The evening times., 1899-08-29
CANADIAN COMPETITION.
Development of Trade Relations Be
tween England and the Dominion.

Canadian competition with the United,
States in exports to England is the subject
Of detailed report to the State Depart
ment by Consul General Boyle at Liverpool.
The statement is made first that the Do
minion Government is our keenest compel
itor, but it develops in the course of the
report that great deal OF the seeming in
crease in Canadian trade with England is
only in ransportation-much OF the grain,
hides, and other produce from the United
States being shipped by way Of Canada.
Mr. Boyle says that the statistics of the
British Blue Book on trade for 1893 pre-
sent two striking facts-that the notable
| increase in American imports last year
was chiefly in manufactures, and that Can
ada is the leading competitor of the United
States in forest and farm products. This
! Canadian competition in the British mar
ket is now keener than it ever was, and
| American farmers and shippers would be
! wise to appreciate the fact that the outlook
| is that it will increase. That there snouid
be competition is inevitable, owing TO the
| similarity of the natural and farm produc-
! tions of the United States and Canada and
| the eauidistance of the two countries from
| this market. But during the past two years
the Canadian trade has been given great
| impetus through the operation OF system
/ of government supervision and subsidies.
i Possibly influenced by the Canadian ex-
ample. Russia is shortly to introduce the
| experiment of subsidizing cold storage
| service on ships bringing dairy products TO
| Great Britain, and already Russia sends
enormous quantities of these products 10
! this market.
The system of government encourage
ment in Canada has been extended by a
money grant for every creamery in which
| there would be kept in use refrlgeratine
room according to official plans and speclh-
cations, the subsidy being $50 for the hrst
| wear and s25 each for two additional years
| Undoubtedly, much of the increase IN
Canada's expectations 10 Great Britain, 1t is
| said, represents only a gain in transporta-
tion-that is, great deal of American pro-
duce is shipped via Canadian ports (Mon-
treal principally to Great Britain. This Is
| especially so as to grain. 1t Is SAID
| that a great deal of American cheese
imostly New York creamery comes here
| through Montreal and is sold as Canadian
| cheese This is done not merely TO save
freight, but because of the prejudice which
| filled cheese has created in this market
against the American product. The Amer
lean cheese here referred is equal to the
best Canadian, but it cannot just now be
sold on its merits il known to be American
for the reason above stated.
In addition to the steps taken to increase
the sale of Canadian products, high ofn-
cials from Canada have during the last TWO
years travelled a great deal over Great BRIT
ain. making speeches before chambers OF
commerce and trade organizations, setting
forth the claimed merits of Canadian food
products The Dominion has nine or ten
| agents in the British Islands who combine
some of the functions OF consul with
those of commercial traveller These
| gentlemen have samples OF farm produce
displayed at their headquarters, and they
visit agricultural fairs with movable ex-
hibits.
Several of the provinces. also have spe-
cial agents. II is a matter of comment
that English newspapers OF late nave ue-
voted more attention to Canada and Ca
madam products than was ever before
. known. All this, of course, has its ef-
feet 1t tends to predispose the consum-
| ers of Great Britain in favor of Canadian
products, and II certainly is an element
TO be taken into consideration in the COM
petitve battle, although quality and price
, | are overwhelmingly stronger than senti-
, | ment in matters of trade, here as else
| where.
Canadian authorities claim that in 1898
Canada supplied IA per cent OF the total
food importations of Great Britain. Some
: months ago company was organized with
= s1 0GO 600 CAPITAL to handle Canadian food
products in England. This corporation
has made special arrangements at Liver
pool for handling Canadian produce, in
cIuding space and facilities at one OF the
cold storage warehouses, said to be the
. largest in the kingdom. j,, p,ls ys1
Statistics are not yet available as snow
, ing the status of British Canadian trade
for the fiscal year ended June 3d. 1899;
he dnnh
: made a large increase over 1898 during
Z 1885 there were twenty-three steamers
under subsidy contract or agreement with
| the Canadian Government to provide cold
| storage service for the carrying over o.
butter cheese, eggs, fruits, and other per-
| jshable products to British ports. Since
[ | the present summer season has opened Z
e number of ships have been added to the
| regular Canadian lines, the capacities o.
, | some of the old ships have been increased
;, | two or three regular new lines have beer
| established and the number of "tramps
q has grown. From Liverpool alone there
: have been six additional sailings month
= to Canadian ports since January Inc
| subsidy system has been extended. Thi
:, | system may be divided into three ciasse:
On for the mails, (2) for cold storage
service, and (3l for miscellaneous cargo
In some cases, the Dominion subsidies are
i supplemented by the maritime provinces
= A regular line has been subsidized Il
Manchester, going through the ship canal
| which has an outlet into the Mersey, nea
d Liverpool.
The boom" in Canadian trade has hat
{ its extravagant phases. Among Liverpoo
shipowners there was never and confidence
s in the ambitious scheme entered into unde
n contract with the Imperial and Dominion
; | governments to run twenty -one-knot mai
boats between England and Canada. Their
was no surprise when the contractors re
: Gently asked to be relieved of their obi
: CATION. Nor was there any general conf
II dence in local shipping circles in the re
markable attempt to run all-the-year lin
from Milford Haven CWales) to Paspebiao
Gulf of ST. Lawrence. One Of the pionee
Il ships got locked in the ice for weeks, an
1t since then no more has been heard Of tn
:. scheme But it is semi officially announc
:. ed that the attempt to establish fast mai
line to Canadian ports to rival the NeN
/ York service has not been abandoned. an
there are what pear to be authoritative
intimations that the next attempt-unde
subsidy from the Imperial and Dominic
governments-will be by the Canadian Pa
cific Railroad, which would thus be enable
a to take through passengers and freigh
!" from Liverpc3l to Yokohama over its ow
~ system the entire distance.
it The value of the total imports into Grea
lr Britain from the United States in 1898 wa
IN s612, ,662 O73 gain of 2S.S per cent in fiv
he years; the value of Canadian imports i
7, 1898 was s99, ,161 ,544, gain of 3S.7 per Ger
!. a. in five years. AS compared with 1897, til
N United States made gain in 1898 of 10
| nor napt whila rapada'c gain WAC ne