The evening times., 1899-09-08
SYRIA WANTS AMERICAN GOODS
The Consul at Beirut Advises Manu-
facturers to Send Samples.

The Consul nt Beirut Advises Manu-
facturers to Send Samples.
In report received at the State Depart
ment from G. Bic Ravndal, United States
Consul at Beirut, Syria, that official says
that there is a general desire throughout
the country for American goods. In his
| report the Consul advises the exporters of
the United States to send samples of their
wares to Syria and says that a great i'm
| petus will be given to American trade by
SO doing. The report says in part:
'Of late, considerable interest in Amer
| lean manufactures of various kinds has
become manifest among Beirut merchants.
| This may be due 10 the fact that German
export houses are drawing the lines tighter
on Syrian commission merchants; or it
| may be attributed TO the late war, which
brought the United States into prominece
even here in the Levant, where it was for
merly known only vaguely and where ro-
! body was aware of its industrial and COM
mercial achievements. Articles comment
! ing on our tremendous exports have been
| translated from French or, through the CO.
operation of the consulate, from American
! papers and published in the local Arabic
| sheets. In this connection, il should be
| remembered that while previously United
States vessels laden with petroleum. fur
niture, hardware, cotton goods, cordage,
| lumber, and -four have visited this port,
no United States ship has been seen in
| these waters since 1880, excepting men-of-
| war and pleasure yachts. This new inter-
| est in American affairs has also been aided
by the growing Syrian exports to the Unit
| ed States. the emigration, the agitation for
direct steamship facilities. etc. The pres
ent time seems favorable for move on
| the part of American manufacturers TO
| meet this sentiment and take advantage
| of ii.
1 THE merchants here want samples, and
will not. except in rare cases, buy from cat
alogue. Samples should cover, should say,
as far as practicable, flour, iron, petroleum,
4 lumber. mechanics tools, kitchen utensils,
| carriage springs, hardware in general
| mails, screws, locks, etc.), pumps, wind
mills and hydraulic rams for irrigation,
] lamps, clocks. furniture tchairs, desks, and
| iron bedsteads}. cotton goods CHEAP and
| snowy prints and heavy cloth for tents,
! awnings, sails, and shoesl, canned pSovi
sons and prepared cereals. patent r1edi-
! cnes paints leather and saddlery, paper
| print. packing, and stationery, shoes and
slippers, crockery. bicycles, toys, and no.
| tions.
| Il would recommend that such samples
be sent-the sooner the better-to Fred
| Wehner an old trading and banking house
| in Beirut, which enjoys an excellent COM
mercial reputation, and the financial stand
| ing of which, according to the Imperial OF
| toman Bank BEIRUT, is very high. have
| before me written pledge, dated May H.
1899, and addressed to me, in which Mr.
| Wehner Whose affairs are now being con-
81 Enyt
| sui General of the Netherlands in Syria)
says L declare, myself to be ready to ac-
cept the deposit of the samples which
| American mercantile associations may be
disposed to intrust TO me, and to do my ut
most in order to procure the best business
transactions. not only at Beirut. but also
for all the markets existing in Syria and
Palestine. The experience | acquired dur
ing thirty years work in this country al
lows me TO guarantee full success on condi-
tion that the prices allow competition with
European houses. Being also ready to fur
nish any information, ] have the honor.
ETC.
If American manufacturers adopt the
| suggestions herein contained TO the ex-
tent anticipated a separate sample room
viii be set apart by Mr. Wehner for our
goods. No charge will be made, as the
house expects TO make a profit On future
| OTdGlS, DeslaSs DuS ing, LOT iHSlT own dC-
count American goods which prove 10 be
popular Manufacturers or exporters al
home will. of course, pay the freight or
the samples or the postoffice charges, aS
the case may be; also the duty, amounting
to per cent ad valorem Oh a low valua-
tion, except on samples of CLOTH which
are admitted free up TO weight of five
Kilograms eleven pounds). There will
also be slight charge for port dues. light
erage. and porterage. Samples of value
Will in due time be sold for the benefit ot
the owner at the best obtainable prices
An employe of the consulate will devote
half OF his time 10 the promotion OF the
trade which such agency will presuma-
bly, help to create. and the consulate will
Of course. continue to give the matter oi
introducing American goods its careful at,
| tention.
IF, in conjunction with the establish
ment of a sample room under these cir
cumstances, a direct line of steamers could
be induced to operate regularly between
New York and the Syrian coast touching
either outward or homeward bound at Al.
| eXandria, decided advantage would bt
gained for American foreign trade