise.—The total of foreign imports for 1909, exclusive of opium, viz., Hk.Tls. 9,956,853, shows a decrease of Hk.Tls. 2,637,535 when compared with the figures for 1908. This difference is mostly due to a shortage in the importation of rice, to the value of Hk.Tls. 2,442,476, but there is a general shrinkage in every part of this trade: Hk.Tls. 88,908 for cotton goods, Hk.Tls. 38,738 for woollen goods,Hk.Tls. 26,753 for metals, and Hk.Tls. 64,779 for sundries, only the importation of miscellaneous piece goods, principally silk, showing a slight increase, of Hk.Tls. 19,283. The large decrease in the importation of foreign rice was due to a very good spring crop in this district, which,notwithstanding the severe typhoon which partly destroyed the second harvest, brought the total yield to about 70 per cent. of the average. Among the other goods which show a heavy falling off may be mentioned: shirtings, with a decrease of nearly 67 per cent.; velvets, over 33 per cent.; iron bars, 37 per cent.; iron sheets, 42 per cent.; and bran rice, over 40 per cent. All these various decreases must be attributed to a diversion of traffic from junks through the Lappa stations to the quicker and safer mode of transport by steamers between Hongkong, Macao, Kwangchowwan, and Kongmoon, whence are supplied the various districts which, of old, were exclusively dependent on the Lappa junks. The decrease of Hk.Tls. 200,000 in the importation of fish and fishery products is due to the stopping of the boycott against Japanese goods in Hongkong and Canton. In 1908, during the existence of this serious boycott, Macao, being outside its sphere, was used as a distributing centre for these Japanese commodities, which were thence imported into the Chinese districts of the neighbourhood by junks through the Lappa stations, while in 1909 this trade partly reverted to its old channel from Hongkong by steamers. The only goods in our foreign imports table which show a marked increase over the previous year's figures are: ground-nuts, over 24 per cent.; shelled ground-nuts, 100 per cent.; brown sugar, 160 per cent.; and hard-wood timber, over 53 per cent. The crop of ground-nuts was very poor in 1909, and the natives who have not yet adopted kerosene oil had to provide themselves with ground-nuts from outside to prepare their oil. The large increase in the importation of sugar is solely due to the sugar cane having been nearly all destroyed by the last typhoon, while the construction of numerous houses and jetties at the new city of Heungchow is answerable for the increased importation of timber.
　　(b.) Re-exports.-Nil.
　　4°. NATIVE GOODS.-(a.) Exports, Abroad and Coastwise (including Re-exports).-The export trade for 1909 shows a slight increase of Hk.Tls. 179,568 over the figures of the preceding year, but is still 23 per cent. below those of 1901, the record year for the Lappa district. Notwithstanding the large increase of over 5 millions in the exportation of mats already noted in 1908 over 1907, we have still to record a further improvement of 2 millions for the year under review, the value of the mats exported from China through the Lappa stations increasing from Hk.Tls. 75,225 in 1907 to Hk.Tls. 269,591 in 1908 and to Hk.Tls. 382,927 in 1909. These mats are used for the manufacture of sails for the numerous Macao fishing junks, but the increase is specially due to a large demand from outports for packing salt and rice. Some 65 per cent.more of bags of all kinds were also exported for a similar reason to Hongkong and Japan. To meet the requirements of this increasing trade, a rather large launch, of 303 tons, running under Inland Steam Navigation Rules, the Hoilee (海利), was put on the Luichow-Malowchow line during the year, making five round trips per month. Two important tobacco factories were reorganised at Macao with increased capital, and with a plentiful supply of tobacco during the year from the Hokshan (鶴山) district required a large quantity of paper for packing purposes, most of the tobacco manufactured being sent to Singapore; this was sufficient to account for an increased demand for paper and tobacco from the surrounding districts. During the year a larger quantity of cassia oil found its way from Wuchow to Kongmoon by steamers and thence to Macao by native craft through the Lappa stations, instead of viá   Hongkong as hereto-fore, owing to some of the steamers of the larger companies refusing to carry this oil on account of its being too inflammable. Fans show a notable decrease of 6,766,921 pieces, which is accounted for by the diversion from the junk to the direct steamer trade between Kongmoon and Hongkong of all the palm-leaf fans originating from the Sunwui (新會) district. The decrease of 45 per cent. in the exportation of bricks and tiles was caused by the extensive building operations at Heungchow, which brought prices up 30 per cent. in Macao, and this prevented local traders from importing more than they absolutely required.
