The times., 1899-11-06
TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA.
Growth of American Exports to Eng
lands Colony


The Sydney IN. S. W. Telegraph" says,
in connection with MIR. Asher Smiths de-
parture for the United States:
Mr. Smith, from his considerable ex-
perience Of our markets and their require
ments, should be able to furnish American
manufacturers with some valuable infor-
nation. And they may be depended upon
to make the best use of the knowledge thus
gained. Since the Americans have entered
upon the export trade on a great scale they
have shown all the enterprise and urgency
which characterize them as a people, and
are in all parts of the world cutting into
the trade of England and other countries
which formerly shared between them a
monopoly of supplying the chief lines OF
manufactured goods. Already as Mr.. Ash
er Smith pointed out, United States makers
have secured some very great orders for
iron and steel manufactures in Australia,
while in other countries they have been
equally successful in competing against the
long established works Of Britain and
| Belgium.
In no branch of industry has America
scored such a triumph in foreign markets.
or shown such expansion during recent
years. as in that of the making of iron
/ and steel products. For eight months of
each of the three fiscal years 1897, 1898. and
1899, ending in February, the value Of ex-
ported iron and steel has been $35, I81, ,809,
SAP SD, 262, and $5S,377, ,784 respectively
Latterly there has been very great local
demand for this class of manufactures,
which has raised prices and will result in
partial cessation of exports for a time,
But the name of the United States as a
supplier of such commodities more prompt
in meeting sudden demands, more than fer
tile in design, and more ready in meeting
the latest requirements than any other, has
been made. When the rush of home orders
has been coped with We may be sure that
her agents will be found in Australia,
vigorously engaged in pushing business,
not only in this line. but in every other
which promises payable returns.
so far as it has yet gone, our trade with
! the United States has been very one
/ sided affair-and the one side has been
! theirs, so far as the mere disposal of home
made commodities is concerned. II the
| great purpose of national activity was TO
! supply some other country with goods,
! we have not been so successful In our
dealings with the United States as she in
] hers with US For 1898 the value of goods
received in New South Wales from the
/ United States was e 602 1854 while that
! of exports sent by us in return was only
! &326, ,287. OF the imports which we have
found it advantageous to receive from the
United States during 1898, machinery heads
the list. with a value OF 9164000 This
| might have been expected In several
! branches of mechanical development. the
/ American people have outdistanced all
| others. 1t is only necessary, among the
more costly machines they have produced
10 instance the linotype and the various
/ harvesters which have been brought into
| universal use, to show that in this field
American makers hold a monopoly of trade
! which is the reward of indisputable merit.
Next in order of Importance among our
/ imports from the United States come tim
/ SOB, 900; paper, G94 coo; grain, e9i 600;
tools &50,000 and furniture 600
/ There is considerable number OF
| smaller items, such as drugs and
| chemicals, watches and clocks canned
fruits and timed meats, in the pro-
| duction of which the United States has
over the list, it will be at once seen that
with the exception of grain. whose impor
tation was a result Of circumstances un-
likely to recur, some of the things received
by US, like timber and kerosene, could not
have been obtained in the same kind and
| quality and price from any other source
while the others stood specially recon-
mended by their excellence and utility.
Among the scanty United States import.
from this colony during the year under re-
view. the principal were skins and hides
C 122 GEO, wool, G95 600; coal, GS0000 aa(
tin, R260 600. So immense and various are
the resources of the United States tha
there are few native products due to differ
ence of natural conditions which she would
require us to supply. And it is not to b.
supposed that of our manufactures pur,
and simple the newly arisen COLOSSUS
among manufacturing nations viii becom
a customer The need Of the United State
is TO seek outlets in far countries for he
surplus Of production and manufacture"