The record-union., 1898-05-27
OUR TRADE WITH CHINA,
NEXT IN IMPORTANCE TO THAT
OF GREAT BRITAIN.
Report of the Second Secretary of
the British Embassy at Wash
ington to His Government.

WASHINGTON, May 26.-Hugh
O'Beirne, Second Secretary of
the British Embassy here,
has made a report to the British
Foreign Office on the extent of COM
merce between the United States and
China. The report is opportune to the
recent movements of European Powers
particularly Great Britain, Germany
and Russia, toward securing territory
and commercial advantages in China.
Mr.. O'Beirne does not deal with the
political phases which have made the
Chinese questions in European discus
sion but his report tends to bring out
that the United States has large in
terests in China and that she is no
less interested that the European
Powers in the advance movement upon
China.
The report shows that the present
volume of United States trade in China
represents more than one-seventh Of
the entire trade of the Empire. 1t is
much greater than the trade of Ger
many with China, and comes next to the
trade of Great Britain that being the
first in commercial Importance.
The increase in American trade has
been going on rapidly within the last
ten years, and this increase has been
entirely on the side of American goods,
our exports increasing while Chinese
imports were decreasing.
By far the most valuable branch of
the trade is that in cotton goods. Mr.
O'Beirne showed the Importance of the
Chinese market for United States cot
ton cloth by stating that last year
China took ST, ,646 900 out of a total ex-
port of 81, ,2S1 900, or about half of all
our cotton cloths shipped abroad. He
says the Chinese, especially those of
Manchuria, prefer the American goods.
Most of these cotton goods are shipped
from the New England mills, and go
through the Suez Canal. There has
been a considerable increase of ship
ment from the West by way of San
Francisco and Puget Sound.
Continuing, Mr.. O'Beirne says,
There is every reason to think that
the effective opening up of the in
terror provinces to foreign trade will
be followed by a great expansion of the
Chinese demand, and American ex-
porters will have a very large share
of interest. The dense masses of the
Chinese population, dealing exclusively
in cotton cloth, offer a practically un-
limited market for cotton goods"
The export of American Kerosene oil
to China now ranks second in import
ance TO that of cotton goods. Mr..
OBeirne says that in 1896 China took
80, 100000 gallons of American OIL as
against 2S,O00,0 600 gallons of the Rus
sian oil. The American kerosene is
shipped in cans almost wholly from
New York and Philadelphia, via Suez
Canal. while the Russian is sent large
ly in bulk, in tank steamers.
Mr.. O'Beirne also shows the inCreas-
ing value Of our trade in wheat, -four,
iron and steel ana raiIadAd materials
He says Chinese show a full recogni-
ton Of the superiority of-the American
flour over their own roughly cleaned
product. He says the increasing indus
trial activity of China and the building
of railroads will secure to American
makers a large proportion of the con-
tracts for steel rails, locomotives, etc.
He remarks that the iron and steel Ia
dustry is one in which the United
States have recently shown their ability
to compete with all rivals.
In particular Mr. O'Beirne points out
the Importance of Chinese trade upon
the development of our Pacific Coast
States. He says: "It must be noted
that the Pacific States, though at pres
ent taking little part in the business,
are perhaps more concerned in it's ulti
mate development than any other Sec
ton of the country. These States are
possessed of enormous natural re-
sources and their affairs, while SKILL of
minor Importance, are computed to
have quadrupled in twenty years. These
should in the course of time find ad-
vantageous market in the Far East,
and the Chinese demand must exert
great influence on their eventual de-
velopment. The Pacific seaports have
already begun to feel the bounds of the
China