The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-08-09
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A FEW HINTS TO OUR WHEAT MEN.
Foreign Demand for Grain.

There seems to be little or no doubt
thst the foreign demand for onr grain
is to be large. In fact it has already
set in. The shortness of crops i'll Eu-
rope. the dimiuuiion of the wheat ex-
port from the Russian provinces, and
the probability that the great war, be-
fore it is over, will draw into its vor-
tex other nations, combine to make a
sharp demand for American grain.
The New York correspondent of the
Philadelphia Ledger thus discusses the
matter:
The most important news to-day re-
lates to an extraordinary demand for
our new crop of wheat on British and
continental account. Yesterday and
to-day cablegrams were received Or
dering purchases for about all that
could be had at current figures, and
when it is added that transactions for
the week have run up TO the enormous
aggregate of nearly 100000 bushels,
the magnitude as well as the urgency
of the movement will be comprehend
ed. These operations, it should be
observed, have been attended with lit
tie or no excitement, the parties en-
gagged in filling the orders apparently
being DESTROYS of executing them, for
obvious reasons, as quietly as possible.
In addition 10 the fact stated iii yester-
days Ledger, that one of the steamship
lines had let all its available grain room
for two months ahead, it may be stat
ed that like offers 90 other lines have
been declined unless at az advance on
present rates.
Parties most conversant with the
grain trade are persuaded that there
is something about this movement
that is not apparent on the surface.
These heavy purchases on European
account cannot be on the calculation
that our harvests are 10 turn out bad.
~ as all the reports from the West
within the last few DAYS have been of
acharacter 10 show that the crops are
to be fully up to the average. Even
the corn, which WAS in some danger
from excessive wet weather, is turning
out much better than was expected.
These facts are as well known abroad
az at home. 10 is assumed, therefore,
that the purchasers on the other side
must have some information concern
ing the war, of kind TO convince
them that it is going TO be protracted,
and that England will not be able to
keep out of it great while longer. 1t
is hardly necessary TO add that these
operations have attended by a marked
advance in prices.
Touching upon this same matter,we
CLEAN from long article in the New
York Tribune the following figures
and opinions, all of which go to show
that wheat must command a good
price:
The wheat crop last year was 200, 900,
900 bushels. This year it will be more
than 325, 900 600 bushels. The average
export for the past five years has been
81. 500, 900 bushels. OF this years crop
not less than 100,000,000 bushels may
be sent abroad.
Another important circumstance in
connection with our own abundant
harvest is the reduced production of
Southern Russia resulting from the
disturbed condition of things III the
countries adjacent TO the Black Sea.
Recent special reports from Southern
Russia report the estimated crop OF
the present season at less than one-half
that of formeryears. Russia has hith-
erto been our only great rival iii the
English wheat market. Before 1872
Russia shipped almost as much wheat
to the markets of the world as the
United States. Last year the Russian
supply was only one-third as great as
that of the United States, and tor the
present year it is shown by official COM
munications that the proportion of
Russian wheat viii be much less. 1t
is shown by official reports that the
wheat crop IN California for the pres
ent season is small. so that the estima-
ted surplus of l00,000,000 bushels Will
be produced east of the Rocky Noun
tains aud must reach the seaboard by
rail or river.