The times., 1898-07-28
TRADE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Information From the British Com
sui Stationed at Tint Point


of statistics. 1t is a report of the British
consul at Manila. Rawson Walker. and as
ii was received at the British consular
office May 81. 1898. having been written
previous to Dewey's victory, 1t is proba-
by the latest and most accurate picture
of commercial conditions in the Philip
pines which has been presented since Ad-
ngiral Dewey intensified public interest in
that spot.
Consul Walker estimates the 1897 i'm
ports into Manila az $15.0)0. 0OO of which
about One-half was OF Spanish origin. the
imports from other countries having ma
teriany fallen off in 1897, while those from
Spain Increased largely. The exports
from Manila have. he says. increased in
the past year in several Of the trading ar
ticles. notably. tobacco, hemp and copra,
the dried kernel of the cocoanut. the
value of which alone he estimates at S45,-
600 coo. while he estimates the sugar crop
at $13.O0O,OO0 and hemp at Sli.OO0Oo0. He
makes no estimate of the tobacco exports
but SAYS that they were larger in 1891
than in former years
Consul Walker pictures local trade con-
ditions in way which will greatly inter
est merchants and manufacturers in the
United States prefacing his statements
by saying that his information is mostly
obtained from reliable British merchants,
since the Spanish statistics are not OBJ
tainable until too old to be of any value
He says: "A decidedly bad year for i'm
porters generally has just closed. What
with the upset OF business. owing 10 the
insurrection or rebellion in the islands
the heavy decline in the value of silver
and consequent drop in exchange and
the imposition of a further per cent ad
valorem duty on all imports. merchants
may be said to have had a truly rough
time to contend with
I'm printed cambrics during the year
just closed, the importation of English
goods has shown a decided decrease.
while imports from the peninsula have,
on the other hand, shown an increase.
This is due chiefly to the advantage the
Catalan manufacturer enjoys with pro-
tective duties. as such allow him TO
give a better cloth than his heavily
mulcted competitors can possibly give,
and now that he has proved his ability
to produce as good and fast cOlors as
his foreign competitors. it is expected
that each year will see an increase of
prints from Spain.
Glasgow manufacturers hold the print
el iacoHet trade and appear 10 be able
10 keep IL. Barcelona manufacturers
cannot compete, as they cannot
manufacture the cloth IN the first
place. ard. even if they had that. they
could not give the required finish. Linen
goods are now almost things of the past.
as The high duties have put them out of
the reach of the ordinary consumer. Jute
sacks come from Barcelona in very
large quantities. as no other country can
compete owing TO the protective duties.
Needless TO mention, Germany con-
tinues TO hold her own against all comers
in the hardware department. and the
finer prices have 10 be cut the firmer
hold she gets on this trade. American
machinery has been tried from time 10
time on this market, but has proved in
the main expensive. Iron forged in bar
rods etc. also corrugated sheet iron.
owing 10 the unsettled state of the cJUl-
try, has not enjoyed the sale il did last
year, but to all appearances demand is
reviving. and the near future should see
more house building in progress.
since l transmitted my last report the
better English marks have firmer stand
against the continental marks. Carriage
builders again inquire for qualities from
Belgium. Enameled iron goods meet with
a very fair demand-the price OF fuel
here calls for thin MAKE Of cooking
utensils Small articles (sundry) all come
from Germany and are Of the very
cheapest description 10 suit the native
consumers pocket.
"Earthen and glassware demand calls
for steady supplies. the commoner
quality emanating from Germany and
the better class from the United King
dom. The total imports of paints and
oils thus year show a decrease; well
known English marks are conspicuous by
their absence. owing 10 the fact that
English manufacturers DO not care 70
ship such low qualities as find cOnsump-
ton. Paper-cartridge. packing and
cigarette-comes from Spain. France and
Germany. and receipts SHOW an increase
for 1891.
In cigarette paper. Spain divides the
honor with France and Austria. and
supplies must of necessity he steady.
The past year shows a large increase
both in raw and timed goods. England,
Germany and Spain providing nearly all.
the American products are too expensive.
and are. therefore, not in great demand.
supplies of beer have diminished con-
siderably."
Consul Walker also reports some inter
esting facts about harbor improvement :,
which were under way at Manila when he
wrote. He says:
u inclose with his report a plan OF the
new harbor works at this p0r,, which
have been under construction now for
some years. l am indebted for the plan
ineer. Senor Don Eduardo Lopez Navarro.
The works when completed will be
great boon to shipping in general that
have now 20 ride outside in the roadstead
or bay some two or three miles from
Manila. Steamers drawing little wafer
and small craft can enter the River Pasig.
Those engaged in the China trade and
running between Hong Kong and Manila
under the British flag discharge the bulk
of their cargoes in lighters in the bag.
and then en.er the River Pasig TO con-
tinue discharging the remainder. The
same plan has to be Catri-d out in loading
the steamers for Hong Kong. viz: GER
tain bulk of cargo is put on board in the
river before mentioned and then the
steamers have 10 steam outside in the
bay TO take the remainder OF the cargo
on board.
"Of course. loading or unloading in the
bay cannot so on during many days dur
ing the typhoon season. and when the
notice of three balls is hoisted as a sig
nal by the harbor master that gale is
impending then the vessels have TO heave
up their anchors and make a run across
the bay to CavIte, which is three miles
distant, where there is a naval and ma
rine dockyard. as well as shelter. When
the works are concluded at the port of
Manila there will be abundance of
room, no. only for men-of-war, but for
all kinds of mercantile craft seeking TO
discharge their cargoes. or coming in bal
last seeking freight.