The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-06

tirely to Spain. The group known as the
Eastern Carolines was discovered by the
claimed them. The Central Carolines may per-
haps fairly be regarded as especially Spanish
zap is the chief of them. America is factor In
these seas. Strong's Island, which is the very
center of what may be called the Carohnes
proper. was discovered by an American nayiga,,
tor, Captain Crozier aud upon its SOIL still
fourishes useful American mission.
SCHEMES FOR EXTENDING TRADE.
But America can afford to contemplate this
revival of European ambition of conquest with
curiosity and without envy. She will keep an
eye upon it with view to new openings for
trade. She has enough and more than enough
territory of her own. and does not covet an inch
of her neighbors'. AS for England the old days
of warlike conquest are over for her. She does
not seek to extend her empire by fire sword
Occasionally struggling peoples, petltoning to
come within the pale of British protection, are
permitted the privileges OF her commonwealth
of colonies and possessions; but the approved
policy of the day seems to be the maintenance
of that which already belongs to her, and the
promotion of its complete development At the
same time on the lookout for new markets of
trade lin lieu Of the United States, which is
gradually supplying its own demands without
Engiand). she is ever ready by international
treaties and engagements to increase the number
OF her mercantile ports and stations and extend
the empire of her commerce. 1t cannot but be TO
her advantage, and indeed to the advantage Of all
trading countries, for France Germany Italy,
Holland, Spain, or any other busy commercial
peoples, to take in hand the unproductive ISLANDS
of the distant seas and make them stations of
trade and commerce. America must participate
with the rest, and she will. Some years ago, in
a series OF papers on free trade and protection,
exploited the suggestions of clever American
consul at Bradford for the formation OF an
agency, whereby America should send to the
great trading centers on this side, specimens of
her manufactures and full particulars of the
addresses of their producers, with prices, terms
and other business details. This, believe, was
acted upon by a syndicate of American manu-
facturers. l read of an extension of this idea
in the interests of Germany. A great trading
society is going to send out ship with cargo
of specimens to distant countries with which
the Germans have little or no trade. The vessel
will carry out agents learned in foreign tongues
and of business capacity, who will show the
goods: invite business, and study the possible
and real wants of those whom they hope to add
to the list of Germany's customers. The notion
is good one; but, after all, the English have a
still better SYSTEM and an entirely private and
Independent one. All the great English firms
make point of fixing upon one or more of their
partners the onerous but important duty of liv
ing at the principal center of their export trade
This partner makes it his particular business to
study the local requirements of the foreign trade
and his partners at home make it their business
to act upon his local experience and manufacture
the special class of goods that are likely to be
attractive and prove to be satisfactory in toe
foreign markets There are thousands of En-
glish articles made for export millions of tons
of goods, not particle of which supplied to
the home markets, and it is only by this shrewd
and wonderful care on the part of English bust
ness men that she can at all combat the tre-
mendous rivalry she meets everywhere, handi-
capped as she is by one-sided fiscal system that
has utterly ruined more than one of her leading
A ms IN con6 hnr
specimens, to try experimental parcels in distant
places Germany does we'll to follow the Amer
lean lead. But both are handicapped in parts
where the English manufacturing firms have
their resident partners on the spot.
THE BRITISH MERCHANT VENTURES"
When foreign powers are criticisng the fcllies
of English governments and predicting the
speedy collapse of the British empire as the
result of administrative laxity or governmental
mistakes, they would do we'll TO ponder over the
fact emphasized in Gordon's latest letters that
it is not governments that has made England
but adventures Governments may fail,
cabinets burst up, a dynasty may be wrecked,
but the English people remain and they cover
the earth. ! trust the reader may not exclaim,
more Anglomana!" Or if he do so that he will
remember how impartial the writer always is in
the treatment of English and international af-
fairs. The merchants and traders of London
have always been celebrated for their far reach
ing enterprise and ambition. The men of to-day
strong. and loyal, and capable as their
fathers, who were the moving spirits of MANY
of the early undertakings of England's
explorers. Cu u1IS. enough, it was an
turers" that first opened up Russia as
an English market. This commercial alliance
was an incident of the eventful reign of Queen
Elizabeth. In those days coupled India and
49, H.
"Cathay,' and the triumphs of Drake, Hawkins
and Frobisher over the captains of Spain, giving
England, after the Armada, freedom Of the seas
and the right to establish colonies il America
only intensified the desire of London Bristol
and other great cities and ports to trade with
Far Cathay." Failing to reach India by the
Polar seas, and after q disastrous attempt to get
there through Russia, Ralph Fitch in 1888 re- |
verted to the more familiar path of mariners bv |
the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf James |
Lancaster followed III 1891. in the track of the |
Portuguese themselves, sailing round the Cape of
Good Hope. Sacrifices of men and money had
marked the long history of English efforts to |
trade with the East but only to stimulate them |
to fresh exertions The last day of the first year
of the seventeenth century, say DR.. Yeats in 1.-THE
Growth and Vicissitudes of Commerce" twas |
signalized by the incorporation of the Governor
and company of the merchants of London |
trading to the East Indies. Five ships laden
with merchandise were dispatched under Captain
Lancaster. Their commander visited Sumatra |
and Java, established factories and returned
with freights of great value. The success of
the enterprise which Elizabeth did not live to
see, gave promise of vigorous growth of the
new company without, however, foreshadowing
the imperial splendor that awaited itD The
British empire beyond the seas has been made
by British merchant venturers and other indie
pendent pioneers, not by imperial and warlike
expeditions The colonist has come first. the
soldier has followed. Other nations, as rule
have begun with the soldier This is the differ
ence between the colonial enterprises of Eng
land and France and of England and Spain; and
in this difference lies the secret of EngIands
success. JOSEPH HATToN
The Princess Louise as "Lady CowIcy."
rorr Rosto