The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-13

! Milo A. Jewett United States Consul at
Sivas. Asia Minor makes an interesting
report TO the State Department of the
business conditions in his district He
says:
There are few new or important feS-
! lures of commerce in this consular dis
trict. No special disturbances have oc-
| CURED during the last year in this region
to check trade. and the people have fol-
| lowed their usual vocations with degree
of security that has been unusual for
several years past Yet merchants uni
versally complain of dull times, and it is
the general opinion that the purchasing
power of the people is rapidly diminishing.
| The Government prohibits almost all mer-
chants of the interior from visiting Con-
stantinople, and consequently purchases
have been light. The crops have been
| fairly good. There is wheat enough in
this region for two years local consump
ton.
Il send herewith table showing the
value of the imports and exports OF the
province of Sivas for the year ending June
| 30. 1899. Ii is based upon estimates fur
nished by numerous merchants in the va
rious lines, but. although considerable eff
| fort has been made to have it as accurate
| as possible il cannot be called very exact
AS usual, it shows a balance OF trade
against this portion of the country. The
same thing seems to be true of the coun-
try taken as whole. for the statistics OF
all the reports from Turkey published in
last years Commercial Relations give an
excess of imports over exports amounting
to more than s50,0O0,000. There has been
no direct trade between this province and
the United States. Cotton cloth and sew
ing machines are the only articles OF
American manufacture sold here. Oriental
rugs and probably a certain quantity of
wool go indirectly to the United States.
The wool trade is not carried on in very
systematic way. The farmers bring their
wool in small lots to the city, where it is
bought OF bartered for by the merchants,
who forward it to Samsoun or CONSTANT
nople in varying amounts opportunities
for transport by wagons camels happen
to present themselves. The wool collected
at Samsoun is generally sent to Constan-
tinople. where the real export business
is carried on. The annual product of wool
in the province of Sivas is valued at about
$685. Two-thirds of it is exported.
What remains is made into carpets. beds.
good quality and is unusually clean.
Washed wool sells here at 9 or 10 piasters
the ohe or from to u cents pound.
Lambs wool is used without washing in
carpet making.
THE increased attention given to the
keeping of goats in the United States sug
gests the propriety of making few re-
marks on the Angora or mohair goat.
THE city and province of Angora lies
l nF he SiyaS Droyipce and beast
of Constantnople. with which the city of
Angora is connected by a railroad about
$50 miles long. 1t is region of country.
am told, resembling the State of Colo
rado-mountains. rocky. sparsely wooded.
and poorly watered The fortieth parallel
of north latitude passes almost through An
CORA and Denver. The area of the province
is about 25. COO square miles. The winters
are cold, rather long. and snow is abund
ant From May TO September little or no
rain falls.
1T is from the western part OF this prov
ince. and from the province of Castamouni
lying north of Angora. that the worlds
supply of choice mohair goats is drawn. l
believe that Angora goats raised in any
part of the world require periodical in
fusion of new blood from this stock in
der to preserve the race true to the orig
inal
found at Angora ITSELF and in re Int years
purchases for export have been made at
Gerede and kibriz. in the Boil district OF
the Castamouni province. Mohair goats
are raised IN other parts of Asia Minor. but
sufficient care is not given to breeding and
rearing them. and the race is inferior. Per-
haps climate and other natural conditions
also make the breed less desirable in other
regions. Even in the districts where the
L.r. o;-
ing is left largely to chance and to nature.
THE average fleece of mohair from choice.
picked Angora goats. two and half to
three and half years old is nine and
| one-half pounds for males for males and
FIVE and onehalf pounds for females. The
yield from choice goats without selection
as TO age-i. e.. from one and onehalf 10
four years old-is about six pounds for
males and four pounds for females. Third
class goats will aTarage about four pounds
of wool year.
"Angora goats of the best class. two and
one-half to three and one-half years old.
are valued at about SIS for males and 81
for females. The average price of best he
| goats without selection as TO age is SIS.
and of she goats. Sc. OF course in some
cases. a particularly fine buck may go as
high as $50; or the owner may refuse to sell
him at any price. The prices above quoted
are for the goats on the spot, ana 90 not
include commissions or other charges.
"Angora goats cannot be exported from
/ this country without imperial permit.
! Such permit is difficult to obtain
! CURES time. and costs considerable money.
| 1t should be obtained at Constantinop,e
before the goats are purchased for export.
certificate of health for each goat is
also desirable tsometimes necessary be-
fore it is paid for. Probably a permit for
export may be obtained more readily and
cheaply by some private Ottoman subject
than by foreigner through his diplomatic
| or consular representative.
THE building of a railway connecting
Constantinople with Bagdad and the Per-
sian Gulf has long been talked of, and has
several times seemed near realization.
| But no railroads have yet been built east
OF Angora and Konieh. The question is
. now receiving special and perhaps more
practical attention. No less than five diff
) ferent projects have been submitted to
! the Sultan. who, no doubt, finds himself
embarrassed by the number of conflicting
| interests, each more or less backed by
rival European powers.
The FIVE projects, according to LIE
Temps. are follows:
I'D Project of Mr.. Tonietti, represent
ing an Anglo Italian syndicate. This line
/ would run from Alexandretta or Suedieh.
/, via Aleppo, DER. and Bagdad, to Bassorah,
with branch line joining Alexandretta to
Konieh. Mr.. Tonietu does not demand
I any kilometric guaranty, but asks conces-
. sions OF land. mining and irrigation
rights.
"t2) Project OF Mr.. Cotard, not repre-
senting any syndicate and not asking for
I