The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-12
GROWING Rlf Of CHM


noolal Dispasch 10 the Post Inteliigencef.
WASHINGTON. July ii.-ssonsui John
Fowler. Of cfsefoo. sends an important and
Interesting report Oh the trade OF the
Gnised States 10 China. which the state
department. has Just issued In the form of
q special builesin- Consul Fowler quotes
sxfsnsiyeiy from tbs annual review Of
trade by Mr. Taylor, the Statistical seere-
sary Of customs. He Submits report Of
trade conditions during The calendar year
1sss. and says u 10 done with the object OF
enphesizaug the impcTtaEcc Of Amafacsn
interests In that vast empire.
In Mr.. Taylor's review he says:
.Were any proof needed of the vitality
OF Cbsna.s foreign trade. the figures for
80 would supply II. Various parts Of
tie country we're Disturbed By sporadic
ysbelions of sufficient grAvity to check
business. the Yellow river once more burst
tn banks and flooded enormous tracts: an
Duainous war cloud during the greater part
Of the year mode importers cautious. the
political situation was full OF menace. and
In September. the news from Psking conn
p3eseiy dfsorganlxed the trade OF the north
ern ports. In spite Of these adverse cir
cu1nstances. the value OF the import trade
surpassed All previous records. while the
value Of the export trade exceeded that
1851. The total volume Of the trade was
valued at 80. gl6. ss3 haikwan taeis ts2ss.si9.-
t9s1. which = the highest on record. 1t
h gratifying to know that the whole
the trade yielded satisfactory results 10
those interested.
20 much foreign capital has been lately
invested In China that the condition OF the
external trade OF tho country. as an In
dex TO the national resources. Ii watched
with . certain anxiety. In every year
from 1855 to 1865. the value OF the imports
haa exceeded that Of the exports. For
the whole period. the imports have
amounted 10 i,1f 5ss 80 haikwan taeis.
tho exports 10 !. .sM haikwan taels.
or an excess Of imports over exports or
17.oH.sw hAikwan taeis. making an an
nuAl average of ~. e110m haikwan taels
The development Of industrial enterprises.
the extension OF railways. and the exploit
tAtion OF the mineral resources Of the
country are likely TO have important ef-
fecfs upon trade In the near future. As
regards the nrst. In spite OF some disap-
pointments. which admit OF explanation
and are temporary. steady progress Is OBJ
s4rvAble. and everything points 10 pros
perout future which will further develop
the fcxeigE trade.
.The net value OF the import trade was
1oes1s. IA haikwan taeis (SfEs ~. o6sl. ex-
ceeding that Of al previous years and be-
ing s.7so7oe haikwan taeis above tho value
for 1897"
In speaking Of the value OF the trade in
cotton press goods. the report states that
Dutch sheetings have disappeared. az they
cannot keep pace in price and quality with
those from the United States. Japanesc
shectings also show an immense decline.
eaid TO be due In inequality OF texture
which handicaps them In competition with
American goods. Manchester can no long
er eonapete with the United states ~ the
importation OF drills. Jeans and sheeslngs.
owing TO the lower prizes at which the
latter can land these gocis In China.
.'whit6 md refined sugar and American
nour," says the report. ''are all being
bought moro freely. which. as IND eating
Increased ability 10 purchase iuxuries may
Be- taken az a sign of prosperity. The val
Ne Of the exports Of 1875 was estimated at
Mo.os7.ias halkwan ,aess 0ii0El.7y). a
slight decline from the previous year
which showed an advance OF thirsy-two
millions over 1896
Entries from foreign ports were SOFA
vessels. aggregasine tsg7. 900 TONS a. conn
pared with 5.2sl vessels. with a total tom
mage OF &sss.eoe tons In 1897 coastwtse
entries were 1893 vessels. making L.
fGA.oo tons. as against 1868 vessels. rep
resens.ng IL. coo tons In 1897 The total
tonnage inwards and outwards was s. III
90 tens. and OF tbs total Great Britain
contributed sc per cent: China. - per
cent: Germany and Japan. each per
cent. Sweden and Norway. I per cent:
France, ] per cent: America, per cent,
and a.i other iags together. 1 per cent
Consul Fowler has compiled several In
terestinx tables of statistics The follow
Ing shows che value Of chlna's trade in
txx Rakz