The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-29

our total trade in 1897 IS doubtless due
to the hard times which then prevailed
in the United States. while the falling Off
in the same figures for 1898 and 1899 may
he accounted for by the important and
increasing share which -four and kero-
sene have of late years taken in our
China trade by the Disturbances which
were even then seriously affecting north
China, which takes the bulk Of our cot
tons and by the high prices prevailing
I'm the United States.
THE last two reasons also explain the
slight decrease since 1897 in our proportion
Of the total foreign exports Of piece
goods. English sheetings and japanese
cloths taking the place OF the American
cottons withheld for the home market.
XXX
at the same time il is satisfactory TO
note how well cur proportion Of the cot
ton exports has been Sustained in the
face Of these conditions. 1t shows. as
stated In the customs report quoted
above. that American manufa cturcrs
are using every effort to secure the mar
ket.' and that our export trade is being
pushed in a systematic way, and not
taken up htfully merely as an outlet for
our surplus product
THE three great treaty ports~-Ncwch-
wang, Tien Tsin and che Foo-get the
great bulk of our cotton goods-S0 per
cent of all the cotton drills and over 90
per cent % all the sheetings. AL Of these
places are i'm the northeastern part Of the
empire, on or near the guif Of Pechii.
The present troubles in China have made
their names familiar.
''Newchwane the most important city
In the province of Shcng King, in Man
churia. is at the extreme north Of the
gulf Of Pechili; Tien Tsin. the most i'm
portant city of northern China. situated
In the province of Chill, is on the Pei llo.
at the head Of the gulf. and but eight
miles from PelSin; while Che Foo. on the
Shantung peninsula, is on the southern
side. near the mouth Of the gulf. and but
a short distance west Of the British port
OF Wei Hal Wei.
THE other treaty ports naturally divide
themselves into those OF the YauEtse ba-
sin. Of which Shanghai, the New York
of China. is at the mouth; those along
the coast between Shanghai and Canton,
the great distributing center Of the south
at the mouth of the West river, and
those at the south below Canton
What sections of our country con
tribute TO this large and flourishing trade
in north China? In commenting on the
great increase of American sheetings in
1898 the imperial maritime customs com
missioner at Newchwang mentions that
the sheetinCs most sought are from Mas
So chusetts and have a flying horse on
them.
since the conclusion OF the war with
Japan we see a trade expansion so I'm
mense as to make an entirely new epoch
in the commercial history of China, an
epoch that cannot be compared with any
rracadipcr 10 commercial fraa ~
between China and Japan in 1896, applica-
BILE through the most favored nation
clause TO all the important treaty pow
ers. opened up many ports and water
ways in the interior. comforting trade
rights hitherto unknown.
Add to this the throwing open Of in
land waters to steam navigation in 1898.
and we have some concrete explanation
of the forward trade movement the past
four years.
What, then. may we expect when Chi
ma. no longer dependent on her water
ways for communication. is gridroned
with railroads? Already PcIIin, Tien Tsin
and Shanhaikwan have rail connection.
and this will soon be extended to Newch-
wang. while the projected Russian CON
nection of Port Arthur with the trans
Siberian railway is now in course of CON
struction.
If present railway projects are car
r.ieG ont there will he an important trunk
line running from IIarkow, the Chicago
of China on the Yangtse. directly north
to Pekin and south to Canton, the first
part being built under Belgian, the sec
ond part under American auspices; there
will be a main line north from Shanghai
to Tien Tsin and thence to Pekin, built
by Anglo German capital, and two other