　　(b.) Imports.-Nil.
　　5°.INLAND TRANSIT.-Nil.
　　6°. SHIPPING.-The junk trade is steadily decreasing: steam will always have the final victory over sails, as has been the case all over the world, and junk traffic will be more and more relegated to places where steamers cannot go, either on account of smallness of trade or of shallowness of the waterways. This district has already lost a good deal of its junk trade by the establishment of regular steam service between Hongkong, Macao, Kwangchowwan, and the West River ports. The revenue of China should not suffer by this, for what is one district's loss should be another district's gain; thus, if the Kwangchowwan frontier is as well guarded as that of Lappa, the collection of the Imperial revenue there will probably compensate for the decrease caused to our revenue by the new state of things. The number of junks entered and cleared at our stations in 1909 was 11,171, against 16,601 in 1901, with a diminution in tonnage of 228,050 tons. Compared with the previous year's figures we have, however, only an insignificant decrease of 704 vessels, with 12,641 tons, and though our total trade has been 15 per cent. smaller than in 1908, the actual number of junks which entered and cleared with cargo has been only 6 per cent. less than in the previous year. The junk trade between Hongkong and Macao suffered similarly. It is yearly decreasing, only 616 junks, with a tonnage of 76,725 tons, against734, with 80,241 tons, in 1908, being sufficient to carry what remains of that once flourishing trade. The comparative table showing the value of this junk trade between the two foreign colonies speaks for itself. It is regularly dying out, the figures giving its total value being this year below the million, against 5 millions of Haikwan taels 10 years ago. The launches plying under Inland Steam Navigation Rules have been fewer but of a larger tonnage than in previous years. The number of these vessels entered and cleared at the Lappa stations during 1909 was only 3,185, with a tonnage of 152,246 tons, against 3,469 in 1908, but representing an aggregate tonnage of only 130,246 tons. A good many of these launches are towing heavier junks than in the past, and must, therefore, be more powerful to do their work satisfactorily.
　　7°. PASSENGER TRAFFIC.-532,769 travellers moved in and out of China by junks throughour stations during the year, a small decrease compared with 1908, though we have added, for the first time, some 4,000 visitors to and from the new city of Heungchow, which previously was only but a sandy beach.
　　8°. TREASURE.-With the exception of 12,000 10 cash pieces imported from Hongkong, and 116,670 silver 10-cent and 5-cent pieces exported to Canton, no movements of treasure were reported during the year.
　　9°. OPIUM-(a.) Foreign.-There is a further decrease to notice in the importation of opium, only 1,019 piculs having been imported during the year, against 1,282 piculs in 1908 and 1,783 piculs in 1905, from which year the decrease has been very regular:-
　　1905.   1906.   1907.   1908.   1909.
　　Piculs. Piculs. Piculs. Piculs. Piculs.
　　1,783   1,650   1,406   1,282   1,019
　　These amounts do not represent, however, all the opium imported into the Lappa district, as they do not include the opium imported from Hongkong, which pays duty and likin at Kowloon: 140 piculs were thus imported into the district during the year but not included in the Lappa statistics. The decrease of 263 piculs in the importation of the drug was due to various causes, of which the prohibition of opium smoking is certainly the most important; the consequent restriction of the importation of opium into China brought with it an enhanced value of the drug from $900 to $1,800 per chest for Patna, the opium merchants keeping their stock to get a better rate, and the dealers in the interior buying as little as possible, just enough to provide for the decreasing wants of their customers. The doom of the trade in prepared opium, which was carried on for so many years past with San Francisco, has been brought about by a bill which prohibited the import into the United States, after the 1st April, of opium in any form prepared for smoking. Previous to this anti-opium legislation, the opium farmer was in the habit of making regular bi-monthly shipments of the prepared drug to California, drawing his supplies of raw opium from Hongkong to the extent of over 200 chests per month. The prohibition against the importation of boiled opium into the United States reduced the farmer's business by over 70 per cent. and rendered it impossible for him to keep to the terms of his contract with the Colonial Government. His last shipment of prepared opium to San Francisco was made on the 23rd February. On the 30th April he had to close his business, forfeiting his guarantee deposit of $100,000. The opium-boiling establishment is for the present managed by the Government itself, the highest bid for farming it again, $141,700, not having been considered sufficient. There are 22 retail shops in Macao, selling about 30 catties of prepared opium daily; 10 of these shops, paying a monthly license fee of from $3 to $6, are also allowed to have smoking appliances on their premises. The following table will show at a glance the large deficit caused to the Macao opium farmer by the anti-opium regulations adopted by the United States of America, and also the great decrease of opium prepared by him for local consumption. 1,615 chests were prepared in 1908 for export abroad, while not a single ball was boiled in 1909,and 561 chests in 1908, against only 181 chests during the year under review, were prepared for local consumption:
1908. 1909.  DECREASE FOR 1909.
