The evening times., 1899-12-23
TRADE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
business Ruined and People Suffer
Ing because of the War.

| Ing because of the War.
| Trade conditions In South Africa are de-
moralized by the war between the English
and the Beers. The poor people Of the
country are suffering for food and thou
| sands of the inhabitants are leaving the
| country. a
United States Consul General ]. G. Stowe
| stationed at Cape Town, has written the
State Department an interesting account
Il the condition of affairs in South Africa.
He says:
THE exodus OF Uitlanders from the
South African Republic and Orange Free
State has. l believe. been unprecedented in
history. Many OF these people-the min
ing population. the bone and sinew Of the
country-haye scattered over the world.
Numbers Of them. too poor to get out Of
the country. are subjects of charity in the
cities OF cape Colony and Natal, and have
TO be fed. Some have funds FOR few days
- "'~-ts hrt viii In time have to be sup
ported by the public, and this in a country
IRA: cannC, or does not produce the food
stuffs for its own people.
The English army is fed with supplies
from ether countries, and while much OF
these may have originally come from the
United States, they reach here via Eng
land. The customs duties and railroad and
telegraph revenues have fallen off. As the
railroads and telegraphs are owned by the
government very large source OF govern
ment support is lost. to say nothing Of the
employees thrown out of work.
Johannesburg. in the Transvaal, and
Bloemfontein. in the Free State, are. to
all intents and purposes. deserted cities.
Johannesburg, the largest commercial CEN
tire in South Africa. has. so far as trade is
concerned, ceased TO exist.
This once busy, bustling city. produc-
ing monthly over fifteen tons of gold and
yearly $50, 900 worth. is silent. Up to
this time, goods have reached the Trans
vaal via Delagoa Bay. but 1t is not sup
posed that they will long be permitted 10
enter. The two republics must then live
on their own resources. Their crops are
ready for the sickle, but cannot be cut, as
the men are off TO the war. Prices are SO
high that the trade papers refrain from
publishing the usual column OF market
prices.
Large quantities of gold en- route to
seaports In this colony for shipment to
England have been taken by the Beers.
Representatives here of export commission
houses of the United States are constantly
booking and cabling large orders particu-
larly OF food stuffs, but word comes from
the Gamers Of meat and fish. makers OF
flour and cornmeal. that they have about all
they can do to supply the home demand.
and are many weeks or months behind
orders.
Il make the statement in all candor that
the war. even with all its horrors. will
not cause imports from the United States
To fall of. The thousands of mules. the
millions of pounds of -four. wheat. corn.
cornmeal. samp. and canned meats and
fish brought into this country from Eng
land for war purposes, which previously
had been shipped from the United States
to England. added TO the direct shipments
from the United States to this country.
present a total that is extraordinary.
what the shipments Of United States
products from England amount to We shall
never know. as they enter duty free and
no record is kept of them at the custom
houses.
1T must. however. be kept in mind that
in some lines Of goods from the United
States. which have in previous years found
a valuable and ready market, the decrease
in imports will be decided. The total trade
from the United States is maintained by
the increase of food stuffs'