The San Francisco call., 1898-03-20

Korea, Cochin-China. Siam. Straits Settlements, Formosa. Philippines 900 in gold. This year it will prob ably reach $70O, 900 900. and yet these transactions are all taking place In lands and seas directly across the Pacific from California. Oregon and Washington, and nearer by some thousands of miles to the latter than to the countries of Europe.
 Few people In the United States and even in San Francisco have a fair idea of the greatness of the Far East. the number of its large cities and their enormous trade exchange. the number of ships required to carry the exports and imports, and the per lection and organization or trade systems which prevail in these trans Pacific commercial capitals. san Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Ia coma cannot present scenes or ac- tivity in their harbors -lat will com pare favorably with those Of Slnga- pore, Hongkong,. Shanghai and Kobe. If any one supposes that, because these latter cities are located in Asia. they are purely Oriental and Asiatic in the conduct of commerce and trade, they are laboring under great error.
 Again, were they to travel up and down this coast visiting Vladivostok. Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Tientsin, Hankow, Shanghai, Hongk9ng. e; ;ne. Can Can
 
 Manila and Batavla they would be keenly surprised at the extent and influence of foreign interests, the line appearance of the foreign sections, with well-built business and private houses. clubs and hotels, apd with opportunities for the pleasures as well as the hard work of life, the progress that is everywhere being made, the growth in population and trade ana the spirit of ac--vity that prevails on all sides.
 The value of the field is best attest ed by the unrelaXed efforts Of Euro pean Governments, of European firms and of European steamship lines to advance their respective interests from Singapore to Siam.
 In conclusion, l say to the export CTS, manufacturers, merchants and other parties who are concerned in the extension of our trade and influence In the Pacific that this market Is posi- lively worthy of their tireless ex- ploitation; that it not only now is showing it's value by increased ship mentS and by many additions to the trans-Pacific fleet, but will in the fu- ture bring rewards of unprecedented extent, and that after many years of careful study of trade and political conditions in the Far East, during which time I have discussed the sit uation with the heads of nearly all the great business houses and with the leading statesmen of the different lands, l am prepared to prove that a specific and amp.e op- portunity awaits the Pacific Coast of the United States to share properly in the commerce and trade of Eastern Asia. In numerous reports to the De partment of State, as well as in let ters to chambers of commerce and American firms, I have discussed these markets in detail and pointed out what are the best lines of develop ment. The scope of this letter will not permit extended quotation Jherefrom. If San Francisco will organize and conduct a Pacific and Asiatic com mercial museunl on lines similar to those of the Philadelphia museums, a great step will have been taken, but there are scores of other ways which, In the meantime, San Francisco can follow to increase it's trade exchange with trans-Pacific ports I am, sir yours truly, JOHN BARRETT.
 U. S. Minister.