The San Francisco call., 1896-12-29
THE ORIENTAL TRADE.

San Franclsco's opportunity to become
the metropolis of the vast trade of the
coasts that circle the Pacific Ocean, as well
as the methods by which to lay hold OF
it, are pointed out in a long, urgent letter
recently received by the Chamber of Com
merce from John Barrett. United States
Minister to Siam. Mr.. Barret writes not
from superficial investigation, but after
mature study of the situation. He has
been over the ground several times and
has collected and re-collected statistics and
all kinds of data bearing on the subject.
The opinion is emphatically expressed
that San Francisco should be the control
ling port of the en- tire Pacific seas, second
to none in Asia. Australia or South Amer
lea. The circle of trade comprehended in
this vast field represents population of
500,000,0o0 and $1,000, 100000 of annual
business. Immense as this commerce Is
now it is but in its infancy and is certain
to have,an immense expansion.
Mr.. Barret calls attention to the dimen-
sions OF the traffic already carried on; to
hundreds OF coasting steamers, to the
dozen or more great steamship companies
running steamers from Europe TO the
German business in the form of great
exporting and importing houses in every
important city in the Orient, and 10 the
commercial commissions sent out by Gu
ropean chambers of commerce to investl-
gate every detail of demand and supply in
the trade.
He singles out Shanghai as the fore
most of all the great marts across the
Pacific. and advises the establishment of
the closest possible commercial relations
with that city. He recommends that San
Francisco should use its influence to estab-
lish an American chamber OF commerce
at Shanghai, which could act as potent
factor in assisting trade exchange. In
connection with this chamber he points
out there could be arranged permanent
exhibition of American products 10 make
the Chinese familiar with American ex-
port goods, as we'll as to furnish American
exporters all kinds of information about
the needs of the Chinese markets.
1t is further recommended that a San
Francisco bank, with agencies in London
and New York, should establish a leading
branch in Shanghai, with lesser ones at
other places. Capable agents should be
sent to the far East to thoroughly study it,
and an American steamship company, or a
strongly capitalized American house act.
ing as agent therefor, should have vessels
of lighter draught than those crossing the
Pacific which connecting with trans
Pacific lines would carry the trade Of the
smaller Oriental ports. The establish
ment of something in this City which
nigh. be called an Oriental Exchange is
suggested, where could be exhibited sam
pies of all kinds of merchandise i'm ported
from Eastern Asia, with data as to prices
and consumption.
In regard to what the Nation should do
in this connection, Mr.. Barret testifies, as
the result of his study of the commerce of
the world, to the necessity of Government
subsidies to foster the building up OF a
proper merchant marine TO make sure our
commercial prosperity; just as the great
commercial nations of England. France
and Germany are doing.
This communication from Mr.. Barret
should set the merchants OF the City to
work to carry out that part of the pro-
eramme assigned to them, and the whole
coast should unite in the effort to infiu-
ence National legislation 10 foster the
creation of great merchant marine that
would make Old Glory familiar sight in
all the worlds great ports. These things
united with the needed reforms in lessen
ing the excessive charges incurred in
landing cargoes here would bring and
send through the Golden Gate argosies
so frequent and so richly freighted as to
start San Francisco upon that career of
prosperity which will secure TO her the
proud position Of the metropolis of the
Pacific Ocean.