The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-02
MANILA AS A TRADING PORT.
ported Into Countries Adjacent to
the Philippines

Washington Letter in the sun
More than a billion dollars worth OF
goods are every year imported into the
countries commercially adjacent to the
Philippine islands, and more than half
that amount is composed of the class
of articles produced or manufactured i'm
the United States and offered for sale
by her people. Two tables just pre-
pared by the treasury bureau of sta
tistics present some startling facts as
To the consuming power of the countries
in easy reach of Manila as an entrepot
and distributing point. From Manila to
Hong Kong and Canton. the gateway
to southern China, is but half the dis
tanCe from New York to Havana, and
from Manila To Yokohama, Port Arthur.
Shanghai. Bangkok, or the Strait Set
Elements is in each case a distance but
little, if any, greater than that from
New York to Havana The great ports
ana cities OF British India and Austria
lasia. while somewhat more distant, are
much nearer TO Manila than To any
other general distributing point for the
great classes of merchandise which the
counties in question produce.
The importations into these four
countries. Japan, China, British Aus
Iralasa, and British India and Strait
Settlements, as above indicated, amount
to nearly a billion dollars year. Those
of Japan, which a decade ago We're less
than $50, 600 600, are now more than $780,
900 900, and steadily increasing. Those
of China have increased 20 per cent. i'm
the last decade, and now amount to
nearly 5000 000 900 year Those of Brit
ish Australasia are abou- $500, 100000 a
year, and those Of British India ana
the Strait Settlements. which show an
increase Of lboGt 10 per cenc, in the de-
cade, are $500, 900 600 annually.
More than half this enormous sum
of the imports Of these four great Coun-
tries are as above indicated, classes
of articles produced in the United
states ana offered for sale by her peu-
pie Of cotton and cotton goods alone
the imports into these four countries
amount in round numbers to $l30,00O,-
900 per annum, and of this amount but
little over $l0,000,0OO worth is from the
United States the great cotton -produc-
ing country of the world. Imports Of
iron and steel into the four countries
in question amount to over $50, 900,
and of this $1,000, 900 worth comes from
the United States, The imports of
leather and manufactures amount to
81, 900, ,0OO and less than Sl,000,000 Of
that sum comes from the United
States: wood and manufactures there
of to about SS,OOOO 600 annually, and less
than 81 OO0, 600 of it from the United
states; machinery not included under
the head of iron and steel manufac-
lures, 20 $4,000 900, of which less than
g. 900 were from the United States;
chemicals, drugs, etc, amounted to
more than S10.000,000 with less tnan
81, 900 600 OF il coming from this coun-
try. OF the $l7 100000 worth of mineral
oils imported into the four countries
in question, we furnished over One-half
lost year. OF the $l30OO,0OO worth Of
breadstuffs furnished to those Coun-
tries our share was less than $5,00U,000
worth, ard Of the $4,000 600 worth Of
coal we furnished less than l per cent.
OF the 100000 worth Of provisions We
furnished but little more than $780,
000 worth.
OF the eleven great classes of ar
tlcles, manufactures of cotton, iron and