Evening star., 1899-09-14
MORE TRADE OPPORTUNITIES.
Consul General Stowe on America
Goods In South Africa

Goods in South Africa
]. G. Swope, United States consul general
at Cape Town, writes follows to the
State Department regarding American
trade opportunities in South Africa
Il submit the inquiry, Why does not the
United States, with her resources, furnish
this co.ony with certain commodities and
preparations the ingredients and bases Of
which are produced more largely in the
United States than elsewhere? AS an. ex-
ample take certain exports from the
united kingdom to this colony alone in 1888
IL preserved meats the united kingdom
sent Si1U34 pounds in a total Importation
of 3,67o.s4S pounds OF course, of this one
article, the United States furnishes the
bulk, namely, 2.1160SS pounds, but is it
not a fact that preserved meats. like pre-
served fish Salmon, for instance), are ship
ped from the United States in cans un-
labeled, and English labels put on?
"Of preserved nsh, the united kingdom
furnished this colony 4,052. 49, pounds. the
total importation being 4, 705, 66S pounds OF
salted meats, the united kingdom sent q,
1880 pounds. against a total of 2,621 ,449
pounds. From this one see what is
done with the large number of hams and
sides sent from the United States uncured
to Great Britain and there cured.
"Of soap. the imports from the united
kirg gdom were 12,aS91S1 pounds. against
total Importation of Ii, 2.'2.343 pounds, and
yet nearly al the soap stock-fats and the
cOtlOn SeSu Oli-dIe VI AIHeIlCdH oIlSiH
'"Typewriters to the value of f6.34S (S5O.-
S93) We're sent from the united kingdom.
the total imports being t12,6i2 (s6l, l,52), and
yet l am informed that only one type
factured in that kingdom. Why not sell
the United States typewriters to Cape
Colony direct?
"out of total importation of plated
silverware of f40.9H S1@.254), the united
kingdom sent f:i5, ,53S (sl72,9t6), and yet the
United States is called the great silver
producing and plate-ware manufacturing
country.
.sThe united kingdom in 1898 sent 73,252
pounds of tobacco out of a total import into
the colony of 136, 536 pounds, 69lO.7lS
cigars out of total import of IA,
and 20 All, ,259 cigarettes out of a total inn
port of 7Ti74, 59eall made from North
Carolina and Virginia leaf.
with the vast crops of apples raised in
the United States why should the united
kingdom send 64.535 gallons of vinegar out
of a total Importation of 6i,53 gallons,
while the United States sent none.
1.-The United States is the greatest furni-
ture manufacturer among the nations, yet
furniture to the value OF t26l.o4 Sl,S9,-
500, out of a total importation of 1861 S75
(S1. 1S9,.A4). was received here from the
united kingdom in 1898.
rs not the glue produced by the great
packers of America worth exporting, and
can it not be produced as cheaply as else
where? Yet the united kingdom sent
hther 126,474 pounds out of a total OF
l:Wl66 pounds.
Lead and zinc were received from the
united kingdom in 1898 as follows: Lead,
% S15 cwts., and zinc valued at fl.4l4
($6,SS1), against a total of 21.11o cwts. OF
lead and fo 9S1 s14.5OO worth of zinc
Candles to the amount of 3.116,677
pounds We're received from the united king
dom out of a total of j, 4SS.SS0 pounds, yet
the greater portion of the talloW, sperma-
ceti, stearin and stearin wax, stearic acid
and paraffin wax entering into their manu-
facture must have been of American origin.
bicycles to the value of f135 16O $780,
6T5) were received from England out of
total import of f174, $50 (SS49.93D.
Golden sirup to the amount of 2,tD6,471
pounds out of total import of 2.730, 35l
pounds was received from England. while
the United States furnished only 5,141
pounds. The united kingdom, to make the
sIrup. must import the sugar, etc.
'Of cotton goods, the united kingdom
furnished II ,055.G99 (s5, ,133.01O out of a
total of fl 1867 (s5 529 300. and yet the
cotton came mainly from the United States.
"Out of 6,073,0 ,06o pounds of potatoes the
united kingdom sent 3,6f,52S pounds. l
am told that a large quantity of these
were mportations for seed which has to
be renewed in this colony every two years.
Admitting that much that is made and
produced in the United States is sold
through other countries to this colony and
country, the question arises. is the United
States getting credit for exports to South
Africa? In like manner it may we'll be
asked, does the United States get credit
for the products which she imports from
South Africa? The reasons for these con-
ditions are many but the one reason, per-
haps above all others Is that Great
Britain has the ships, the banking facili
ties and the great merchants located in