Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-01
Dangerous Competitor in Farm Prod
uc+" for England.
TRADE ENCOURAGED BY SUBSIDIES
Great Increase in Exports Of But
ter, Eggs and Beef.
WORK OF FOREIGN AGENTS

| Liverpool, has written at length to the
| State Department regarding Canadian COM
Petition with the United States in Great
| Britain. The value of the total imports
into Great Britain from the United States
! in 1898 was 1912. 662 O73 a gain of 2S.S per
cent in five years; the value of Canadian
| imports in 1898 was 800, 1871, 544, a gain of
1871 per cent in five years AS compared
with 1897. the United States made gain in
1898 of 1913 per cent, while Canada's gain
was So per cent. 1t should be kept in
mind that the gain by the United States
was mostly in manufactures.
The value of the total exports from Great
Britain to the United States in 1893 was
sl3S.67,55s a loss of 72 per cent in five
years; the value Of the exports to Canada
| in 1898 was s2s372, $50, a gain of 81 per
cent In five years AS compared with 1897
the loss of British exports to the United
States in 1893 was PAT per cent, while the
gain IN exports to Canada was ia per cent
The statistics Of the British blue book on
trade for 1898 (recently issuedD present two
striking facts-that the notable increase in
American imports last year was chiefly in
manufactures. and that Canada is the lead
ing competitor of the United States in
forest and farm products. This Canadian
competition In the British market IS now
keener than 1t ever was. and American
farmers and shippers would be wise to ap-
it will increase.
Canadian Government Encourape.
ment.
The Canadian department of agriculture
has done much to foster Canadian exports
1T has informed Canadian farmers of the
kind of produce most in demand in Great
Britain, and its experts have instructed
farmers how to kill and dress poultry for
shipment to Britain and how to prepare
ana pack other farm produce intended for
the british market. 1t has supplemented
this work by agreements with the Cana
clan railway companies and with the ocean
steamship companies for the carriage of
these goods in cold storage. During the
export season every Canadian railway
company reaching tide water by It's own
me or by its connections runs at least
one cold storage car every week from the
inland terminus of it's line. The farmers
shipping produce in the car pay the rail-
way charges, but the government guaran-
tees to the railway company two-thirds of
car! oad of produce. BY doing so it secures
regularity and continuity of service At the
ports the government provides cold storage
warehouses for the reception and storage
OF produce until it can be carried on ship
board
In order to induce the steamship COM
panies to go into the scheme the govern
ment paid one-half of the cost Of fitting
up nearly a score Of steamers with cold
storage chambers. In return for this assist
ance the steamship companies have agreed
TO carry produce in cold storage at the
current freight rates, with an extra charge
of los. (s243) ton for cold storage serv-
ice and accommodation. These agreements
run for three years
Canvassfng Great Britain.
In addition high officials from Canada
nave curing the last two years Travelled a
great deal over Great Britain. making
speeches before chambers of commerce and
trade organizations. setting forth the claim
ed merits of Canadian food products The
dominion has nine or ten agents in the
British Islands who combine some Of the
functions of consul with those Of a com
mercfal traveller. These gentlemen have
samples of farm produce displayed at their
headauarters. and they visit agricultural
fairs with movable exhibits. Several of
the provinces also have special agents IT
is matter of comment that English news
papers of late have devoted more atten-
ton to Canada and Canadian products than
was ever before known. All this. of course
has its effect. 1t tends to predispose the
consumers of Great Britain in favor of
canadian products, and it certainly is an
element to be taken into consideration in
the competitive battle although quality
and price are overwhelmingly stronger
than sentiment in matters of trade, here
as elsewhere.
Canadian authorities claim that in 1898
Canada supplied IA per cent of the total
food importations of Great Britain. Some
months ago a company was organized
with 81 600 600 capital to handle Canadian
food products in England. This corpora
ton has made special arrangements at
Liverpool for handling Canadian produce
including space and facilities at one of the
cold storage warehouses. said to be the
largest in the kingdom.
Subsidized Steamers.
During 1898 there We're twenty-three
steamers under subsidy contract or agree
ment with the Canadian government to
provide cold storage service for the carry
ing over of butter, cheese, eggs, fruits and
other perishable products to British ports.
Since the present summer season has OPEN
ed number of ships have been added to
the regular Canadian lines, the capacities
of some of the old ships have been in
creased, two three new regular lines
have been established. and the number of
'.tramps" has grown. From Liverpool alone
there have been six additional saiings a
month to Canadian ports since January
The trade with Liverpool in Canadian
fresh meat brought over in rsfrigerators
Is less than two years old. Those interest
ed in the American trade are not appre-
hensive that it will have a material com
petitive effect-at least for some years
Still, 1t is growing. But American beef,
both chilled and on the hoof, holds the
palm in this market it now being concad-
ed to be equal to the best English Both
the United States and Canada have an
active and growing rivalry in live cattle
and chilled mutton from the Argentine
and in frozen mutton from New Zealand.
The Canadian Cattle Breeders Association
has advised its members to pay more at
tention to shipping chilled beef, rather than
to sending live cattle to be slaughtered at
Liverpool and London.
Following is a table which shows the
value of the leading Canadian importa-
tons into Great Britain, with the value
OF the same kind of products from the
United States, for the years 1894 1897 and
!sIo. The figures are taken from the Brit
ish blue book:
Whence imported. 1894 1897 1903
Bacon: '-
United States. $24 1903 141 $26O1S 612 S31 2so 81
Beef fresh:
United States. 1s1O9,997 %, ioos71 %. esa a14
Canada 476 $3.50 1 ESQ Ia.
Butter: 'i'
United States 612102 3.O79O4S 1856. Go1
Canada ....... 437 9SS 21G2O29 3oI7 00i
Cheese:
United States. 7,s16s4S 6.s67,5e3 1892. OO7
Canada 1306S, 277 16, 27S574 Ia 3O6 5O2
Eggs:
| United States. 126O34 2O5 SOC 3o5 III
Canada 45O,2i9 942,S30 1,223. 80
Hams:
United States. 12.7S7,9sl 16.5sO.176 17,745,s72
Canada 6lS,464 1,264,921 1,133, 7O1
| Maise. or Indian corn:
United States. 10,556036 81. 1SSS97 80. $50 59f
Canada. S10O74 1858, 1853 7,454O2O
/ Oats:
United States. 59,345 9.2995O3 II ,131 1SS
Canada. 122,656 2.157,319 3,412,S47
! Oatmeal:
United States. 493 707 l. SS2,726 2659 h6o