The herald., 1895-09-06
E. j. Cursor Talks of His Stay
in England
BUSINESS is IMPROVING
Fruit From California Commands the
Highest Prices
And Is In Great Demand-Some Interesting
Comments Commercial and Social
Topics-Superiority Of Our Press

Coal company. has Just returned to this
city from England, where he and his
family have been soiourning for the past
wear. In talk with Herald represent
ative yesterday afternoon, Mr.. Cur son
gave an interesting account of his tri p
and the general status of business in the
old country.
my journey was taken principally for
pleasure" said he, Though l managed
to sandwich III some business as well.
My headquarters were III London. where
l had pleasant place opposite the his
toric Westminster abbey and near the
houses of parliament. From the capital
we took great many excursions to differ
ent points of interest, and spent some
time viewing the beautiful scenery of
Scotland.
81 was mostly interested in the fnan-
cial and commercial affairs Of the coun-
try, and to those l devoted the greater
part OF my attention. My first general
impression after studying the situation
was that of the close sympathy existing
between the different trading countries of
the globe. III business is good in one
portion of the world, it usually becomes
so very quickly elsewhere. At present
the financial and trading interests of
England and Scotland are better than
they have been before for years; and they
are steadily improving.
II took especial pains to investigate
the California fruit trade, and was pleased
to find it thriving. There is an active
demand for our frIit in England at all
seasons of the year. In fact, the Califor-
na.product is preferred to the native and
Mediterranean fruit. Most California
shipments arrive in England in good con-
dition, but shippers suffer great losses
by having to put their goods on the mar
ket inn lately and accept any price
for them, simply tor the want of cold
storage facilities.
1.-The consumption of dried and canned
fruits is increasing every year.
During the big strike of the operators
IN the shoe manufactures l was in Lon
don, and | noticed as result of the
shutting down of the large shoe houses
that trade in that line began to increase
from America. Since the hold thus
gained by American manufacturers, their
goods have had steady demand ana are
now bought in preference to the domestic
shoes.
I'm the steel industry also there is
heavy rise in the demand from this side
of the Atlantic. The English govern
ment and the large railroad companies
are the largest buyers. They claim that
Am erican steel is at once better and
cheaper than that made at home.
The augmented demand for American
manufactured goods has brought abont q
change IN the attitude of manufacturers
toward the tariff question. Heretofore, as
is we'll known, the subject OF protection
has been agitated principally by the agri-
cultural classes. Now it has spread and
has more force. tn ough OF course, those
advocating protective policy are greatly
in minority.
.'Tne financial depression" continued
Mr.. Carson, 'has not been felt so keenly
in London and the country in England
as it has over here. Naturally, it would
not be, as London is the money center of
the world. Wages. however, have been
very low, particularly among the farming
classes, who receive, on an average, $3.50
a week. Domestic servants get about $6
per month. There has been slight i'm
provement during the past six months.
though. of course. wages will never be as
high over there as they are here.
LAS to the social life of the great Eng
lish capital. it is of the very best. Yes,
| met brother Yankees everywhere. Some
Americans move in the highest social
circles. and there is a generous sprink-
ling of them among all grades. The at
titude of our old.country cousins toward
affable.
"Club life is the main feature of the
metropolis. Thers are clubs ad infnitum,
and they vary in constitution and COM
position from the gentlemen's clubs of
the exclusive sets, through gradation
of every class of the social strata to the
Whitecbapel fraternities of thieves and
cutthroats.
II met many welI.known Los Angeles
people during my stay abroad, which
added greatly to the pleasure OF the trip.
Eyes, | ate the national dish of rare
/ mi
two things that thoroughly dislike in
England-their cooking and the daily
press. L was disguised with the great
London dailies, for every time l wanted
bit of home news had to go to back
issues of the American papers for it.
Even during the session of congress,
when questions of international import
anoe were being discussed, there was
often not the least mention of it. There
IS more English news in any one issue of
the Los Angeles Herald than there is
American news in the great daily jour
nails of London -