Washington sentinel., 1900-03-03
T!I.TT, ~, SENTINEL
TRADE HINTS FROM OUR
cONSULS ABROAD.


Cape Town, South Africa, writes:
While American trade in South
Africa during the last three months
has been excellent, as evidenced
by the receipts OF ioodstuffs, mules,
horses, etc, yet regret the United
States is not having larger share
in the exports hither Of such man.
ufa ctured articles as bottled beer,
spirits, clothing, hose, cloth, har.
ness, saddles, electrical field out
Ats, wagons, carts, telegraphic
material, traction engines, steam
plows, wagon material, boots and
shoes, iron, steel, bridge work,
military cycles, &c. Large orders
for locomotives and rolling stock
have been placed. While the war
is in its earlier stages, and the re-
bate trade with the Boer States is
nil, diminishing the volume OF
trade, very large business is still
being done in certain lines; and the
goods of all sorts taken by the
Boer armies from the British col
onies will have to be replaced. A
demand for United States goods
must come when the war is over.
The mine owners of the Trans
vaal are not idle, but have heir
engineers and craftsmen at work
preparing plans; and orders are
being placed somewhere for min
ing machinery and plants to re-
place what may be destroyed or
Injured, and in anticipation of new
operations and increased business.
Many new plants are lying at sea-
ports, stopped in transit. The
coast cities are preparing their
docks, now inadequate and
crowded beyond their capacity,
for the great influx Of goods when
the strife is over, Cape Bay is
crowded with vessels; as many as
eighty to ninety have been counted
in one day.
/ desire to impress upon Ameri
can manufacturers the necessity of
earnest and prompt shipments to
gain this trade. II is to be regret
ted orders are being refused or ac-
cepted and held back by Ameri-
can manufacturers in the fear oil
nonpayment. Such action may
seriously affect future business. II
they are unable to fill orders, they
should not hesitate to say so; but
they should not accept and fail to
ship. The seaport cities are bene-
fitInP by the war; the demand for
cattle, sheep, vegetables and forage
is such that, with the advance in
prices, the agriculturists are pros
Pering. In fact, excepting in the
besieged cities, the colonies, so far
as trade is concerned, are thriving.
l note that a demand for bakers
ovens and appliances may arise, as
bakers licenses in the colony have
been abolished. A New York firm
has a nice article in the line Of
ovens for small bakeries on dis
play. The demand for furniture
even now is good, the refugees
from the Transvaal preparing
houses. il would seem, for a pro-
tracted stay, AS lumber has ad-
vanced IS per cent and other arti-
cles in proportion, furniture is ex-
pensive.
Tenders for bridge work, elec.
tiical and railway material, and
machinery are open for bids.
Large shipments Of FIRE extinguish.
ing apparatus from London are
arriving, on war account, tor hand
engines and to put out fire caused
by shells. East London has re-
Gently built an electric light plant
and an electric tramway, using
Babcock & Wilcox boilers and
other American appliances. The
imports of electrical materials for
October exceeded the correspond
ing months OF 1898 by $780, 900.
RUSSIAN TARIFF REDUCTIONS ON
COAL AND IRON.-Vice Consul
General Hanauer writes from