Hosiery was not listed as a separate article in 1904. In 1911 the import amounted to 10,606 dozens and in 1914 to 73,209, but since then it has fallen off. Local production is probably the principal cause. Japanese manufactures are the most widely marketed.

Lamps and lamp ware have enjoyed an expanding demand, and with the increasing use of kerosene a larger trade may be expected. At present Japanese and American lamps are principally marketed. Foreign medicines have recorded a marked increase, in which British and Japanese manufacturers have benefited largely.

Condensed milk has shown an increase, in which American, British, and Swiss products have shared. Milk is becoming more appreciated by Chinese who can afford it and a steady increase may be expected. Needles were entirely a German import before 1914, and an increasing one, but as a result of the war the Japanese product is now on the market.

American kerosene has increased and will undoubtedly continue to do so. More attention is now being given to the development of this market.

Soda ash, a British product, is being used for cloth bleaching and dyeing purposes and in the manufacture of paper.

Sewing machines, not shown in the table, form a line in which American goods share. A marked increase in imports occurred during 1912 and 1913, but since then the demand has fallen off. In 1913, 1,629 sewing and knitting machines were imported.

The import of metals and woolen goods is unimportant.

Among lines in which American goods might be introduced or enjoy a greater share of the market, the following may be enumerated: Clocks and watches, hosiery, lamps and lamp ware, medicines, enameled ware (basins and bowls), condensed milk, toilet soap, soda ash, and aniline dyes. At present there is a ready market for the last two articles because the supply from the usual sources has not been forthcoming. Generally speaking, in connection with this market it should be remembered that cheapness is a necessary qualification. Therefore toilet soap, enameled ware, etc., must, in cheapness and quality, compare favorably with competing goods. There is also a small market for wire rope, wire nails, and general hardware that should interest American manufacturers.

Information furnished under the heading "Shipping facilities for trade with United States" by the consulate general at Shanghai is applicable for the trade of Chungking.

FACILITIES FOR TRAVEL.

There are no hotels in Chungking at present where foreigners would care to stop. Spring and autumn are the best seasons of the year for visiting Chungking. The intense heat in summer and the absence of steamer transportation in winter, from December to April, are the conditions unfavorable to travel during those periods. There are several steamers on the Ichang-Chungking run. Owing to the absence of suitable hotels tourists usually live on board the steamers, which remain in port from two to four days. For those who must travel in winter it is necessary to charter a native boat, which must be provisioned and furnished. The journey takes from three weeks to a month at that time of the year.

TRADE ORGANIZATIONS IN DISTRICT.

There are two general chambers of commerce in this district, one each at Chengtu and Chungking, and a chamber of commerce in almost every district city (the designation "general" used here only denotes relative importance).

At Chungking there are nine "provincial clubs" and innumerable craft or trade guilds. Every trade and every industry has its guild, such an organization existing even for the beggars on the streets. The power of the local guilds is very great, and the regulations of some of them prescribe severe penalties for their infraction. The chamber of commerce may be likened to a large central guild, with the actual guilds as its branches. When the interests of any guild concern another or the officials, the chamber of commerce acts as the intermediary. There is even a tendency toward invoking its assistance on behalf of individual interests, especially where official action is involved. It has connections with the guilds and "provincial clubs," and its counsel in other than the purely internal matters of these organizations is invariably decisive. It is understood that similar conditions prevail at Chengtu.

There are no foreign-trade organizations in this district.

AMERICAN INTERESTS.

American interests in this district are largely missionary. In 1881 the first American mission-the Methodist Episcopal-was opened at Chungking. Since then a gradual expansion has occurred, and now American mission stations are found in eight different cities in the Province. The missions maintaining stations are the Methodist Episcopal, the American Baptist, the Foreign Christian, the American Bible Society, and the Seventh Day Adventist. These missions are giving much attention to educational and medical work, as has been indicated in another part of this chapter. Their medical personnel includes 14 doctors, and for their work there are 6 hospitals. British missionaries, according to the statistical report for 1915, numbered 408, while Americans numbered 102. The work of the British is conducted along the same lines as that of the American societies. The number of Catholic missionaries in this field is also greater than the American. German missionary interests are relatively very small. American commercial interests are confined to two importing firms that have established branches in Chungking for the distribution of their own products.

Other American activities are limited to teaching. Two Americans are engaged as teachers in the Government schools at Chengtu. In this particular American interests compare favorably with those of other countries.

The European war has had little effect upon the American trade interests of this district. These interests are confined to kerosene oil and sewing machines, and except in the matter of increased freight rates the effect of the war has not been felt.

The most promising field for American commercial activity is indicated under the next heading.

GENERAL TRADE SUGGESTIONS.

In view of what has already been said, the importance of Shanghai in respect to the trade of Szechwan Province will be appreciated. Generally speaking, American manufacturers should direct their efforts on that port, and they will thus be in touch with the market of this territory. However, along certain lines, which show indications or possibilities of development, direct contact with this market will be advantageous, as encouragement and promotion will be required to overcome the natural hesitancy that invariably surrounds the adoption of new methods. In this chapter some of the lines in which opportunities exist have been pointed out and may be here enumerated, as follows: The installation of electric lighting plants, machinery for flour milling, paper manufacturing, salt wells, cotton cloth and silk weaving, sugarcane and oil expressing plants (for wood-oil nuts, rapeseed, etc.) and possibly waterworks and mining machinery. As there is evidence that much more attention will be paid to this territory by foreign interests than heretofore, American merchants should take such steps as to insure for themselves a commensurate share in this development.

