The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1881-07-21
Chinese and japanese Trade.

recently LIE AsIoRlAA re-
ferred hopefully 10 the increasing
demands in China and Japan for
productions Of the Pacific coast as
a stimulant to renewed efforts on
the part Of our producers. To our
great surprise the San Francisco
Bulletin informs US that "we can
not expect TO make much headway
in extending our trade with Hong
kong. 1t is not the Chinese who
are taking our flour at that point.
Were that the case the demand
might be developed to an indef-
mite degree, provided we could
sell wheat cheaper than it could
be raised in China. It's European
population at Hongkong and in
China (says the Bulletin man) that
takes the bulk of the flour there,
and the number Is limited" This
as very remarkable language for
the Bulletin. 1t is absurd. What
is the white or European popula-
ton in Hongkong or China that
could consume even a single cargo
Of the -four that the Pacific coast
ships to that country every year?
According to the Bulletin, we
shipped TO Hongkong In 1880,
234,332 barrels Of flour. For sew
eral years past the French.govern-
ment ordered from Saigon three
times a wear GGG barrels extra
strong bakers flour. Formerly
this was sent in barrels lined with
paper, French style, but of late
years quarter sacks have been sub
stituted. With this exception, the
bulk of our flour sent to Hong
kong is shipped by Chinese mer-
chants, and is by their own coun-
trymen consumed in the Celestial
empire. Only a small percentage
of the flour exported to China con-
sists of extra. The very fact that
large portion Of the flour shipped
to China consists OF superfne, and
that too of the very lowest grades,
is conclusive evidence that the
Chinese themselves are largely
substituting it for rice, and this is
also the case in this country, the
resident Chinese here consuming
considerable -four. This flour
trade with China is steadily in
creasing-not a steamer leaves
San Francisco for Hongkong that
does not carry thousands of bar
rels. The British steamship Ma
pies lately took cargo of flour
for that port, the freight of which
was IS per ton. We do not see
the policy Of undertaking our ex-
port trade with China, as is exhib-
tied of late years by portion Of
the press Of California, as well as
by government officials at Wash
ington. The Herald and Review
says:
OF provisions proper, including
canned meats, vegetables and
fruit, but not sugar, the United
States sent to Japan during The
year ending June 80. 1880, in
value Sa0,lS9, as compared with
S40,Gl4 raised IN Japan itself,
$4,000 imported from Great
Britain, $1,000 from France and
$4,000 from Germany. Bv far the
greater portion of butter used in
Japan is brought from the United
States. American merchants In
Japan estimate that fully eighty
per cent. of supplies of that kind
come from the United States. An
article OF timed butter prepared
IN Boston, is being introduced and
pronounced excellent. Mr.. Van
Buren gives the following warn
ing relative to cannedgoods: "Most
of the timed meats, vegetables
and fruits used in Japan are from
the United States, and while much
of it is excellent, many complaints
have been made Of receiving an
inferior article. Nothing will
prove more fatal TO this particular
trade in the east than In sending
here any Of these manufactures
that are not of the best. The trade
may be largely increased and good
prices obtained; but if the COM
plants | refer to are frequently
repeated, the importation from the
United States will largely cease,
and the fact will have an evil effect
upon other branches Of our com
merce in this country"
Mr.. Willard says that within tive
years the new company will have