Provincial Geographies of India/Volume 4/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI
(I) TRADE AND COMMERCE[1]
(The figures in this section are generally approximate. Except when otherwise stated they refer to the year 1920–21, called also "last year.")
With a people enjoying a comparatively high standard of living and demanding many varied articles of subsistence, luxury, comfort, and display; with a fertile country yielding in great quantities products sought by other nations; aided and stimulated by European and Indian capital and enterprise, Burma ranks as a commercial country of some importance. Its trade is of modern growth, sprung into luxuriance from small beginnings, since the British occupation of Pegu (1852).
Sea-borne trade. Rangoon, admirably situated as the collecting depot for provincial produce and as the distributing centre for imports, absorbs the greatest part of the sea-borne trade with India and with British and foreign ports, its share approximating to nine-tenths of the total. Of the minor ports, Bassein, Akyab, and Moulmein, each claims from 2 to 3 per cent, of the foreign[2] and from 4 to 6 per cent, of the Indian trade. Mergui and Tavoy have a small foreign and Indian trade, but with Sandoway and Kyaukpyu they take a moderate share of inter-provincial coasting trade, Mergui's portion approaching one-fifth of the whole. Victoria Point, the remote port of Tenasserim, has a small import traffic, almost exclusively with the Straits Settlements; and a little export trade with the United Kingdom, the Straits Settlements, and Siam. Last year the value of the sea-borne trade with foreign and Indian ports reached the respectable total of over £100,000,000, the highest recorded in the history of the Province.
Imports. Although Burma produces all that is necessary to support life in health and to maintain a reasonably high standard of comfort, goods to the value of over £44,000,000 were imported. Most freely sent by foreign countries and India are cotton, twist and yarn, and manufactured; into Rangoon alone these imports were valued at over £7,500,000 (foreign) and over £5,250,000 (Indian). Imported piece goods from Europe and Japan compete successfully with local manufactures. Silk to the value of over £800,000 came chiefly, in the raw state, from China, manufactured, from Japan. The revival of silk-weaving increases the demand for raw silk which the local production is insufficient to supply. Woollen goods, mostly manufactured, came to the value of over £600,000; about four-fifths from the United Kingdom, Japan and Holland being the next large contributors. India sent jute manufactures to the value of nearly £2,000,000.
Liquors have always been poured in profusely; probably their use among the native population is increasing. In the year before the War, over 1,600,000 gallons were imported; then naturally the quantity declined; but there has been a gradual revival; and last year 760,463 gallons of all kinds of alcoholic liquors, mostly ale, beer, and porter, valued at nearly £600,000 came to Rangoon.
Metals, principally iron and steel, but including also zinc, brass, copper, tin and lead, were imported to the value of over £4,000,000; while machinery, mill work and hardware came in to the value of over £3,000,000. Motor cars have become very popular; over 1200, valued at above £830,000, were imported. America sends most of these, but cars of English make come in rising numbers.
Other imports include salt, grain and pulse, coal, tobacco, mineral oils, earthenware, glass, matches, soap, and umbrellas. But it will be understood that many other miscellaneous goods appear in the trade returns.
Exports. Burma has valuable products to exchange for imports and finds markets in all quarters of the globe. Last year the value of the private export trade amounted to nearly £53,000,000, showing a substantial balance in favour of the province. Rice is scattered over the world in lavish profusion. Besides all parts of the British Empire, more than twenty foreign countries compete in this trade. In a good year the quantity exported rises to 212 millions of tons. Last year it was somewhat less, but the value amounted to £31,679,200. In years of scarcity, India takes a large proportion, sometimes more than half of the total. Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, and the United Kingdom are the largest foreign buyers.
Next in order, but at a long interval, are mineral oils and associated products. Of mineral oils, some 160 million gallons; of paraffin wax some 25,000 tons; of candles some five million pounds, are exported yearly to the aggregate value of about £7,250,000. There are, it need hardly be said, fluctuations. Last year the quantity of oils and wax exported was less than usual, while there was a decrease which may be permanent in the export of candles. By far the largest quantity of mineral oils is absorbed by India; practically all the kerosine and nearly half the benzine and petrol.
Teak has long been a staple export. Last year the quantity sent out of the Province amounted to 227,297 cubic tons valued at over £3,750,000. In other years, the quantity has barely exceeded 100,000 tons. Large exports to India to some extent accounted for the high figures of last year.
When the potential mineral resources of the country are remembered, the trade in metals is disappointing. The export of tin does not greatly exceed in value £100,000; wolfram was exported during the War to the value of over £1,000,000 a year, but hardly more than £12,000 worth was sent out in 1921–22. Last year the export of lead rose to nearly 25,000 tons valued at about £1,000,000 and 3000 tons of zinc, valued at £22,600, were sent to Belgium. All the jadeite, nearly 4500 cwt., valued at £164,000, goes to China.
During the War and for a year or two after there was a brisk trade in hides and skins. But of late there has been a serious decline. In 1920–21, the value was only about £250,000 as compared with over £1,000,000 in the preceding year. There was a further decline in 1921–22.
