The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-19
TRADING IN TIE ORIENT.
Possibilities for the Sale of Ameri
can Goods in China.


speaking of the possibilities OF trade IN
China. writes the State Department in part
as follows:
AS l have remarked in previous reports.
the demand for information respecting the
possibilities Of introducing American goods
of all descriptions into China has been
steadily growing. In spite Of all that has
been written and published on this subject.
there seems to be a most lamentable ig-
noranee even among the largest American
firms as to the requirements. possibilities,
and even geography of this coast. Ny mail
has become so large that find it not only
task. but almost an impossibility, to give
il the attention it really deserves. The
fact that four-ifths of such letters ought
never to have been written, and that the
enquiries could have been answered by
reference to a eommon-school geography
hardly justifles the consignment % them to
the waste-paper basket, as they we're eVi-
IDENTIFY written in good faith. / have pre-
pared a general reply which covers large
percentage of the QUESTIONS propounded
10 which, If the Department sees Mt 10 pup
lish il. can refer future enquirers, thereby
saving my time and re necessity OF an
swering the same questions hundred
/ times to as many different people
If properly placed before the Chinese
American cotton goods will obtain TIE
same foothold IN southern China that they
I have in northern. The present !mporta-
/ lions are not nearly sufficient 70 meet the
( requirements IL must be borne In rlind
! that the Chinese never wear wooi-not
/ even in the depth Of winter; that, gener-
/ ally speaking. the entire population eiothe
! themselves in cotton ali the year round
/ Their bedcIOthes. umbrellas, and, in a Few
| instances, boat sails are made OF cotton.
I and the consumption is practically unltm-
\ tied II they are made in accordance with
I native requirements. The cloths should be
/ a strong coarse. unbleached cloth, twenty
( two inches wide retailable at about :
/ cents gold a yard OF 80 cents gold per
/ piece of nine yards There is also virgin
market for a cotton cloth which, tanned
or otherwise treated. would prove rain
proof All cotton goods would have 20 be
/ put up in lengths to suit the peculiar re-
/ quirements Of the trade for which they are
| designed, and such details could best De
| learned after having made trial ship
ment As | have pointed out before. II is
| impossible TO do business with Chinese by
| correspondence. and the most that con-
Z sui can do is 10 supply a hiatt
THE Chinese have na- yet learned 10
I appreciate a well-hnished tool OF any Kind
and viii not pay the extr- expense Of In
4 lshing and the only tools that they re-
/ duire seem TO be those that they cannot
4 actually do without-such as raZOrs. cheaI
. knives, scissors, needles, saws. chlsels
etc. For these articles, the demand is Ters
J great, and the entire question is whether
. We can manufacture them che2ply enoug-
/ 10 meet their requirements In the Ques-
/ ton Of raZOrs alone. there would be a ire
I menGous market, as all Chinese shave
their heads as well as their faces Ger
many is supplying q great number OF lAese
/ and there is no reason Nhy our maAer'
! should not have their share OF me uaae
/ The demand for better qualities VIII IN
crease as the Chinese learn 10 appreciate
a superior article; but. 10 commence win
we must make according 10 the ChIn-s'
model OF course. knives ana forks arr
entirely out OF the question. as l Go no
believe they will ever supersede the use
/ the chopsticks Nails find ready mar
ket. They should be packed IN keg
weighing I33 l-3 pounds q plculD Nan
packed in smaller quantities would sune
loss on account Of the peculiar method o
collecting customs duties Nails tOr mi
market are never packed IN canvas o.
bags. The key itself passesses a value 4
the purchaser. and the b. tier the keS m
better the chance OF commanding a mar
k.t. No scrap, however small, is waste;
by the Chinese.
| american lamps are admitted by ali U
be the very best that reach this market
The CONSUMPTION. however, is very small
as thew are TO high priced TO meet viii
any favor among the great body OF consum
ers The trade is. OF course, among IN
Chinese. who are not particular as 10 tn
finish or general appearance and regar'
their Illuminating powers OF very mino
Importance. Even were hrst-class Amer
lean lamp TO De bought by the great major
ity Of the Chinese, they would use such al
inferior quality Of oil as would negatlN
its superior qualities This Is due 10 IN
system OF adulteration carried on by IN
original BUYERS before IL is sent into IN
interior. There is. however, very grea
market here for the cheap German an
English lamps, selling for from 80 cents &
81 50 Mexican "a 10 81 cents-) The con
sumption OF these lamps Is almost unlimlt
ed reaching 10 hundreds OF thousand
yearly. being packed inexpensively an
shfpped b. heap lines OF steamers via Sue
4 or sailing vessels around the Cape n
doubt. such lamps could be manufacture
in the United States from samples-nad
better, and sell cheaper
Chinese do not wear leather or rubbe
shoes Of European style. All Chinese. ex
/, I cept the coOlie class. wear shoes OF clOc-
with thick felt soles, faced with leather
. 4 and % their own peculiar shape. Ties
are made locally and are very cheap
TO American made shoes for Europeans
Chinese can initiate them for much les
than their import price. For example, tn
writer bought a pair Of patent ieathe
shoes in san Francisco for $3.50 gold II
has had an exact copy made OF that pal
OF shoes three times at a cost OF Sl6
gold. They are in every way as good
handsome. and serviceable as their origi
nails. being made of English leather. Rub
Der goods are. of course entirely out o
the question in this climate.
american tobacco and cigars amount {
almost nil; and I can hold out no hope 70
the future as our tobacco Will not kee
in this climate IL loses both its strengu
and flavor The wants OF all classes ar
fully met by the Manila product. and first
class cigars can be bought for cen
, Mexican upward.
There are three English newspapers i
. Honckong-the Daily Press" the "Chin
Mail" and the "Hongkong Telegraph -
that have average daily calculations @
about 500 copies. There are four Chimes
newspapers with eircuIations varying fror
600 TO 2 coo copies daily, and one Portu
guese paper with a circulation Of 100 cop
les per day In addition to these, the Gov
! eminent publishes a gazette weekly of 80
copies. Taking into consideration the siZ
of the circulation Of these publications.
will be readily ssen that a renewal G
type and machinery would be required on
al long intervals The leading printer an
( hook publisher is a Portuguese firm unde
Government NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. & CO.
and | do not think there would be yer
much chance for Americans to sell an
portion Of its supplies thereto. There ar