The times., 1898-07-25
AFRICAN TRADE OPENINGS.
They Are Many, According to Con
sui General stowe.


Under the head of Trade Openings in
South Africa" Consul General Stowe. OF
Cape Town, has gathered together some
interesting data concerning the existing
commercial relations between the United
States and the Dark Continent, inter
spersed with suggestions showing the pos
sibiiities of their future development
In the midst of a Washington Summer
one can appreciate the paragraphs where
in the African demand for cold storage
houses Is set forth:
ut may be of interest 20 our manufac-
turers to know that there appears TO be
no limit to the possibilities of the erection
of cold storage plants in this country.
The cities of Cape Town and Port Eliza
beth. in Cape Colony; Pretoria and Jo-
hannesburg in the South African Repub-
lie, and Durham, In the colony of Natal,
all have taken steps TO establish .ocal
cold storage, but as yet no definite action
has been reached.
THE loss of so many cattle by the
rinderpesst is the cause of the movement.
II is alleged that thousands of people Who
at one time would not think of eating
frozen meat are now eating the meat I'M
ported In cold storage steamers, and are
pleased with it"
Further along in his report Consul
Stowe relates that bicycle riding is Ia
vorite pastime in South Africa. not alone
with the white population. but with the
Malays as well. He says:
Possibly no country. in proportion to
its white population. does a larger busi-
ness in bicycles than does South Africa.
Here the bicycle Is used not only by the
whites. but also by the Malays.
Municipal authorities estimate that
that there are 5000 bicycles in Kimberly,
or about one for every seven of the pop
ulation The imports from the United
States in 1896 were f13,20 (s64,2iSj. and
the increase for 1897 is estimated al III
per cent All the English makes are sold
here and several American. Il is 10 be
regretted that some very cheap bicycles
have been imported from the United
States which has injured the trade
There being a Iull in the demand. II was
believed that a cheaper machine would
find a market: but ii was soon found that
a cheap machine was not an economical
/ one, and now only the best are in de-
mand
The duty on bicycles is per cent.
They sell at about the same price as in
the United States, with freight and duty
added.
1t an1ears that the United States has
a monopoly on the implement trade 10
Africa, and referring TO it's development
Consul Stowe further says:
The imports of the agricultural imple-
ments into the ports of South Africa for
1897 were to the value OF SIS. .S2T.T0. of
which United States furnished 1895 Sc. IS.
The figures speak for themselves That
the United States has much Of the trade
and with proper action can retain it, is
unquestioned. That the demand will con-
tinue to increase cannot be doubted.
agricultural implements of all kinds
are admitted free of duty In the line OF
! implements, as in all others. the market
! should be studied with the fact in mind
! that both England and Germany are good
| imitators, and that America must do al
| she can to keep this trade. Durable
/ goods should be made. and. although
| they may not be expensive and such az
| are used at home in time the best will bt
/ wanted.
''It would pay manufacturers to exhibi
| al the fairs held here during the month:
of February, March and April. Imports
| for 1897 fell off s1iS,366. .0S as compared with
/ those of 1886, due to losses through tht
rinderpest, fly and drought
In the following paragraphs are set
forth the possibilities of coal mining,
! which industry appears TO be rather poor
| ly developed. and the further fact tha,
! experienced miners are in demand at
| good wages:
There is plenty of coal in Africa, but
! thus far it has been mined only on the
surface At deeper levels the quality
must improve. but at present the Natal
! coal has steaming qualities only 20 per
( cent less than that from Wales. Ameri-
can bituminous coal has no better steam
ing qualities than the African coal, al
| though. as above stated. only surface coal
| has thus far been mined.
African coal is today worth at the
mines ST. 25 per ton. There is much diff
| Guilty in obtaining experienced labor. and
| but a small quantity is mined in conse-
quence. Mine owners would be glad TO
| pay from $3.50 to 50 per day for good
workmen. and steady employment would
be furnished At all events. American
miners would find employment"