The record-union., 1899-09-11
TRADE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
THE STORY OF THE MANILA
CUSTOM-HoUSE.
Opportunities for the Introduction
OF American Pro-
ducts.

August 22d, the date Of the American
occupation of the custom house, to De-
cember 81, 1898, tell a story of an inn
portation race almost as exciting in the
telling as a rush for claims on a newly
opened reservation.
The total revenue, in excess of ex-
penses and refunds, amounted to ST.
SS6, ,55S.76. These figures are of Mexican
currency, or of pesos instead of dollars,
and can so be considered throughout
the report. The duties collected on i'm
ports We're 81, 500, ,473.04, and on exports
$3.50, ,374.20. OF these amounts $765.S0
We're collected in fines In other words,
it cost the bewildered Spaniard that
amount to catch the drift of Uncle
Sans way of doing business. The Span
iards considered our methods frie htfuly
complicated at the start, but they now
admit them simple, once one gets ac-
cuStomed to them. Four hundred and
fourteen dollars and fifty-fiye cents
We're collected as translation fees. It
costs the unlucky skipper who has so
far neglected his education as to slight
the learning of English ten cents line
for translating every document that
comes to the custom house veiled in the
mysteries of Castellano Thus will the
language of the
CONQUERORS PREVAIL IN TIME
There were seventy-seven foreign and
26O coast vessels entered Manila during
this period. Eighty foreign and 2ol
coast vessels cleared for ports various
in and beyond the Philippines. These
figures represent a total tonnage OF
99,04763 entered and 5S,692.91 tons
cleared. England heads the list of for
eign traders with 67 ,907. 80 tons regis
tered, and Norway second with ships
registering total of 10, 1882 tons.
American ships come next, followed by
Spain, Germany, France, Italy and
Denmark in their order. In the coast
ing trade the American flag floats
proudly above old Spain herself, which
is a very good example of the fickleness
of Spain's sons in thus taking up so
quickly with the new love. May 1t
be said, however, of a few Spanish
Captains, and with the 'IHnor OF
Spain" staring US in the face, that they
prefer to sell or leave their ships for
others to command rather than face the
odium of Old Glory at the masthead.
The tonnage of vessels in coast trade
flying the American flag was o4,O32.9I,
while that Of poor but once proud Spain
summed up at a paltry 1,19219 tons,
hardly the size of a Gloucester fisher
man. SO
Wen sail the seas with our added tons,
CA part of the white Mans Burden,
With a knife in our teeth for the Moros
we meet,
den.')
Now let US take a. look at the lmDor-
tation figures. They rise and fall like a
barometer, and one can find no better
method for judging of the enterprise
Of the different countries of the world
than TO look at the importation barom-
eter at Manila for the first few months
after her occupation by the Americans.
Te&'l my figures are for the period from
August 22d to December 81, 1898.
SCOOPED ON CIGARETTE PAPER.
In a country that probably smokes as
many cigarettes as a good part of the
rest of the world put together, cigarette
paper is an item of Importance as well
as Of import. There are no paper mills
in the Philippines. They have depended
upon Spain almost exclusively for their
cigarette and print paper. Wrapping
paper is evidently too expensive, for it
is very seldom used. In August there
We're i, 800 kilograms Ca kilogram, or
kilo, is equal to 2.2046 pounds) arrived
from Spain. China was quick to fore
see a paper famine and landed 1,393
kilos in this month, but it's owner evil
IDENTIFY did not meet with the success
hoped for, as China does not again add
fuel for the flames until December,
when she brought in 262 kilos, probably
for Chinese consumption only. In Sep
tember it seemed as if the world saw
a fortune in cigarette paper, for Eng
land jumped in with S,S13 kilos, Ger
many with 1882 kilos, France with
10,606 kilos, and Austria with S.432 XII
los. Where was Uncle Sam all this
time? Well, in this case at least he
was "scooped," for he did not offer to
Manila a particle of cigarette paper
during the year 1898, and thus missed
the greatest opportunity of his life in
not sending his cigarette fiends on
chase to his new possessions for the
necessary plating for the odorful ''cof-
fin nail" Spain, however, was not
out of it for good In November she
dropped in with 6.415 kiIos. and fol-
lowed it up with 24,762 kilos in De-
cember. She may make few more
spurts for favor in the paper market
but it Is safe to say that Uncle Sam
HIMSELF A BIT IN FUTURE.
The trade in fireworks always has
and more than likely, always will be
held by China and Japan. 1t might
7wever. be interesting to note that the
portation Of fireworks amounts to
e a bit in the course of year, in
ch time there are no less than 195
days on which the miniature rattle
lusketry is let loose by our newly
lired Young America. The total
Jrtation of this article of commerce
The period mentioned was 6,592 klos,
somewhat over six tons. notwith-
ding the fact that great effort was
e by the American authorities to
Jress this species of exurberance in
of the strained conditions of
es and affairs.
ould you believe it that Manila.
home of the mango, paupau. lime,
lemon, orange, banana, mountain ap-
pie, watermelon, pineapple and dozens
of other fruits. was importing fresh
fruits? Well. she is. and during the
time for which I am quoting figures
she imported no less than 141,9 kilos
from the United States. Here is one
branch of trade wherein Uncle Sam was