New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-12-03
TRADE WITH CHINA.
NewTOrk.

At a time when very wild views obtained as to
the impulse American and British commerce were
sure to receive from the throwing open, as it was
| called of the Celestial Empire, we undertook to
| show, by somewhat elaborate review of Chinese
| foreign commerce since the commencement OF this
century. that those high flown anticpatiOns had no
solid ground to stand upon Quite apart from the
| opium trade, which we proved to grow III an ln-
verse ratio to the sale of Western manufactures,
we found the main obstacle to any sudden expan-
sion Of the import trade to China in the economical
structure of Chinese society, depending upon the
| combination Of minute agriculture with domestic
industry. We may now, in confederation OF our
former statements refer to the Blue Book entitled,
{" Correspondence Relative to Lord Elgins Special
Missions to China and Japan"
Wherever the real demand for commod-
tiles imported into Asiatic countries does
not answer the supposed demand-whch,
in most instances, is calculated on such SUI
per6cial data as the extent of the new market,
the magnitude of its population, and the vent
foreign wares used to find at some outstanding
seaports-commercia men, in their eagerness at Sc
curing larger area of exchange, are too prone to
account for their disappointment by the circum-
stance that artificial arrangements, invented by
barbarian Governments, stand IN their way, and
NAV. consequently, be cleared away by main force
This very deusion has, in our epoch, converted the
British merchant for instance, into the reckless
supporter of every Minister, who, by piratical ag
oressions, promises TO extort treaty of commerce
L. Thue the artificial ohstaclea
foreign commerce was supposed to encounter on
the part of the Chinese authorities, formed, in fact,
the great pretext which, in the eyes OF the mercan-
tile world, justified every outrage committed on the
Celestial Empire. The valuable information con-
famed in Lord Elgns Blue Book will, with every
unpreiudiced mind go far to dispel such dangerous
| decisions.
The Blue Book contains q report, dated in 1882,
| Of Mr. Mitchell British agent at Canton, to Sir
George Bantram, from which we quote the follow
ing passage:
| "Our commercial treaty with this country lChinal
| has now l852l been nearly ten years in full work,
| every presumed impeachment has been removed, one
thousand miles of new coast have been opened up TO
| ms and new marts established at the very thresh-
old OF the producing districts and at the best possible
ponts upon the seaboard. And yet what Is the result
AS far as the promised increase in the consumption of
| our manufactures is concerned Why, plainly this:
that al the end of years the tables of the Board of
Trade show us that Sir Henry Ponger found larger
trade in existence when he signed the supplementary
treaty in lS43 than his treaty itself shows US at the
end of 1850 THAT is TO say as far as our home manu-
features are concerned which is the sole question
are now considering"
Mr.. Mitchell admits that the trsde between India
and China, consisting almost exclusively in an ex-
change Of silver for opium, has been greatly deyel-
oped since the treaty of 1872 but even in regard to
this trade, he adds:
"tdeyeloped itsefin fast ratio from 1874 TO 1874
as il has done from the latter date 70 the present. which
| latter period may be taken its working under the
supposed protection of the treaty while, on the other
hand we have the great fact staring in the face in
the tables of the Board of Trade that the export OF our
manufacturing stufs TO China was less by nearly three
quarters of million sterling at the close of 1850 than
| il was at the close of 1874.
That the treaty Of 1912 had no influence at all
in fostering the British export trade to China will
be seen from the following tabular statement:
| DECLARED VALUE.
| lSl9. 1850. 1851. 1852 1853.
Cotton Goods. 1888 lo2oss lSsss2s 1851 Laos sss
o @SSls articles aSi sSs s 1855 1900 1881 issss
iSs7,iOs i57siSs 2isiaSs 25O8sso i.11sss7
| 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857.
Cotton Goods 60 go $3.50 ssS istt 2Ss l1sl 900
Other srtices........... 2ass7 aeSss 'Osaas tsi2si
4
TOts...............IOOO1 I217s44 aalslss a44ssaa
Now, comparing these figures with the Chinese
demand for British manufactures in lS43 stated by
Mr.. Mitchell to have amounted 10 e., 750, 900, twill
be- seen that in FIVE cut of the last nine years the
British exports fell far below the level of ls43 and
in 1854 were only 1917 of what they had been in
Is4S. Mr. Mitchell, in the first instance, explains
this startling fact by some reasons which appear
| too general to prove anything in particular. He
| says:
1.-THE habits of the Chinese are so thrifty and so
hereditary that they wear Just what their fathers
before them that is to say Just enough and no more of
ANYTHING no matter how cheap II may be offered
them" " No working Chinaman can afford 10 put on
new coat which shall not last him at least three years,
and stand the wear and tear of the toughest udgery
daring that period. Now, garment of that descrp-
ton must contain at least three times the weight OF
raw cotton which we put into the heaviest goods we
import TO China that is 20 say 1t must be three times
AS heavy as the heaviest drills and dometles we can
afford TO send out here
Absence of wants and prediction for hered-
itary modes of dress, are obstacles which civilized
commerce has to encounter in all new markets. As
10 the thickness and strength of drills, might British
and American manufacturers not adapt their wares
to the peculiar requirements of the Chineses But
here we come TO the real point at issue. In 1874,
Mr.. Mitchell sent samples Of the native cloth Of