New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-12
BIDDING FOR ASIA'S TRADE.
GERMAN CONTRACTS FOR POSTAL AND
COMMERCIAL SERVICE.
FOUR NEW STEAMERS TO BE BUILT-iN-
CREASE IN EXPORTS TO EASTERN
AND SOUTHERN LANDS.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
rsr TELEGRAPH TO THE raIBrsE.l

rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington. Jan 1.-THE great interest in Asiatic
commerce which other nations as we'll as the
United States exhibiting Is Illustrated In
n recent subsidy agreement made BY the German
Government by which It proposes to pay more
than 81 900 O00 year for a ffteen-year term for
tho establishment Of steamship lines to ply be-
tween German ports and those OF Japan. China and
Australasia That the German Government and
those OF its citizens participating In commerce
should feel a special interest In the trade OF the
Orient is not surprising. In view OF the fact that
German exports to that part Of the world have
been quadrupled in the last decade.
A copy Of the contract between the German
Government and the Lloyd steamship Line for the
establishment and maintenance OF postal and com
mercial communication between Germany ana
Eastern Asia and Australasia has reached the
Treasury Bureau OF Statistics II shows that the
Lloyd company agrees 10 maintain FOR fifteen years
steamship lines running from Bremerhaven or
Hamburg by way OF d Belgian or Dutch port.
through Genoa Naples Port Said. SueL. Alden.
Colombo. Singapore and Hong Kong. TO Shanghai
and back by the route second main line
through the ports 10 Yokohama. Japan
main line through the ports 10 Adelaide. Mel
bourn. and Sydney. Australia, and branch lines
from Hong Kong to Shanghai. and from Singapore
TO German New-Gulana and other ports in Ocean'ca'
CONTRACTS FOR FOUR STEAMERS.
built FOR the Chinese and Japanese service 10 be
OF not less than six thousand tons and equal 10
those OF foreign nations In every respect; their
plans TO be approved by the Admiralty. and TO be
running respectively by October l. 1899. January !.
September ! and November J. 1890. The steamers
70 ne constructed for the Australian line are to he
OF less than 300 tons. and also equal to those
Of foreign nations in every respect and SUBJECT 70
the approval Of the Admiralty. All the ships are
10 be bull, In German yards and German material
+ 20 De used as iar as possible all Aonlrai'y re-
qulrements 10 De carried out In tnem; putting nnsi
into condition In which they can ready De utlHz.t
for war purposes when necessary. The agreement
provides that In case OF modifying the Meet the
chancellor purchase the vessels on full pay
Of thu contract also provide that only German coal
j. to be taken on board at German. Belgian or
the Imperial Chancellor that II German and for
cign goods simultaneously offered for dispatch
preferencc' and that the Chancellor may prohibit
the importation by German. Belgian or Dutcn ports
Of such agricultural products may compete WIN
those OF Germany. The agreement provides ina !
The German Goyernment snail pay 10 Ine L1yp
ments The regular plan Of sailing on The Japanese
line must begin at the latest in April. 1893
TO DEVELOP INTERIOR CHINA
II IL also announced that A Bremen Arm intends
TO establish with steamers now being built for
that purpose d steamship line on the Yang-tse-
Kiang in China to ply between Shanghai and
Hankou BY the aid OF these lines which will
correct with the subsidized lines running from
Hamburg to Shanghai German dealers and Ger
man interests will be In direct Communication not
only with Shanghai which has two-thirds OF the
import trade OF China but also with Hankow, one
OF the most important commercial cities OF china
and having population OF about one million. u
f. now being connected with Picking by railroad.
Hankow Is probably the most important or the
distributing centres Of Interior China being splen-
dilly situated In the heart OF the country sur,
rounded by a network OF rivers and lakes and
relched by the largest ocean steamers and when
10 this is added the railway system now unger
construction us importance as a distributing point
for Interior China cannot Dc overestimat ted.
tiermauys exports the Astatic countries have
Increase rapidly in the last decade. Her exports
10 China IN l&7 amounted 70 IA 10000 marks III
value and in 1896 to As 1000 marks To Japan the
1884, exports 6.39S 90 marks and those OF 1886
s. 81 90 marks To British East Indies they were
I'm 49, 10000 marks and in 1896 t9lls,o marks.
To Dutch East Indies and the Philippines they
were in 49, $4,000 marks and In 1896 l6.s4390
marks To Australia they were In lss. 10000
marks and in 1895 % 2i1.po marks.
The following figures show the total value OF
. German exports 20 Asia and Oceanica by <>ars
from 1857 TO 1876. 1885, A. $4,000 marks lsss OU3cO
marks. 1897 ll6S-.Oo marks
fSgi rs 5000 marks 1892 ll4l2l.0o marks: 1873.
l93 Ssl 90 marks 1894 rs 6s3 90 marks: 1881 1851
~ marks. 1896. l76.2460c0 marks