The times., 1899-12-03

The TWO weak spots in our foreign COM
merce are. then. the Oriental countries on
The west and the American Republics on
the south.
HoT they can be built up and strength
eaed VIII appear later on.
Ia quality. also. the exports Of the cen
tury were one-sided. the products of agrI-
culture being at first nearly all, or 100 per
cent. Of the total. But little change was
made IN this percentage until recently,
when manufacturers saw fl to dispute the
supremacy, 9pd during the closing years
OF the century supplied an average Of about
one fourth of the annual exports.
ln volume and value Of exports there
was a steady growth with no pecuIiaritiss,
unless ii be the very gratifying fact that
Al the close OF the century cur annual ex-
ports exceed in value those Of our chief
commercial rival. Great Britain. and OF
every other nation This is what may be
called closing the century in a blaze Of
commercial glory. Il fuldlls the prophecy
Of Gladstone who in his memorable tEib-
ate 10 the United States. in 1873, in con-
tIasting her commercial future with that
of his own country, said:
III is she alone who a. a coming time
can and probably viii. wrest from Us that
commercial primacy. We have no tiue-I
have no inclination TO murmur al the
prospect il she acquires it she will make
The acquisition by the right Of the strong
est: but in this instance the strongest
means the best. We have no
mere utIe against her than Venice. or
Genoa. OF Holland, has had against US"
18th Century Equipments.
At the beginning OF The century steam
had not been impressed into the service
.of commerce either on land or water.
Railways. steamboats, on the rivers, and
steamships on The ocean, were then all un-
known
Bat in 1907 The successful trial of Full
SONS steamboat on the Hudson River, was
The beginning OF steam navigation. which
has since grown to enormous proportions
in ihe internal commerce on the Aiissis-
sippi and other rivers. the Great Lakes, the
cosstwise trade, and in the ocean foreign
1Iade.
Not until 1880 were steam railways. the
nos leading equipment Of commerce, in
existence. But from that time on their
development has been 80 rapid that near
The close OF The century they are moro
nearly the masters than the servants OF
commerce More than eleven billion dol
lars CsII eco .00O, ,000 were spent in their
construction from 1880 TO 1888. They cover
the great interior like network, with trunk
lines 10 the seaboard, on the Atlantic. Pa
r5nc aud Gulf coasts. Their construction
has been the leading material feature Of
lhe century They have been not only the
pioneers and pathGnders Of commerce, but
ils principal promoters.
TIE other great equipment, electricity,
vas also unknown 10 commerce at the be-
ginning OF the present century. Not until
lSl4 was the iIst telegraph line built that
between Washington and Baltimore. But
since then their construction has been so
raBid that near the cICse OF the century
there are in round numbers. 500 600 miles
of wires I'm operation in the United States.
uniting in close commercial ties every sec
riou. every State and every important
town IN the service Of foreign commerce
Inc wires have also been laid beneath the
seas connecting our great seaports and
cities with the commercial centres OF the
Whole world.
Not until recently, or near the close OF
the century were those other inn
porta3t equipments, the telephone and the
electric railway known 10 commerce But
fbsiF development has been maryelously
rapiG and extensive
lid SPACE permit VIC might continue, al
most indefinitely. the list OF l9th-century
contributions to the service Of commerce
but III s. rather The defects or omissions
Nc are seeking. The enc conspicuous weai
spof IS the almost total absence OF an
American merchant marine from the for
sisn trade.
is construction has. for some uaac-