The herald., 1895-08-20
THE ASIATIc TRADE


Siam. has taken up the subject of in
creased trade between our Pacific coast
ports and the orient. Mr.. Barrett is very
much in earnest In this matter and in a
recent letter says: "Plain language is
used IN this letter. Words without mean
ing cannot express my views" The
Asiatic coast line reaching from Vladivo-
stock to Singapore. thousands of miles in
length is Indented continuously with spa
cious harbors and teemins with a popu-
lation reaching into the millions.
The war between Japan and China will
undoubtedly prove one of the greatest
boons to both countries. The japanese
have demonstrated their ability, progress
iveness and awakened to their possibili-
ties. China has received a dig in the
ribs which has awakened her to a realIz-
ing sense of the fact that there are others.
If we would take advantage OF the
opening of the Asatic ports and would
secure our proportion of trade the time
to begin at it is now. Mr.. Barrett says:
NOW is the accepted tme-three years,
five years. ten years later will not do. If
it is difficult at the present hour 10. make
o commercial conquest IN Asia, the diff
Guilty will increase in geom etrical ratio as
the years roll by.
So far our trade with the Orient is al
most nothing when compared with that
OF other nations. OF this Mr.. Barrett
says:
We're I asked the question, Where has
the United States been in the race with
England for the import trade of the
Orient during the past two decades? |
vrou11 ranxy ut Nnubara I
again asked. Where will the United States
merchants stand in the race u control
this trade in the future compared with
the merchants of England and Germany?
l would answer. Nowhere-unless they do
away with former methods and compete
with Europe on like terms and with the
intention of holding on till they succeed.
cucceed they surely can il they will ex
ert half the energy displayed in the
United States. AS to the reward of such
effort the answer cannot be reduced TO ex-
oct language ana figures. but there is no
question that it will be sufficient 20 repay
amply those who survive in the contest
for supremacy.
The trade of the Orient far exceeds in
extent the amounts We usually credit
1t with. To bring the matter more closely
TO home, we all know that the trade of
the Pacific coast is in its total an port
indeed if eastern merchants suddenly
concluded that the coast tiade was not
worth going after. Were they to adopt
such a policy we would credit them
with Indifference more becoming the
Chinese than Americans. We would label
them slurians and apply few more
forceful terms thereto. Yet the trade o
the entire Pacific slope is not drop in
the bucket com pared to that of the Asiatic
coast, and which We make no effort TO
secure and call ourselves smart--the
smartest people on earth.
OF the extent OF the Orient trade Mr.
Barrett says
Our whole Pacific coast does not see as
many steamers, not to mention ships, IN
one year, pass through the inland sea
of Japan i'll four months. Kobe, Japa
often has more steamers in port in one
day than San francisco in three More
vessels sail to and from Shanghai in ten
days than in and out OF Puget sound in a
month. As many steamers stop at Snga-
pore during year as at Boston or Balti-
more or New Orleans. But above all
ranks Hongkong, which is classed as the
second port in the world in the number
OF ships which sail in and out OF its ca
pacious harbor, and is the New York of
the China coast. If any merchant in
America supposes, however. that these
ports are mere Aslatic cities with AsiatiC
conditions prevailing, he is greatly in
error. Few ports IN America present so
prepossessing an appearance in their
water fronts or possess better facilities
for commercial exchange. Kobe, Shang-
hal, Hongkong, Singapore and Batavia
are notable in this respect, while Yokv-
hama, Nagasaki, Chefoo Chinkiaug Foo
chow. Annoy. Canton, Saigon and Manila
are their competitors. The stranger who
makes the journey from Yokohama to
Kobe. thence through the inland sea to
Nagasaki, across then to Shanghai, from
there to Chemulpo, to Tien Tsin, ChefJo,
Or ND the mighty Yang tse kiang to
Hankow past Chinkiang and NankIng,
then down the coast To Foochow, Annoy,
arrives ut Hongkonc, from there goes to
Canton across to Manila or south to Sal
gon, then around to Bangkok thence to
Singapore and finally from there to Ba-
tavia in Java, visits portion of the
world which surprises him at every stage
OF the journey with its present develop
ment of commerce and its Immeasurable
possibilities.
The question naturally arises. Who gets
all this trade? Mr.. Barrett credits the
largest percentage to England, with Ger
many close second. while the United
States is well down to the bottom of the
list. 1t is true that our trade with the
Orient is assuming fair proportions, but