From 7000 to 14,000 tons of raw cotton are exported yearly, the quantity varying with the harvest. Last year only 9000 tons, valued at £1,125,000, were exported from Rangoon. Most of the cotton goes to the United Kingdom but Japan is an intermittent purchaser, taking 33 tons in 1916–17, 6461 tons in 1919–20, and 2889 tons in 1920–21. China took 1200 tons by sea and rather more overland.
Of agricultural products other than rice, ground nuts and their subsidiaries are important, though the export trade is not nearly so good as before the War. Last year, of the estimated crop of 117,630 tons, hardly 5000 tons were exported, mostly to the United Kingdom. Of ground-nut oil the exports vary in a surprising way from year to year. For example, Rangoon exported to foreign ports in 1919–20 over 600,000 gallons valued at £230,000; last year, less than 50,000 gallons worth about £17,000. Similarly the quantity and value of ground-nut oil-cake (30,000 tons and £300,000) were far less than in previous years. In beans, there is still, in spite of a recent fall, a large trade, much more flourishing than before the War. In 1919–20, over 100,000 tons, valued at nearly £2,000,000, were sent to foreign countries. Last year, the quantity was only about 33,000 tons and the value not much over £400,000. But India also takes substantial quantities.
Among other miscellaneous articles of export may be mentioned rubber (about 1800 tons.); cutch; and lac.
The British Empire still contributes the bulk of the imports, over 60 per cent. The latest figures indicate that this superiority may be maintained or even increased. Last year from the United Kingdom alone imports to the value of £16,250,000 came to Rangoon; from the Empire, £18,000,000. The United States contributed £3,500,000 worth. European countries sent goods to the value of nearly £3,000,000; Holland coming first with nearly £1,000,000; followed by Germany with £600,000; and Belgium with £323,000. Asian imports were valued at £3,300,000, of which Japan contributed more than £2,600,000.
The British Empire is also by far the best customer, and appears to be regaining ground lost temporarily during the War, absorbing last year 80 per cent. of the export trade of Rangoon. The United Kingdom, Ceylon, and the Straits Settlements take the largest proportion. The share of other European countries is only about 10 per cent. of the total; Germany coming first with £750,000 from Rangoon alone; Belgium and Italy following with about £300,000. Japan is a fairly constant customer to the extent of over £1,000,000. With the United States the export trade fluctuates in a rather remarkable way. Averaging £372,700 in three previous years, rising to £542,100 in 1919–20, the value fell to £109,800 last year.
With India, the total trade in recent years has varied from £21,000,000 to £42,000,000; Bengal, Bombay and Madras, in that order dividing almost the whole.
It may be interesting to give a paragraph to German trade. Before the War many German firms were established in Rangoon and the other ports, competing on equal terms and successfully with British merchants. Naturally, these firms disappeared at the outbreak of war. The latest returns show, however, that Germany has begun again to trade with Burma. Last year, from that country came shipments of hardware (£73,000), machinery and mill-work (over £100,000), salt (over £100,000), beer (58,000 gallons), woollen goods (over £20,000). Germany was by far the largest foreign (as distinct from British) buyer of rice, taking 50,000 tons, valued at £780,000. Besides a small quantity of rice bran and teak, she also took nearly 10,000 tons of beans. In imports to Burma from Europe (exclusive of the United Kingdom), as already noted, Germany was second only to Holland and in exports was easily first. But only two German vessels came to Rangoon last year.
Overland trade. Overland trade is carried on with western China and Siam, in about equal proportions. The volume of trade is comparatively small, approaching in value £2,000,000 a year each way. Trade is registered at frontier stations. As there is no railway communication, caravans of mules and pack bullocks are the principal means of transport. The only imports of interest are raw silk from China and elephants from Siam. Except jadeite of which about 600 cwt. goes to China, exports are somewhat dull, raw cotton, twist, and yarn, and piece goods being the only articles of any note.
For statistical purposes, trade with unadministered Kachin country, the Shan States, and Karenni is registered at many stations. The imports of interest are lead from the Bawdwin mines, letpet (pickled tea), potatoes, thanatpet (for cigar wrappers) and oranges. From Karenni comes a fair quantity of wolfram. Piece goods are practically the only articles sent in exchange.
(II) LIGHTHOUSES
The coast of Burma is sufficiently well lighted. The entrance to the harbour of Akyab is marked by a lighthouse on Savage Island. Fifteen miles away is Oyster Island. South of Cape Negrais are Alguada and China Bakir, at the mouth of the China Bakir or To River. Eastern Grove marks the east entrance of the Rangoon River. In the Bay of Bengal, two miles from the Cocos, is Table Island. Off the Amherst coast are Double Island, twelve miles south of Amherst and seven miles from land; and Green Island, near Amherst Point. At the entrance of the Tavoy river is the light on Reef Island.
The oldest lighthouse is Savage Island, built in 1842; the newest Green Island in 1903. The first lighthouse on Oyster Reef was destroyed by a cyclone in 1884.
There are also lightships off the Baragua Flats and Krishna Shoal, south of the mouths of the Irrawaddy; and at the entrance to the Rangoon River.
- ↑ See Appendix V.
- ↑ Except where otherwise stated, "foreign" includes all trade except Indian and inter-provincial.