The times., 1899-09-13
DEMAND FOR IRON BEDS.
An Opportunity for American Good
i'm the Orient.


Consul Davidson sends to the State De-
partment from Tamsui the following re-
port:
Although statistics show that American
hardwear is finding rapidly Increasing
market abroad, there as yet has been but
little imported into Formosa. The foreign
population of the island number but some
three dozen persons in all. and OF course.
their requirements are very slight. Amer
lean manufacturers must then look TO the
Japanese and the Chinese population for
their customers. Unfortunately. both
Chinese and japanese carpenters still cling
to their very primitive homemade tools.
Although the more intelligent o. the jap
anese people are quick TO purchase labor
saving machinery if the expense is not too
great and they are convinced work can
be done by it cheaper and quicker than by
hand, this spirit of enterprise does not
apparently extend to the carpenter, or even
the blacksmith, and lower class artisans
who live in the interior and feel but little
the influence of foreign customs.
Il have visited several of the large hard
ware shops in the city, and with the ex-
cepton of nails, bolts, screws, 10 ks,
hinges and shovels / have found no for
eign goods. Although there is but little
to be done in hardware. it is my firm belief
that a good opportunity exists for the in
PRODUCTION of American iron beds. not only
in Fogmosa, but throughput. the East pro-
viding the home manufacturers are willing
to make the slight notifications required
in producing an acceptable article.
The American iron bed, enameied in
white and with brass trimmings, is supe-
rior in appearance TO the English or Con-
tinental bed found for sale in the East;
and, although in every way equal in
strength and firmness, it is manufactured
in America at such low cost that it can
be placed on the Eastern market al about
half the cost of the European article. The
plague of insects is so prevalent in the
East. and wood is so easily injured by the
excessive damp that wooden bedsteads
find but little favor. The form of bed most
/ suitable for use in tropical countries
! differs from the present American model
! in two respects, i. e., the body of the bed
must be raised so as to be two feet clear
of the floor, and the four posts must be
extended to length of seven feet. A mos
! quito net is used the year round in most
1 tropical countries, and although an inge-
/ nious canopy arrangement, TO be sus-
pended from the ceiling, can be obtained
in the United States the only really salts
! factory net is the one supported by the
/ four bed posts, independent OF outside
! fixtures. The four posts should be con-
nected at the top by light rods, bent at
each end into a ring, which can be dropped
over a pin which projects from the top of
each post and which also affords hold
for the brass knobs which are to be placed
on top. This frame forms a support for
the mosquito net. which is either fastened
to the rods with loops or is drawn over
the whole frame An English or Cont
mental double bed of this kind sells in the
East for from 40 to so yen $3.50 TO S25).
Although foreign style beds are but
rarely used by Japanese in Japan proper,
weli-to-do Japanese in Formosa use them
quite extensively, as they recognize that in
this damp climate il is more healthful TO
sleep above the floor than on the "tatami,
as is done in Japan. In some of the Gov
eminent institutions-esp especially the hos
pitals, of which there are several large
ones in Formosa-foreign iron beds are
used exclusively. The largest market,
however would be in supplying the thou
sands of foreigners who reside in the vari-
Gus foreign settlements throughout the
whole East"