The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-02-11
Sugar Trade of the Uuited States.

The New York Shipping and Commercial
Lis had a timely article on the sugar trade of
this country in a recent issue. 1t notes the
fact that the competition of beet sugar has
uOw attained TO such proportions that it "chal-
lenges the supremacy of the cane product and
is contesting the privilege of controlling the
sugar markets of the world. This has been
the potent factor in shaping the course of the
sugar trade in 1884, and it is likely to continue
the controlling influence for some time to come
in regulating the value and consumption of
raw sugar throughout the world In the
opinion of our contemporary, 1885 will deter
mine which is king-cane or beet-berr e the
conditions of production and sal bags ar ?r
canI2t be continued :, T-kA res a Minister =
bost r,-llnInent merchant OF so, pig
aud in many cases ek fsW slea let them win
cost Of production. The refining trade in Eng
land and Scotland was swamped by the large
shipments which an export rebate or bounty
enabled to DC probably made from this coun-
| try and Europe the to British Isles. Over So,
600 tons refined sugar were marketed in Eng
land last year in the teeth of the British REIN
ers, who, having no tariff protection, were I'M
able TO undersell the American and European
/ sugars which enjoyed an export drawback.
| Our total export of refined sugar last year was
1912 tons.
European beet sugar figured largely as an
| import in 1854. In 1880 we imported 1850
tons; in 1882, about 1000 tons in 1883, Euro
pean sugar imports were $4,000 tons; and in
1 1884, 5000 tons were imported, being nearly
4 fifty per cent more than 1882. At the same
ratio of increase we should import $4,000
tons of beet sugar in 1885 from France and
Germany. The possibilities in this direction
| are certainly startling. Brazil sent us more
"raws" in 1854 than ever before. Owing TO a
short crop Manila sugar fell off, but the West
India Islands gave the usual quantity. Haw-
allan Islands crop increased by l0,294 TONS
The sugar crop of Louisiana yielded l2s,443
tons, decrease of 6,s35 tons as compared
with 1883. The Alvarado beet sugar refinery
produced l,650,00o pounds of sugar during
1884. This is the only mandatory of the
kind in tie United States. Sorghum did not
exceed 100000 pounds, and the supply of
maple sugar is estimated at $4,000 tons for
1854. About $4,000 tons of sugar were OBJ
tanned by reboiling foreign molasses. The
aggregate consumption Of cane sugar, domes-
tic and foreign, in the United last year was |, :
,2s3 tons, an increase on the year of SO
per cent, accounted for by increased consump-
ton owing to growth of population and low
prices.
When it is remembered that the lowest
point in the price of sugar in the past 35 years
was touched during 1884, the crop prospect
for 1885 becomes important. In almost every
sugar producing country the latest report
points to an increased yield of cane and beet,
but the market price of sugar will determine
how much cane will be harvested and turned
into sugar. The supply of European beet
sugar in 1885 is estimated at $500, 200 tons.
Cuba is estimated to yield from 100000 to
650,OO0 tons. Should, however, the recipro-
| city treaty with Spain not be ratified there
| will probably not be more than 100000 tons
| of sugar made, because at late prices Cuban
planters only had one cent pound clear for
their sugar in the New York market, after
paying duties and charges. British West In
dies promise good crop, while production
in the French island of Guadaloupe is rapidly
| declining, and the Government will be COM
PEELED to return large numbers of coolies to
/ Calcutta for whom the planters decline to find
employment The Brazilian crop will be
about 70, geo tons under that of last year.
The Philippine Islands will probably yield
925, 900 tons; Java will produce 3T5 900 tons;
and the Mauritius about 10000 tous-a large
increase in each case. The Hawaiian crop is
estimated at $4,000 tors, and the Louisiana
crop, most of which has been already market
ed, is about lso, 900 hogsheads-a consider
able falling off on the year. The estimated
crop of the world for lss4-5, excluding China,
Australia and Fiji, is 2, loo, 900 tons cane, and
800, 600 tons beet sugar.-iS +, Merchant