The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-10
TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA.
Steamers shortly to PLY
From San Franchises.

American Steamers shortly to PLY
From San Francisco.
y. G. Stowe, Consul General to Cape
Town, has just transmitted to gae State
Department an interesting report on the
subject of trade with South Africa. He
says:
British papers are full of the orders
PLACED in Great Britain from South africa;
but 1 fail to see in the American papers
any notice of the very large and yalu-
able orders placed in the United States.
in the way Of mining machinery and sup
plies There are also large orders for
rails, etc. The question of preferential
trading between the Mother Country and
her colonies is being agitRted by the press
OF Great Britain, and the same oft-tcId
story is repeated of under cutting 10y
United States manufacturers, to the detri-
ment OF home consumers. The Secretary
of the British Iron Trade Association
says:
The competition OF the United States
IS two-handed sword, for il cuts TO the
very dividing asunder of joints and mar
row by an admitted capacity to produce
more cheaply than European countries
and II also presents the very formidable
aspect of threatening to dump a vast sur
plus on neutral markets on terms that are
not competitive at all To be perfectly
candid. this latter is the form OF competi-
ton OF which the people OF Europe are
the most afraid, because they are NEST
powerless to resist it, and this remark ap-
plies more especially TO Great Britain,
which IS a free-trade country British
ironmasters do not so much fear America
because Of their inability to compete with
It's manufacturers, as because they live
under a different economic system which
does not allow them to arrange for the
regulation OF prices to home consumers,
in order that they may export, It any
price they can get, large surplus prod
uct. This is dore in the United States and
in Germany by the system OF protection,
which guarantees makers in those cOun-
tries virtual monopoly Of their own
markets We need not fear the rivalry OF
any country under equal conditions; hut
when one country offers free markets and
an open door and others shut the door
with a bang. the conditions are very IN
equal, indeed.
The placing of contracts with foreign
countries, particularly for public works.
even with a surety that the time of de-
livery IS much shorter and prices lower
for an equal quality, excites comment. and
demands are made that preference should
be given to productions OF the Empire.
Canada is sending here consular of1cer
lthe frsD with commercial representa-
tives, and is also trying TO inaugurate
direct line of steamships
The United States has not heretofore
exported candles to South Africa to any
great extent; but newspaper recently
said:
Up to the middle CT last year. rcne
OF the superior classes OF candles. such as
those sold in America, were to be met
with in South Africa. and no efforts had
been made 10 introduce them Owing 10
American consular activity. this dehSien-
cy has since been met. heavy cOus.gu-
ments having lately been forwarded We
much hope that British manufacturers
VINO have hitherto enjoyed practically a
monopoly in South Africa in this branch
Of trade-will not allow themselves TO
be cutpaced in this commercial race, as
has been the case in other industries
Reports are circulated that a line OF
steamers, owned and operated by AmeTi-
can capital will be shortly put on the
Australian line from the United States.
possibly from San Francisco This Is go5d
news both from freight and mail
standpoint. I note for 1883 that the 10
tai exports from the United States to
British Australia we're S24, IL, i 8. wiliie
the total exports to South Africa were
SIT, e3S. 2.0. q difference OF only $3.50
S19; and il is asserted by experts that
the increase IN exports 10 SO0Ln ALFlcd
in the future will be more rapid taan
to Australia. It must be remembered
that a large amount of United Sta ,es ex-
ports IS sent via Great Britain. for v III
South Africa gets no credit IN the so is-
teal reports.
"A line Of steamers from New York TO
South African ports is just as necessary.
just as feasible, and would be as profit
able as to Australia I also note that
the exports from the United States TO
ports en route. such as the Canary ISL
ands. French. and German Africa were
SIZE, les last year. In the list Of ex-
ports of the United States II foreign
countries. South Africa stands h -rteentA
not Yery bad showing fer the Dark
Continent compared with elder and
moro settled countries; she takes more
than Russia, the Argentine Republic,
Brazil, and other South American coun-
tries, ard all Asiatic countries except