Opium imported by Macao merchants ....................
,, ,, ,, farmer ............................ .........
         TOTAL IMPORTED ..............................
Opium exported to China ..............................
,, prepared by farmer for local consumption ..........
,, ,, ,, export ......................................
         TOTAL LOCAL CONSUMPTION AND EXPORTED ........		 Chest.
1,072
2,157		 Chests.
851
177		 Chests.
221
1,980
3,229 1,028 2,201
1,075
561
1,615		 856
181
...		 219
380
1,615
3,251 1,037 2,214

　　It could not very well be expected that the Macao opium farmer should continue his business on these lines.
　　(b.) Native.-Nil.
　　10°. MISCELLANEOUS.-Plague made its usual appearance in April, May, and June: 390 deaths were recorded during these three months. During the month of May, scared at the presence of plague in their midst, the native population sought to propitiate the wrathful deities by an extraordinary attempt at worship. A huge dragon, over 100 feet in length, was paraded for three consecutive nights on the shoulders of 40 coolies in, out, and round about the various streets and lanes of Macao. The dragon came from Heungshan, and was brought to Macao blindfolded lest, in the event of its not liking the locality for which it was bound, it would find its way back to its original home.—A good many visitors of high mark visited Macao during the year, among them: His Excellency Vice-Admiral Sir HEDWORTH LAMBTON, British Naval Commander-in-Chief, in February; Rear-Admiral PERRIN, Commander-in-Chief of the French Naval Squadron, in April; His Excellency KAo ÉRH-CH'IEN (高而謙), the Macao Delimitation Chinese Commissioner, on the 4th June, and His Excellency General MACHADO on the 26th of the same month; His Excellency DE MARGERIE, French Minister to Peking, in October; and His Excellency BARON DE CALL, Austrian Ambassador to Japan, in November; His Excellency EDUARDO AUGUSTO MARQUES, newly appointed Governor of Macao, arrived on the 22nd September, his predecessor, His Excellency Colonel ROCADAS, leaving two days afterwards for Angola viá Lisbon.—Towards the beginning of June the Imperial Post Office established a branch office and office of exchange at Tsinshan (前山), a few miles west of Macao, and co-operation was obtained from the Macao postal authorities for the mutual exchange of mails.-A most severe typhoon visited Macao on the 19th October and did a tremendous amount of damage to the sea-wall facing the Praia Grande. The full fury of the typhoon was experienced at 3 P.M., but thanks to the timely warning given but little damage was done to native shipping and comparatively few lives were lost. The rainfall was exceedingly heavy, and, during the day in question, can hardly have reached less than 10 inches. The Praia Grande was flooded throughout.—On the 17th June the master of a junk trading between Lingshui (陵水) and Macao reported that his vessel had been attacked by pirates off the Island of Kolan (高瀿),and his cargo, consisting of pigs, betel-nuts, timber, cocoa-nuts, and eggs, taken to Taipa and sold. A notorious pirate, NGO SUN-KAI (鰲信使), on whose head the Canton authorities had for some time set a high figure, was captured at Macao on the 28th June together with 17 of his accomplices, five of whom were women.-Some improvements have been made during the year for the amelioration of the harbour. A dredger and a steam-tug have been purchased by the authorities and minor dredging operations were begun alongside the steamer wharves. It is to be hoped that these works will be continued in earnest for the benefit of the colony and of the Lappa district, the commercial future of both being deeply interested in their early completion.
　　P .M.G. DE GALEMBERT,
　　Commissioner of Customs.
　　LAPPA, 24th March 1910.