The herald., 1898-11-16
TOLD BY OUR CONSUlS

| suit VI an interview Wltn u HehSh"he "a
Manila in regard to the business situation
in the Philippines. The Philippines con-
tain over 100000 inhabitants, and the
Chinese control the retail trade. The Ger
man and Swiss firms are general importers,
while the export of hemp and sugar, the
import of domestic dry goods and the ship
chandlery trade are in the hands OF the En-
glish. Cash sales are given discount OF
Z per cent, and credit from one to three
months is common Caution is advised in
dealing with the Chinese merchants, as Ma
Mia has no mercantile register like Hong
Kong. Cotton yarns are a heavy imported
article, heretofore mainly furnished by
SpainS owing to the minimum Spanish tariff.
Largely in demand are bleached and un-
bleached shirtings and drills, gray cloth,
gray long cloth, colored prints with red
ground and fancy crimps, ginghams and
chellass for bed coverings in large, gaudy
designs cotton cassinette in light weight
and double width for trousers, black cot
ton zanellas for dresses of the country wo-
men. Handkerchiefs IL by Is inches and
% by % inches are the correct thing. Wow
en- cotton underwear is II great staple.
Other cotton articles having good sale are
low priced sewing machines, carriages and
parts, enameled ware for cooking utensils
and American clocks.
Consul Taylor OF Glasgow writes OF the
contest between Philadelphia IRON hrm
and the local firms for furnishing iron PIP
ings for the city of Glasgow. The bid OF the
American firm was lower than any other,
but an excuse was found that their bid was
on l2-foot piping instead of 0, as advertised
All bids were rejected and new ones solicit
ed Again the Philadelphia firm was the
lowest bidder. They were given three
sevenths of the contract and a Glasgow firm
four-sevenths In the discussion the fact
was brought out that the Philadelphia firm
paid its men better wages, but that these
men produced 25 per cent more in the same
time than the Glasgow workmen, which
made it possible for the foreigners, 30G0
miles away, to lay their goods down in
Glasgow at less price than the local firms
could quote.
Minister Buck writes from Toxic that he
has received a note from the japanese min
ister of foreign affairs to the effect that the
new customs tariff law will be enforced
throughout the whole of the japanese do
minions from the lst of January, $780,
Consul General Stowe of Cape Town urges
that an arrangement be perfected with Cape
Colony whereby United States exhibits to
the South African exhibition may be trans
mtted free of charge from American ports.
Such an arrangement has been made with
the Canadian government. There is de-
cided tendency to legislate in favor of Ca
madam goods against those from the United
States, and the consul thinks an effort
should be made to retain the tradelAmerica
already has with South Africa and also to
increase it. 1t is not necessary for manu-
facturers to send representatives. but the
excellent opportunity which the exhibition
offers for the introduction of American
goods should not be lost. As the South
African colonies are not themselves manu-.
facturers. nearly all their manufactured
goods have to be imported Consul Stowe
calls particular attention TO the demand for
American windmills. These need only TO
be pushed to win success over the heavy and
cumbersome windmills OF English manufac
ture. Samples and tests are better than
all the catalogues possible in the hands of
the best salesmen
Commercial Agent Atwell of Roubaix
writes of Austria's floating exposition. The
necessity for adopting new and energetic
methods for obtaining a share of foreign
commerce led to the conception of sending
this floating exposition to the far east. The
arrival of the ship in the various ports will
be announced in advance through the news. |
papers and by means of posters and circr |
lars. The exposition will be free to all. and
thirty or forty experts; willGive information
to visitors and distribute catalogues in diff |
ferent languages. Sales will be made and
orders taken. The ship will be fitted up
with booths, lighted by electricity. and the
hold Will be vast storehouse. arranged
with view to the greatest convenience.
The company has received its permit from
the minister of commerce of Austria and
Hungary. and the imperial government has
granted a subsidy of 500, 300 to encourage
the enterprise.
Consul General Winslow of Stockholm
writes OF iron mining and the lives OF miners.
Ae the principal mines the boring is carried
on by hand, with steel rods, which are
pounded on top with a stcel-headed hammer. |
In these holes dynamite is placed and ey |
poded. The amount of mined ore and rock
loosened by each kilogram (22 pounds of
dynamite used averages twelve tons. each |
ton representing an average of 1913 feet |
bored. The detached pieces are reduced by |
hammers to sizes that will admit of their
being readily handled. The ordinary miner
makes on an average about 5000 per annum. |
They generally live III villages near the
mines, and 90 home at the end of each week.
Ihe average working tins is eleven and a
haft hours Il day. Those who are married
live in houses built for them alone. paving
40 cents for one or so cents for two rooms
per month. The unmarried miners live in
"barracks.' These are one-storied bnld
ines, usually containing two apartments.
each having twenty-four hunks, rarged in
two rows around the sides The rules regii
latlng behavior, cleanliness, ETC., are very
strict and rigidly enforced.
Vice Consul Blom of Copenhagen calls at
tehtlon to the opportunity for the introduc-
ton OF American roofing states Wales
furnishes most Of the slate used in Denmark.
but the supply is not now equal to the de
mand.
Consul Monaghan of Chemnitz reports the
latest effort of the Germans in the way of
canal building. They attach great impor
tance to canals and waterways as factors in
industrial development, and their idea now
is to unite the Elbe and the Rhine, thus per-
mitting not only of the passage of ships from
one to the other without unloading, but al
lowing the Rhine boats to carry cargoes
gathered in the harbors of the North Sea