New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09
Nineteenth Street and Sixth Avenue.
AMERICAN TRADE IN CHINA.
IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL RELATIONS
WITH THE EASTERN EMPIRE.
STEADY INCREASE AND DEVELOPMENT OF
AMERICAN TRADE-sOME INTERESTING
STATISTICS GIVEN BY CONSUL
GENERAL JERNIGAN.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl

1BY TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington Jan. S-The threatened partition
Of China by the great Powers OF Europe has
recently turned the eyes Of the world with
renewed eagerness toward the Orient and its
decaying and crumbling civilizations. Ameri-
can opinion has. perhaps attached no very vital
or serious importance to the impending dis
memberment OF the Fowery Kingdom, so sig
nifcantly foreshadowed by the aggressions Of
Russia, Germany. France and Great Britain.
In the division of the outworn empire the United
States would probably seek to play no other
role than that OF a passive spectator. for its In
ternaticnal interests are not likely to be In
fringed upon nor its political sympathies en-
listed in any OF the struggles for territorial
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In which the rival Powers Of
Europe may engage In Eastern Asia.
This country has, however, well-deined COM
mercial interests in the far East which have
given promise Of a rapid and widespread ex-
pansion. and American commerce with China
Is even now Of consequence enough 20 make
it's protection and maintenance under the
threatening conditions which confront the
decadent empire, an important National con-
Germ
The total value OF the export and import trade
OF China for 1885 was SOB 100000 measured in
gold The volume OF trade with the United
States for that year was S16.5O0,0O0; that
this country enjoyed only about One-sixteenth
OF China's entire commerce with the world. In
1894 however the American share In Chinese
trade had reached 500. us. 600. or about one
twelfth Of the total amount. Moreover notwith-
standing the marked decrease shown from 1894
to 1895. the volume Of commerce between the
two countries has risen steadily in value for the
last decade In 1855. it was So, 1J9,2 pa in 1889.
SS777167 IN 1890, S9.543.6s9; in 1891. Sl3-
12S9S; in 1892, Sl357s323; in 1898, Sl3s3S.3S'i;
in 1894. S2O71S931 and in 1880 $16.J0l, 12I.
Consul-General Jerngan. Of Shanghai. in an
interesting report on the Chinese trade for 1890.
published in the last issue OF the State De-
partment series on THE Commercial Relations
OF the United States" throws some valuable
light on the general conditions and character
of the commerce between this country and
China
LARGE TRADE IN COTTON GOODS.
Cotton goods are and have been FOR years
q stanle American export to China. For some
time past however owing to the gradual build
ing I'D OF a native textile industry imports of
cotton cloths have been somewhat reduced in
volume and the cheaper grades Of goods from
India have also come in to supplant the prod
ucts OF European and American mills Never
theless American cotton fabrics have In the
MAIN Mr. Jernigan reports, moro than held their
own against European competition In the Chi
nese market. higher price In 1873 compen-
sating for the decrease shown that year in the
number OF pieces brought in from America. The
total cotton cloth trade for 1898 was valued at
S2,497, 100 In 1904 its value was S4.672156
Another staple American import is kerosene.
OF which 81 900 900 gallons were sent to China
IN 1904. and 100000 gallons in 1898 The
value of the trade for the first year was in gold
81 1904; for the second. S249O 100 The de-
crease in imports of kerosene In 1898 is charged
70 an excessive supply at the close Of 1891. and
n an insufficient stock temporarily in the United
states which led to an advance in price This
roduction in the shipments from the United
states offered a fine opportunity to the Russian
nroducers. and the Russian imports OF Kerosene
rose 10 26,5O0000, fully twice the number OF
gallons brought in in 1893
INTENDING THE MARKET FOR FLOUR.
American -four seems to be finding a secure
and growing market In China. The value Of
,h,s import has doubled in the last five years.
s,.ino from 1857 900 In 1891 to S1.2OjOoO In
,se5 American -four. Mr.. Jernigan says. lis
.oooro,ng more and more popular in China. and
80 Ga every prospect that tho trade VIII con-
49,. IN increase for some years 10 come TO the
croot benefit OF our agricultural interests" The
s,o observation IS true of the American flour
trade with Japa"' - 49,.
More American woollens were carried into
ch,no IN 1893 than in 1894. The value in the
,o,,a~ vear reached So 90 800 against S2,s2l.00o
- ,ha earlier The increased demand for wool
,nr. arose in part from the rehtting OF the Chi
ne.e troops in uniforms prescribed by the new
.rn,v regulations According to Mr.. Jernigan.
,or.isn woollens are popular enough In China,
but their price. as measured In the deprecated
.uv., currency OF the country puts them be-
.a IN. reach OF the common people and great
=, ,,r,,,s their natural market. Sugars to the
value Of SO 100000 were sent to China from this
o",n,rv in 1895. and the importatons OF GIN
seng amounted to s9s''ooo
In the Chinese export trade the ohi'ed o'a'eS
hos a larger share than any other country. IN
iss15 for Instance. tho value OF Chinese exports
20 mer,ca was s12. 29l.500. and OF Chinese
:;