New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-17
FRESH TRADE DEVELOPMENTS.
SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED IN RECENT CONSULAR
REPORTS


REPORTS.
The December number Of Consular Reports"
issued by the State Department at Washington,
contains many interesting and valuable hints 10
American producers.
Several reports relate 20 tho button-making IN
dustry OF Europe Attempts find out how pros
porous II Is have been made By consular agents,
but in England and Germany, with little success.
In France too. the manufacturers were reluctant
alive II that country great quantity Of buttons
are made there from. paste. moulded. In Germany
celluloid and other kinds of buttons also produce
clasps buckles and other articles IN A9slrla the
by competition with America. Germany does not
STge quantities S OF her T' pToduci 10 london where
they are distributed to other parts Of the world.
Henry White secretary Of the American Legation
IN London quotes from a French consular report
the statement that one good commercial traveller
IS worth ten thousand printed circulars in winning
trade.
One great secret of the success Of German manu-
facturers and exporters is said TO be the handsome
way they have Of packing goods like linen sta
fionery and jewelry These articles, when exposed
order is more easily secured than would other
wise be possible.
Advices from Russia indicate that IN certain lines
~ business there the foreigner who viii give the
longest credits stands the best chance OF making
deal Careful inquiry about the standing OF a pos
sibe buyer is necessary. and this has been the
stumbling block Of many foreign manufacturers.
In some instances British makers OF machinery
agents, especially Jews. who were more anxious 10
get their commissions on nominal sale than 70
insure payment al maturity.
Marshal Ealstcad. American Consul in Brmng
ham. calls attention TO the sensation created in
England few months by the discovery that
Cd nv Rriti isl firm and
running from Ncw-York TO Australia and New
Zealand had made rates for merchandise that
We're lower than nose gwen from fnslsh ports 70
the same countries Inc distance - greater from
NewYork than from England. After little. how
temporary and was designed TO get business away
from American shipping lines.
The American Vice Consul at Nice France. re-
iterates advice that has been given by others 10
manufacturers this side of the ocean 10 put
their catalogue into The language Of the country
IN which an effort 20 sci. is being made, and give
prices in the currency Of the customer.
discussion has recently been pending in Eng
land the loss SIS due to what Is called country
damage" 70 cotton while IN transit Ii is a notorious
fact that no merchandise ever goes into LIVERPOOL
that is poorly packed AZ American cotton And
English nanufact urers cannot be induced TO take
this material until the damaged portions have been
on he insurance coinpanics but they are firing q
This thing. TWO propositions were under discus
sion al last accounts one is 20 increase the rates
OF insurance and the other 70 exclude the rebate
for damage from contracts.
II ia becoming more and more probable that the
British invasion OF the Soud0n Will open up large
and fertile region tc the cultivation Of Egyptian
cotton and thus article soon TO he grown in India
on p larger scale thar ever before Hence lower
prices are looked for in England How far sucf
romnctition can 20 before IL seriously affects the
rrce Of American cotton cannot easily be predicted
Frank II Mason. American Consul at Frankfort
talks OF length the market for our apples in
Germany. He says that. while most shipments ar
rive In good condition OF them require sort
ing over and are IN such state that from % to 10
Der cent must be lost. lie Is doubtful about the
wisdom of sending much fresh fruit TO Germany.
especially large trade mas already become
esfspiished IN dried fruit. THE German trade In
American dried aprl,-. aprcots, peaches. pears
and prunes is extensive that 1t may be CONNER
cialiy wiser and scientific 10 place less reli-
ance on the export Of cheap, perishable and off,
cislly discredited freight like fresh fruit and de-
vote and energy TO the sale abroad OF