634
CHINA.
Trade and Commerce. The value of the total commerce of China at the ports open to foreigners, in each of the five years 1864 to 1868, was as follows, according to the official returns of the imperial maritime customs: —
Years
Imp Taels
orts
Exports
&
Taels
&
1864
51,293,578
17,097.859
54,006,509
18,002,169
186.5
61,844,158
20,614,719
60,054,634
20,018,211
1866
74,563,674
24,854,558
56,161,807
18,720,602
1867
69,329,741
23,109,914
57,895,713
19,298,571
1868
71,121,213
23,707,071
69,114,733
23,038,244
The following table shows the distribution of the commerce of China among the various countries, or groups of countries, maintaining trading intercourse with the empire, in the year 1868.
Value of
Value of
Total
Countries
Imports from
Exports to
Commerce
Taels
Taels
Taels
Great Britain ....
24,478,843
42,040,836
66,519,679
Hong Kong . India .
15,672,685
8,970,289
24,642,974
26,098,085
264,530
26,362,615
United States .
833,393
6,582,676
7,416,069
Japan .
Australia
2,614,007
937,482
3,551,489
734,718
2,849,636
3,584,354
Singapore and Straits
743,879
293,692
1,037,571
Continental Europe.
325,450
4,586,406
4,911,856
691,251
77,673
768,924
Philippine Islands .
315,458
183,404
498,862
Java
264,887
228,028
492,915
Cochin China .
383,710
46,274
429,984
British Channel Islands
—
634,080
634,080
Amoor Provinces .
93,913
7,834
101,747
South America
68,318
231,630
299,948
Canada .
37
237,002
237,039
New Zealand .
—
102,899
102,899
Russia .
—
796,240
796,240
Cape of Good Hope
—
44,122
44,122
Gross total .
73,318,634
69,114,733
142,433,367
Re-exports to foreign countries
2,197,421
—
2,197,421
Net total
•
71,121,213
69,114,733
140,235,946
It will be seen that the commercial intercourse of China is mainly with the United Kingdom and the British colonies. To the aggregate imports and exports of China in the year 1868, Great &Titain contributed 66,519,679 taels, or 47 per cent.; the colony of Hong Kong 24,642,974 taels, and India 26,362,615 taels, being
