Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/809

 SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION — COMMUNICATIONS 757

Shipping and Navigation.

During 1919, 209,754 vessels of 95,725,935 tons entered and cleared Chinese ports. Of these 4,433 of 2,569,887 tons, were American ; 36,074 of 36,284.312 tons, British ; 471 of 414.161 tons, French ; 298 of 53,142 tons, Italian : 27, 182of 27,532,449 tons, Japanese ; 2,803 of 70S.474tons. Russian ; and 125,575 of 27,089,762 tons, Chinese. Of the total tonnage in 1919, 112,564 were steamers with a tonnage of 89,844,371, and 97,190 were sailing vessels with a tonnage of 5,881,564.

The nationality of the vessels (direct foreign trade) was mainly as follows : —

Nationality

Entrances

Clearance*

1910

No.

Tons

No.

Tons

British ....

4.170 600 196

4,617

53

381

4,118,138

4.148

4,018,475

American.

French ....

German ....

Japanese ....

Portuguese

Russian ....

Chine&e ....

186,'671

4,698,610

23,744

136,627

2,301,955

576

202

4,519

"3

407

20,690

S0i.- 190.512

4,661,839 23,744

143,311

2,24

Total (all Nationalities)


 * 2.545

12,688,156

BtVMI

12,476,472

Internal Communications.

China is traversed in all directions by numerous roads, and, though few are paved or metalled, and all are badly kept, a vast internal trade is carried on partly over them, but chiefly by means of numerous canals and navigable rivers. In February, 1898, the Chinese Government agreed that all internal waterways should be open both to foreign and native steamers "under Regulations to be subsequently drawn up," which regulations materially restricted the advantages sought for. A contract has been signed between the Chinese Government and the Siems-Carey Co. (American) for dredging the Grand Canal, in order to make this ancient waterway navigable for modern uses.

Chinese railway history began in 1876 when the Woosung line, built by foreign enterprise, was opened. In 1911 an Edict was issued commanding that all trunk lines of railway should revert to Government and that provincial control should cease. At present there are over 6,800 miles of railway open to traffic in China (including 1,857 miles in Manchuria), of which about 1,300 miles have been constructed by British enterprise and British capital. There are 2, 000 miles under construction. The surplus for the year 1919 of the Chinese railways was 45,000,000 dollars.

The principal railways in China, beginning with the north, are : — (1) South Manchurian Railway, from Changchun to Dairen, 814 miles [see also under Manchuria] ; (2) Peking- Mukden line, from Mukden to Peking, 632 miles ; (3) Peking-Siuyuan Railway, from Peking to Kalgan, Tatucg Fu, and Fengchen ; (4) PekiDg-Hankow Railway, Peking to Hankow, 755 miles ; (5) Bien-Loh Railway (in Honan province), from Kai-fung Fu to Loh Yan^, 125 miles ; (6) Shanghai- Nauking Railway, from Shanghai to Nanking, 200 miles; (7) Tientsin- Pukow Railway, from Tientsin to Pukow, ou the Yangtze river, opposite Nanking. 6-7 miles; "(8) Shangnai- Hangchow-Ningno Railway, from Shaughii to Hingchow, 150 mfles ; (9)