The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-20
DOER MAR AFFECTS TRADE
AMERICA EXPORTS TO SOUTH Az
RIGA YEARLY OVER s13. 900 600.
Large Proportion OF This IL in
Rreadstu6s and Most ct Them
Enter Through the British Ports

WASHINGTON. Oct. I9-Some Indication
OF the prospective effect OF the Transyaal
war upon the commerce OF the United
States with South Africa is found In the
facts recently presented by the treasury
bureau OF statistics. in its monograph en-
titled, Commercial Africa In 1899. This
shows that the imports OF the Transvaal
In 1897 We're. according TO the best esti-
mates, over sleoU6,io1. OF which about
So. 0to.o11 were from Great Britain, $3.50. =
90 from the United States, $5,o@oD from
Germany, and the remainder from Belgium.
Holland and France. All OF these inpor-
ta;ions reach the republic, which has no
seaports. through the ports OF Cape Town.
Port Elizabeth. Por- Alfred and East Lon
don. in Cape Colony: Durham. in Natal. and
l>ourenso Marquez in Portuguese East
Africa. The diree, imDortattons into the
Transvaal through Cape Colony in 1877 were
80 3sS.a.2 and through the other ports OF
Cape Colony probably an equally large
amount. those through Durham and other
ports in Na,a.. 81. 800 oi2. ana those
territory. sl2 $50, 80. In addition Il, this.
large quantities OF goods imported into
Cape Colony Natal. and Portuguese East
Africa for consumption In those COLONIES
the Transvaal, thus making up the grand
total OF over Si09.rn,0D
British Ports of Entry.
II will he observed from this statement
that UP 10 the present time the importa-
tion OF goods into the Transvaal has
largely passed through the British ports
OF Cape Colony and Natal, which will now
be closed against commerce for that state
thus temporarily changing the course Of
supplies which the large population there
must continue to have. The closing of
these ports will compel the Beers either
to obtain their supplies OF imports
upon what they can obtain from their
own territory and that OF the colonies
which they may invade. since both the
South African Republic and the Orange
Free State are surrounded by British ter
ritory on every side, except al the east
where Portuguese East Africa interyenes
between the Boer states and the Indian
ocean. The total value of goods In tran
sit for the South African Republic and
the Orange Free State passing through
PortYsuese East Africa in 1881 was in
from the United States to Portuguese
East Africa amounted in 1897 to 81 500. 0oo
and in 1895 to s.. s91.0o. OF this exporta-
ton from the United States. the very
ing to N,227OD: manufactures of cotton,
sl3sll: manufactures OF iron and steel,
sl5l.5is; illuminating oil. ils,s2o gallons:
wood. sl42.1ss and manufactures OF tobac-
co. 1852. AS the very large proportion Of
the goods reaching the ports OF Portu-
shipped To the Transvaai. ii NAV be as
sumed that practically all OF the goods
above named were for that territory.
Imports From America.
AS already indicated. however. the
TraIsvaal has, up 10 this time taken a
large share of It's imports from ard
through the British colonies Of Cape Col
ony and Natal. Imports into the Cape
Of Good Hope from the United States In
1891 amounted 10 over so. 900 coo out Of a
total OF sS6. GO. 90. and OF this probably
one-half was intended for consumption IN
the Transvaal. The imports into Natal
from the United States In 1897 amounted
10 81, zoo of0 out OF total Of $50 600 90 and
II is probable that a considerable share
Of this was destined for the Transvaal
since the rail- distance from the chief port
of Natal TO the TranSvaal IS much less
than that through the ports Of Cape Col
ony.
What the general effect of the war will
De upon the commerce OF the United States
with the South African republic which
has become by reason OF It's mining IN
dustries and population SO large con-
sumner, Will naturally be subject OF some
speculation As already indicated fully
four-iifths OF the imports into the Trans
vaai in 1897 came from Great Britain the
total importation from Great Britain in
that year being estimated ar fl30ie. 100 or
So 50s,oo, while the next largest source
OF importations was the United States,
from which the importations are estimated
at e. Iil,usD or 81 100 90