The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-03
TRADE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Consul General Stowe Reports on
Industrial Conditions.
War Has Had n Disastrous Effect on
Commerce. But Great Progress Is
Promised When Hostilities Cease.
Importation of Foodstufs From
Ameriea-The Need of Machinery.

The State Department is in receipt of
report from ]. G. Stowe, United States
| Consul General, at Cape Town, on trade
conditions in South Africa. According to
this authority, the Boer-B British war has
brought many industries practically to a
standstt1l. Crops which promised well in
the Transvaal and Orange Free State, were
not harvested; the ports of the British
| colonies were closed to importations con-
signed to the Boer Republics and there
was marked decrease in the principal ar
| ticles of export. One of the features of the
| war, writes Consul General Stowe, is the
demand made upon the United States for
f0odstuffs.
The report of Mr. Stowe follows:
1.-The year ended December 81, 1899, was
an anomalous one. The disappearance to
a large extent of the various plaques and
pests with which South Africa had been
afflicted in the three Immediate past years
was hailed with Joy by the farmer, AMI,
while the agricultural resources OF this
country are limited account Of the arid
ity of the soil and the small amount of
| land titled, owing to the lassitude Of the
| occupants still good crops We're antieipat-
| ed and the indications were most sztisfac
| tory. With the advent OF war came cppo-
| site conditions. The crops, particularly in
| the Boer states, We're left to p large extent
| unharvested. War closed tae potts OF the
| British colonies to inIpoF tatiens for these
| states, entailing depression of business in
! general both in Boer and English terrific
| ~. The UitlandeT refugees came to the
| British colonies for protection and a tenn
| porary home. Many were able 10 settle
| here and establish themselves until the end
yxrcr
cared for by British hospitality and chart
ty. and in due course of time found en-
ployment in various Vocations These ad-
dcd materially to the trade of the colo
MES. The exports of gold, coal, copper,
diamonds, and ostrich feathers-the pTin-
cipIe articles of export-feH of material
/ ly in October, November, and December
| The only bright side 10 the picture, if
! bright side it may be called, IS the neces-
/ sity that the war has created for Imports
! of foodsluffs, etc. In these lines, not only
| the United States, but Australasia and
! the Argentine Republic have benefited;
! Australasia more particularly in frozen
meats and butter, and the Argentine Re-
public in cereals. horses, and slaughter
| cattle on the hoof.
In December, the duty was taken off
of frozen meat and cattle and sheep for
| slaughter but at the present writing 10
| decrease in price is apparent. Up % the
furnished no less a quantity tnan 5000
tons OF eorned beef, in tins ranging IL size
| from one pound TO six pounds ana the
War Office at that time had cleaned out
The available stores of that particular
commodity in Australia and had TO go 10
the United States for another 1000 tons
pending the replenishment Of stocks by
! australian packers. For the supply OF
| fresh meat the War Office had contracted
in South Africa; but, in order to maintain
! supplies and keep down prices, live cattle
were ordered from the Argentine Republic
New Zealand supplied large quantities
! of oats; but most of this was bought n
London though no English-g grown oats
was sent TO South Africa, as it IS consid-
erd too tender and will not stand the
trouics' Russian oats was chosen nTst, as
il Is hard and can stand the Journey
through the tropics, and next comes Inc
American. There were thousands or tons
of cat hay sent from Australia; 200 tons
of common hay came direct from Canada
by way of American ports, and other
thousands of the alfalfa variety from the
River Plata. Canada also sent compressed
vegetables. New South Wales sent food
stuffs, including luCern, butter. bacon,
frozen poultry, potatoes, eggs, and cheese,
81 regretted to learn that the United
States could not provide saddles of the de-
sired quality and in the desired Nun bers-
Canada furnished one thousand and Eng
land MANY thousands. The British and
South African Gazette stated that on
January / 1900. the approximate purchases
of certain goods on behalf OF the nj itary
authorities were:
preserved meats. u. 600, COO pounds; bis
cults. L, 000 goo pounds; coffee, 100000
pounds; tea, 200. 900 pounds; sugar, 1900, Geo
pounds; compressed vegetables. 8G0G90
pounds; salt, 400 0G0 pounds; timed meat
and vegetables cooked together, 100000
pounds; condensed milk, $50. 600 tins; jam.
/ $50, coo pounds; rum, so, 600 gallons; whis-
ky, Il. COO bottles: port. 80 900 bottles; lime
juice, 40. 900 pounds; alum, so tons: tobac-
co. 10 coo pounds; carbolic-acid powder,
6 600 pounds chloride OF lime, 20 tons;
candles, 1000 pounds; hay, $4,000 tons;
oats 81 COO tons; disinfecting powder, 20
tons; bran. 900 tons.
And these items are only a few of the
many. From January I te The present
writing the list of supplies furnished has
not been issued, but one may imagine the
enormous quantity needed. 1t is to be re-
GREETED that in the line Of canned meats.
the demand was so large that the United
States packers were not in position to fill
all orders that came to them I am in
formed that over 1000 900 pounds of timed
meats were shipped from the United States
to England and there rebranded Sham
rock and shipped TO this colony. It must,
however be borne in mind that correct
statement of imports cannot be presented
in this report, for the reason that the great
mass of the importations from all coun-
tries for the direct use and consumption of
the imperial armies entered without pay
ment of duties. and even without passing
through the customs. It is understood
| that the large purchases Of foodstuffs and
materials from the United States by Great
| Britain and sent out by the latter in trans
| ports to South Africa will be credited III
! the statistics of the United States as ex-
ports to Great Britain.
War has also delayed the Inauguration
and completion of public works and i'm
provements, thereby reducing some lines of
| imports and the employment of labor The
embargo at De1agoa Bay on foodstuffs for
the Transvaal was practically taken off in
January; but much time elapsed before or
ders for foodstuffs, even by cable, could ar
rive from over the sea, and it was a ques-
ton if behind orders of United States
producers did not become and are not yet,
& serious factor in the inability to obtain
food quickly.
1T is wonderful, encompassed as were
| the Beers, that some suffering did not
occur; but it was evident that they had
| been preparing for long time, and I'M
doubtediy had accumulated large stocks of
food, as well as Of arms and ammunition.
Imports From the United States.
N'The average OF imports from the United
States has been maintained, even with the
nom purchase of many lines of goods that
went to swell the imports of 1898. When
the war is over, an interim may be ex-