The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-27
AMERICAS TRADE WITH CHINA
THAN THAT OF EURO
PEAN NATIONS.
Comes Next to That of Great Britain
will Have Effect Upon the Pa
cific Coast States.

Washington May 26.-Mr. Hugh
| O'Berne. second secretary of the British
embassy here. has made a report to the
British foreign Office on the state of com
merce between the United States and
China The report is OppOrtune to the re-
cent movements of European powers, par
ticularly Great Britain. Germany and
Russia, towards securing territory and
commercial advantages in China. Mr..
O'Berne does not deal with the political
phases which have made the Chinese
question a foremost topic in European
discussion, but his report tends TO bring
out that the United States has such large
interests in China that she is no less in
tereSted than the European powers in the
advance movement made 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. II is so per
cent greater than the trade of Germany
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 Ameri-
can goods, our exports increasing, While
Chinese imports were decreasing. By far
that in cotton goods.
Mr.. O'Berne showed the choice of the
Chinese market for United States cotton
cloth by stating that last year China took
900, out of total of $1,000. 900, almost
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 rema rkable Increase of shipments
from the west by way of San Francisco
and Puget Sound.
Continuing Mr.. O'Berne says: There
is every reason to think that the effective
opening up of the interior provinces to
foreign commerce will be followed by a
great expansion of the Chinese demand for
foreign cotton and American exporters
will have very large share of interest
The MOSES of the Chinese population
clothed almost exclusively in cotton cloth
offer practically unlimited market for
cotton goods"
The export of American kerosene oil to
China now ranks second in importance
to that of cotton goods. Mr.. O'Berne says
that in 1886 China took 80, 900, 900 gallons of
American oil, as against 28,00O000 of the
Russian oil. The American kerosene is
shipped in cans almost wholly from New
York and Philadelphia via the Suez canal.
while the Russian is sent largely in bulk
in tank steamers.
Mr.. O'Berne also shows the increasing
value of our trade in wheat flour. iron
and steel and railroad materials He
says the Chinese show a full recognition
of the superiority of the American flour
over their own roughly cleaned product
He says the increasing industrial activity
of China. and the building of railroads
will secure to American makers a large
of the contracts for steel rails
locomotives. etc. He reports that the iron
and steel industry is one in which the
United States have recently shown their |
ability TO compete with all rivals
In particular Mr.. O'Berne points out the |
Importance of Chinese trade upon the |
development of our Pacific coast states. |
He says: 1T must be noted that the |
Pacific states. though at present taking |
little part in the business. are. perhaps |
more nearly concerned in its ultimate |
development than any other section of /
the country. These states are possessed |
Of enormous natural resources and their |
while still of minor i'm |
oortance, are computed by Mr. Mullhall to /
n the course of time find advantageous |
markets in the far east and the Chinese
demand must exert great influence on
his eventual development. The Pacific
'eaports have already begun to feel the
benefits Of the Chinese trade"