The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-31
COMMERCE OF ECUADOR, WITH THE UNITED
STATES AND OTHER FOREIGN NATIONS.

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STATES AND OTHER FOREIGN NATIONS
Prior 20 1913 the United States had quite an active
and profitable trade with the republic Of Ecuador
through the port Of Guayaquil Our exports consist
cd chiefly Of flour cotton manufacturer and general
cargoes; and our vessels were always in demand to
carry the leading staple of the country, cocoa TO
the Spanish peninsula. In that year treaty was
concluded between Ecuador and spaiu--the effect Of
which, together with the discriminating duties in the
latter country ON cocoa when imported in foreign
vessels was the almost entire suspension Of direct
commerce between tho United States and Ecuador
The official custohouse returns Of the port of Quay
aquil THE chief port Of the republic, and the only
port Of general deposte for rsexportation to foreign
eountres) do not discriminate between imports land.
cd in tho direct trade Of any particular country and
those entered as coming from ports in Peru, Chill
and from Panama, at which vessels usually call be-
fore touching az Ibis port while the general
Of trade with Ecuador is such that not only vessels
from Europe and tho United States have already land
cd most part of their cargoes at the ports Of these re-
publies and perhaps taken in other merchandise for
Guayaqui on freight But Peruvian and CHILEAN yes
sells, as well as tho British mail packets, bring pro-
mscuous cafgoes Of English, French, Spanish, Ger
man. and United States goods, either trans-ship-
ments or reshipments from the warehouses of Val
paraiso and Callao. Hence also the statement given
in the United States Treasury Report on Commerce and
Navigation exhibiting the commerce between the Uni
ted States and Ecuador, though compiled with great
care and entirely accurate and reliable far min
ute classification and aborious aggregation Of the Off
cial returns received OF customhouses render
them, not even approximately accurate or reliable
as statements exhibiting the actual commerce be-
tween the two republics For example according
to Commerce and Navigation, for 1856 our imports
from Ecuador amounted in value to $84 ,804 and our
exports to Ecuador to 1929, 44O while the official
turns showing the foreign trade of the port of Ggaya
quill alone for $50 assign to the United States flag
Imports $l95,020, and exports $l07030. 1t is only
by carefully comparing the consular returns of the
trade of Ecuador, regularly transmitted to the Depart
ment of State at Washington, with the official reports
of Equadorian cusomhouse officials, and the contem
porancous statistical reports Of tho other branches of
that government, that anything approaching to On
approximation can BIO attained respecting the actual
state of commerce between fhe United States and
that country and even by this mode the results
will be rather coniectural than exact Fully one
half the merchandise imported into Guayaquil yearly
more especially dry goods, hardware, and liquids,
are first purchased by tho retail traders III valpa-
raise and Callao and thence reshpped on freight
under the Gillian and Peruvian flags. Our blue
drills, stripes, and brown cottons enter largely into
this traffic. and at all times staple articles for con-
sumption in Ecuador; and our -four, when imported
in good condition, commands from one dollar to two
and half more than CHILEAN bags containing tho same
quantity.
The regular line of British mail steamers which
touch at Guayaquil monthly OH their voyage from
Callao TO Panama, and bi.monthly on their return
from Panama to Callao, give TO the British fag aid,
doubt, to great extent also to British capital
the chief control over the foreign trade of Ecuador
Tho heaviest share Of the valuable articles of Eaua
dorian produce such cocoa, straw-hats, tobacco.
caoutchouc gold and silver, find outlet to foreign
markets through these mail steamers; and hence it
is that the Official returns of the Guayaqu custom
house invariably assign the largest tonnage as we'll
as the heaviest trade to the British flag. Wo annex
q condensed statement showing tho navigation and
trade for the year 1885, derived as are also the Ia
blcs which follow, from Equadorian customlo,Ise re-
norris