New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-05

TIL, Economist tries to account for the stat onary
and relatively decreasing imports OF British manu-
factlre into the Chinese market by foreign CON-
petition. and Mr. Cooke is again quoted TO bear
witness TO this proposition. According TO this
authority, The English are beaten BY fair conpe-
tition in the Chinese market in many branches oi
trade. Tie Americans he says, beat the English
IN drills and sheetpg. AT Shanghae in l-o6 the
imports were 22l,7l6 pieces Of American driLs,
against s,745 English, and 1920 Of American
sheetings against $40 English. In woolen goods,
on the ctner hand, Germany and Russia are said to
press hardly on their English rivals. We want
no other proof than this illustration to con-
vince us that Mr. Cooke and The Economist
are both mistaken in the appreciation OF the
Chinese market. They consider as limited 10
The Anslo-C hinese trade features which are
exactly reproduced in The trade between the
United States and the Celestial Empire. In 1881,
the excess Of the Chinese exports to the United
States over the imports into China was about -bO,-
0O0. During the period since the treaty oi l-i3,
the United States have received an annual average
Of f2,0Ooc00 in Chinese produce, for which We
paid in American merchandise f900.00O. OF the
81 ,602, $40 to which the aggregate imports into
ShSnghae, exclusive Of specie and opium, amount
ed in 1855. England supplied II, l22,2il America
E27270S, and Other countries E2O1,wO; While
the exports reached total of tl2,603,o40 OF
which SO. tG5. 0i0 were 70 England E5,396, 400 TO
America, aud GlG2,05 to other countries. Com
pare only the American exports to the value oi
f272,70s, with their imports from Shanghac ex-
ceeding l5,000,00O If, nevertheless, American
competition has, to any sensible degree, made in-
roads on British traffic how limited field of en-
ployment for the aggregate commerce of foreign
nations the Chinese market must offer.
The last cause assigned TO the trihing Importance
the Chinese import market has assumed since IT'S
opening in ls12 is the Chimes revolution, but not
withsandipg Mat revolution, the exports to China
relatively Aak, in l-5l-52, in the general III
crease of traAe, and during the whole Of the re'o.
lutionary epoch, the opium trade instead o falling
eff rapidly obtained colossal dimensions. How
ever that msy be this much will be admitted, that
all the obstacles TO foreign imports originating in
the disordered state Of the empire must be In
creased, instead Of being diminished, 10y the late
pilatical war and the fresh humliatOns heaped
on the ruling dynasty.
1t appears to lis, after a careful survey Of the
history Of Chinese commerce, that, generally speak
ing the consuming and paying powers OF the Celes-
tials have been greatly over estimated. With the
present economical framework of Chinese society,
which turns upon dimnutiye agriculture and
domestic manufactures as its py0ts any large
import of foreign produce is out of the question.
Still, to the amount of GS000, 900, sum which
may be roughly calculated to form the aggregate
balance in favor of China as against England and
the United States, it might gradually absorb sur.
plus quantity Of Engsh and American gOods, if the
opium trade we're suppressed. This conclusion Is
necessarily arrived at on the analyst of the simple
fact, that the Chinese finances and monetary crcu-
latiOn, in spite Of the favorable balance of trade
are seriously deranged by an import of opium to
the amount of about e 600, 00O
John Bull, however used to plume himself on
his high standard of morality, prefers TO bring up
his adverse balance OF trade by periodical war
tributes, exorted from China on piratca pretexts.
He only forgets that the Carthagenlan and Roman
methods of making foreign people pay, are, If com
bined in the same hands, sure TO clash with, and
destroy each other.