The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-14
THE AMERICAN WHEEL ABROAD.
In Four Years $4,000, GOO Worth of
Them Were Exported.

Anem were Exported
Washington. May 1S.-(speclaD.-The
opening of the wheeling season gives es-
pecial interest TO some figures just pre-
pared by the treasury bureau of statistics.
These tables, which present the statistics
of bicycle exports during the past few
years. show that American wheels are
now being ridden in all parts of the
world. In the wilds of Mexico and Cen
trail America, under the blazing skies of
Cuba, Porto Rico and other West In
dian islands; across the pampas Of Argen-
tine, Brazil and other South American
states; amid the densely populated areas
of China, British West Indies, and Japan,
and In the jungles of Africa the Ameri-
can wheel is making its way. Even in
the great manufacturing countries of
Europe, where workshops and skilled
workmen abound, millions of dollars
worth of American bicycles are sold each
year. During the four fiscal years, 1896.
1897 1898 and 1899, the expectations OF
American bicycles amount in round num-
bers to $2O,Ooo,OOO
That such large numbers of a machine
requiring such high grades of workman
ship in its production should be continu-
ously and successfully exported in cornpe-
tition with the workshops of the most sue
cessful manufacturing countries of the
world is q fact of which American work.
men and Americans generally may justly
feel proud. Four million dollars worth
of American bicycles win, during the f1s-
cal year about to end go to European
4,-s.0 A..
featuring industries antedate by genera
tions those of the United States.
To France, with al her skilled workmen
and ingenuity, expectations of American
bicycles in the fiscal year 1899 will be more
than double in value those of 1897, while
the fact there has been a general lower
ing of prices indicates that in numbers
the increase has been very much greater.
To Germany the expectations of bicycles
In 1899 will be 60 per cent in excess of
those of 1897, though something less than
those of 1888 To other countries on the
continent of Europe the bicycle exports
of 1899 are so per cent IN excess of those
of last year or the year before. To the
United Kingdom the bicycle exports of
the year are materially less than those of
1898 as measured by values though the
fall in prices probably accounts for much
Of the apparent reduction as shown by
liit ASdACS WHICH give Values exclusively
and do not indicate the number Of ma
chimes exported.
One curious and interesting fact in re-
| gard to the exports of bicycles illustrates
| the general tendency of our export trade
in manufactures. This is the fact that
! very large proportion of our exports of
manufactures go to manufacturing coun-
tries. Two-thirds of our bicycles go to
| countries which make speciality of manu-
| and
turing countries increases rather than
! otherwise. 1t will be remembered that
| predictions were made a year or two ago
| that the exports of bicycles to Japan
would decrease as soon as the Japanese
| had obtained sufficient numbers as mod
els for their own factories and establish
ed themselves in the manufacture of
wneels. This prediction, however has
not proven true. The exports of bicvcles
to Japan which in the fiscal wear 1907
amounted to $52179, were In 1898 sss AK
and in the fiscal year which ends nevt
| month Will reach fully $3.50 900
| The islands which have been bro,,oh.
into closer relations with us by the evsnts
OF the past year evidently appreciate III
cycles as among the good things of tho
United states. Cuba, which. in the nine
months OF 1897 bought but $l.469 worth
| has bought in the nine months of 49,
present fiscal year $s,10l worth of hicvc,a,
| The exports of bicycles for the fun Ascsi
| year 1898 to Cuba amount To 30 Oh -
| Porto Rico $3.50, to the Hswaiian Isjsrdo
| S2072, though to the Philippines there
seems to have been no direct exportston
| of bicycles.
The largest single buyer of our biovcIas
in the fiscal year 1898 was the United Kino
dom, which took $1,s52 1876, though as a.
| ready indicated the figures as to values
for the current fiscal year viii not he as
| large as those Of last year. Germanv's
purchases of bicycles from us last year
\ amounted to Sl,724, 40l. Canada came neyl