Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-24

can merchants and manufacturers to intro
duee their goods here is to send agents out
who are familiar with their respective lines
Of goods and will personally interest them
selves in the matter.
Hard to Get Business Secrets.
It will be apparent that the intelligent
Consuls know nothing practically about the
lns and outs, ups and downs and tricks of
the different trades. The Consul can make
inquiries of those who are here in the inter-
ests of foreign houses, but the probabilities
are that they will lie about their business
1t is hardly to be expected that these clever
English and thrifty German merchants will
deliberately give away their business secrets
specially to Consul whom they know
will report upon it, and print it in the
newspapers, too.
l haverepeatedly stated that three-fourths
of the rubber on which is demanded 21 per
cent exportduty notwithstanding "reciproc-
ity, |" goes to our country, while four-ffths
OF the imports are from Europe. Nothing
whatever is produced in this vast extent of
the Amazonian valley. Everything neees-
sary for life comes from abroad A great
deal Of the crude rubber reaches the shoe
manufacturing districts of New England;
yet not single pair of shoes from America
can be seen in the valley, except on the feet
Of visitors. But shoes are not an item of
reciprocity" I had occasion to purchase
pair recently and paid 50 gold for pair
of English shoes worth So 80. A peculiar
last is required for this trade, and only a
practical shoe dealer can properly ascertain
the needs of these peculiar people, whose
heels are in the middle of the feet.
Our Everyday Articles Are Luxuries.
As illustrating the bacon market, I will
explain that at the best hotel in the place,
where the rates are 81 per day, have not
in the eight months Of meals here been
able to get bite of ham or breakfast bacon.
Happening into store the other day 1 OBJ
served some English or German hams boxed
and packed in salt. I bought one and had
it sent to the hotel for my own use, paying
mil-reis, or nearly so cents pound for it.
This will indicate what the profits may be
on this line of goods
There are no American potatoes to be
found here, and none are raised in the val
ley-aH being imported from Europe. I am
almost sick for some canned tomatoes and
corn, but cannot get them. 1t is the same
in the matter of clothing. As Consul at
tended grand ball at the palace last week,
and it took months salary for my dressing
for the occasion, but I had good time.
Beer of the most inferior quality, from
Germany, sells readily at So cents per pint
bottle. Apollinaris and other mineral waters
are proportionately high. There is no
American whisky to be had here, except on
the days the U. S. & B. NJ. s. s. Co. 8 steam-
ers are in port. They offer some cheap
Scotch stuff to all who ask for whisky. If
some enterprising bartender would come
here and open clean place, and sell iced
drinks, he would get all the spare change
the people had.
America Is Far Behind.
The English and German merchants have
their agents located here-not only in Para,
but all important Brazilian ports are reached
by the travelling statesmen who represent
their foreign houses. All of these agents
speak Portuguese, and are retained in this
trade year after year, and are not only
familiar with the markets and the credits,
but become acclimated. 1 have not yet seen
an American salesman, except steerage
passenger who was bravely trying to intro
duce rubber stamps and stencils to the
Portuguese, though he could speak only
imperfect English himself. AT my hotel is
a representative of Manchester, Eng, cot
ton goods house, an English. hardware
dealer, a Belfast, Ireland, travelling
merchant, and four young Germans in the
same business
What the Amazon valley requires most is
more frequent and direct steam communica-
tions with our country. The q. s. g B. NJ.
s. s. Co. call atirregular intervals They are
unusually slow, the speed not exceeding
eight or ten miles per hour, or the voyage
is from 10 to 15 days one way. The slower
steamers on the Atlantic cross the same
mileage in seven or eight days. 1t is a
common observation here that the passen-
ger list of these American steamships is
largely made up of ministers and ex-min-
listers plenipotentiary and families and
attaches, new consuls, ex-consuls and large |
sprinkling of missionaries, all on the free |
list. If these steamers could bring more |
business people it would do more to increase |
trade here than anything else. A little con-
science and business integrity would be a |
very good thing to introduce into this part |
of Brazil also. j. o. KERBEY.