TIBET.

As Tibet is still comparatively an unknown land and is at present of little commercial importance, discussion of it will be confined to a few brief paragraphs.

Tibet proper that is, not including the Kokonor region--is part of the Chungking consular district. It lies between latitude 28° and 36° north and longitude 79° and 98° east. It is bounded on the north by Sinkiang (Hsinchiang or New Province) and the Kokonor, on the east by the Kokonor, Szechwan, and Yunnan, and on the south and west by India. The area of Tibet, including the Kokonor, is generally given as 463,320 square miles, but by Stanford as 700,000 square miles. Tibet proper comprises the greater portion of this area. The population of the two territorial divisions is estimated at 6,430,000, but by some authorities is thought to be much less. The population is confined chiefly to the river valleys of the east and south.

Tibet is a vast mountain mass. In the north and west there is an immense table-land and on the east and south there are high ranges and deep river valleys. Some of its plains are more than 11,000 feet above sea level, and its ranges are among the highest in the world. There are many salt lakes on the high table-lands. The climate is necessarily varied but is generally very dry and healthful. It is subject to extremes of great cold and heat, and in the southern part much rain and snow fall in season.

Tibet is a dependency of China. Since the revolution of 1911 no Chinese resident commissioner or "amban" has reside at Lassa. At present the relation of Tibet to China is the subject of diplomatic discussion between Great Britain and China. The Dalai Lama and Panshen Lama are the great religious heads of Tibet, as also of Lamaism, and are virtually its rulers. The jurisdiction and influence of the latter are restricted within much narrower limits than 122081-1933

those of the former. The country is ruled by petty kings who are under the control of the high lamas.

There is little agriculture. The raising of domestic animals is the principal occupation of the people. Yaks, sheep, goats, horses, etc., are reared in great numbers. The yak is the principal beast of burden, especially over difficult mountains. Wild animals of many species abound and add much to the wealth of the country. Little is definitely known of its mineral wealth, but it is believed to be abundant and varied. Gold and silver and precious stones are known to exist.

The trade between China and Tibet is considerable. Tachienlu in western Szechwan is the chief center of this trade. The principal exports that pass through Tachienlu are wool, skins, furs, musk. deerhorns, medicinal herbs, and gold. Its chief imports are tea. cotton goods, tobacco, candles, and sundries. Some of the articles of export of Chungking are the products of Tibet and the Kokonor. The principal route between China and Tibet is the Chengtu-Tachienlu-Batang-Lassa road.

There are three trading marts in Tibet where foreign trade may be carried on. These have been opened by British treaties and are near the Indian border. They are Gartok in western Tibet and Gyantse and Yatung in southern Tibet. The trade through these marts is inconsiderable.

DAIREN CONSULAR DISTRICT.

By Vice Consul E. R. Dickover.

LOCATION AND AREA.

As one of the results of the Russo-Japanese War, by the terms of the Treaty of Portsmouth, Japan took over the Russian lease of the Liaotung Peninsula, in Southern Manchuria, together with the adjacent islands, and gave the land thus acquired the name of the "Kwantung Leased Territory." This, with the South Manchuria Railway Zone, comprises the Dairen consular district. The territory lies between 38° 41′ and 39° 30′ north latitude (approximately the position of the southern part of the State of New Jersey) and 122° 33′ and 121° 50' east longitude, and the area is very nearly that of the State of Rhode Island, or 1, 220.5 square miles. For the purpose of administration the territory is divided into two districts, named after the seats of administration-the Dairen district, comprising the eastern two-thirds of the Territory and the Ryojun (Port Arthur) district, comprising the western third.

POPULATION.

The population of the Kwantung Leased Territory (according to the census of 1914) was 607,123, distributed among the various nationalities as follows: Japanese, 82,185; Chinese, 524,681; foreigners, 257. The Japanese practically all reside in the cities (Dairen, Port Arthur, and Chinchow), while the Chinese are mostly farmers and laborers, residing in the rural districts. As the Chinese greatly predominate, the population is mostly rural, the percentages being: Rural, 86 per cent; urban, 14 per cent. Although the district has been under cultivation for many centuries the soil is very poor and the density of population is only 42 9 per square mile, rather below that of the whole of Asia, which is 48.02 per square mile, and a trifle more than that of the State of Wisconsin, which was 42.2 per square mile in 1910.

However, the statistics of the population of the Territory are not exact, as there is a large floating population of Chinese laborers, which it is difficult to include in a census.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The configuration of the land is much like that of portions of the coast section of southern California. It is hilly, with no high mountains and no broad valleys. The highest mountain is one in the vicinity of Chinchow, which rises 2,210 feet above sea level. There are no large rivers; in fact, the only streams are small creeks that often dry up during the rainless seasons. The soil is very thin and rocky, while the hills are absolutely stripped of all vegetation, except in those few spots where the Japanese have begun reforestation. Because of the lack of vegetation, the hills are everywhere seamed with deep gullies, cut by the sudden flow of water during the

rains.