The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-11

That was 10 be expected Even II there
isn't war with China (Which / don't see
how We can avoid the powers are pretty
much to be dreaded. As things look now
II isn't likely that they will step in to set
tie things in China without having a
squabble on their own account. and war
is war. as far as tea is concerned, who
ever does the fighting
Worried About the Outlook.
Il am worried about tea, because know
running day and night to manufacture tor
pedoes, and they're not being made for
Staten Island or New York City either,
and all naval officers away on leave have
been notified to return at a moments no.
tee That's preparation for war, and with
China; SO what's to happen to tea, l don t
know; wish did.
A most serious thing to my mind is
that if those Chinese fanatics are called
on to fight, they'll leave everything and
CO. 1t won't make any difference that they
don't know what they're fighting for, half
OF them, and the tea farms will be
neglected. To let the blossoms ripen and
4
| picked. will play hob with the tea for a
| couple OF crops. and that's Just as bad as
though the ports were tied up.
There's only six months supply in this
country to fall back on, and that's very
| little. Sometimes we have as much as a
year ahead. but there isn't now / think
tea famine is a very possible thing In
case OF war, and that Is what am telling
our customers
IMAM can that 1t won't. 1t may, and I'm
| advising our customers TO be prepared and
to buy wherever they can"
Tea faminei" exclaimed Mr.. Willard,
| OF E. A. Willard & Co. II suppose there
might be. but never knew one. To may
knowledge there never was a time when
China couldn't get her tea out and I'm
speaking of war, too. During the Franco
Chinese and Japanese Chinese wars John
Chinaman got his tea out Of the country
Just the same. He's too keen trader TO
lose anything. We think Yankee pretty
sharp, but there never was one China.
| man couldn't beat They're a born nation
Of traders.
"of course. Il the present trouble
spreads so that the rivers we're blocked
and shipping entirely tied up 1t wouldn' {
be easy to send away tea, but believe a
certain quantity would still be exported.
III
least except to send up the price little.
think it's absurd to talk about a tea
famine.
There may be war. and murder. and
bloodshed, but that won't stop the tea
from growing any more than our trees
stop growing. 1t keeps on, and there'll
always be some Cinnamon to pick 1t, and
you can trust them to see 1t isn't wasted.
That would hurt their feelings too much,
They watch this market as a cat does a
mouse. II ours goes UP 2 cents the China
man asks g. Oh, you can't geS ahead OF
him!
A Famine Not Expected.
"Furmosa is the great tea country, and
pounds sent to this country annually
20 100000 comes from there alone. oh, I
don't think women will be crying for tea
ard not get it. 1t never has been held in
that country, and don't believe 1t will be
now"
II don't think this trouble of war will
affect tea an atom" declared another i'm
porter. "I'd rather not be quoted, but I'm
telling our customers not to lay in an extra
store; that We don't think they will need
to. One-half the crop is already on the
water coming over, and the rest will be
before anything happens. It's being gath
cred now. Nonsense TO talk about a fam
inc. Ridiculous. Tea'll go up, of course,
but that doesn't mean famine"
It's impossible to tell" said still an
other. 1T depends on the Chinese ability
to tie up the ports. AS long as the trouble
Is confined to the north we are not affected
Beyond that cannot say. The stock on
hand is very light and famine is not i'm
possible"
iously. for they might be affected by war,
too.
LAS long as only the north is affected
We are all right" said large importer.
THE silk district is In the interior OF the
southern part. and the stuff is shipped from
Hongkong and Shanghai. Trouble there
would only send up the price of silk gen.
orally. for only 20 per cent Of that used
comes from China. The rest is from Japan
and Italy. and we should fall back upon
them. There would only be a shortage
and increase in price
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has
made the following statement:
War with China would certainly be
detrimental to American trade with that
Empire.
Temporary Effect.
For the time being American trade
would be destroyed because the merchant
would not be able to reach the interior of
the Celestial Empire with his goods or
course. there would be special demand for
wheat. oats. breadstuffs, horses. and
mules, and the United States would have
to meet the demand of the allied armies,
consequently the expectation of cereals and
animals would be increased many fold On
the other hand. there would be marked
falling off in general trade, especially in
such exports as cotton manufacture. |
kerosene oil. iron and steel manufactures
tobacco, lumber, manufactures OF wood, |
Parts of clocks. books. maps engravings, |
perfumery. and cosmetics, scientific In |
struments. patent medicines. paper, car |
riages.- etc, and leather.
The total value of these articles of ex-
port in 1898 was 1926, 521. The value OF
wheat exported to China has averaged |
barely 100000 a year for several years.
On the other hand. the value of wheat -four
exported in 1895 to Hongkong much of
which undoubtedly went into China,
to s3,S35,727 The total value
Of our agricultural exports direct to
ports in 1898 amounted to $685.
549, the principal items being raw cotton.
wheat flour, ginseng. malt liquors. canned
beef milk canned fruits, and leaf tobacco.
ITO show how remarkable has been the
growth OF our trade with China it is only
necessary to give few statistics as to
relations for ten years From
1889 TO 1899 there was gain OF $13, 293, 166.
The Increase was almost entirely in ex-
ports. which advanced in value from
81. 1sl, lbs in 1889 to s14, 493, 440 in 1899 Our
imports for 1893 amounting to SIS, 6l9, 26s,
were only slightly larger in 1889. when a
10 nf II