The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-06
OUR CHINA TRADE.

The value Of the China trade to the
United States is brought out in a report
by Consul Fowler of Chefoo. The mark
ed progress of our commercial rela-
tions during the last few years is ample
justification for our taking part in the
regulation Of the affairs of China upon
such basis that our trade shall not be
interfered with.
The total volume of foreign trade
with China has been steadily increas-
ing. In 1885 it was $211 ,OOOO 900. In 1897
it had risen to $27O, 900, 900; in 1899 it was
$3.50 100000. The amounts are given IN
round numbers for the sake of simplici-
ty. OF this trade the United States in
1899 did $31 10000 and Great Britain
s3S 000, 900, showing that we are getting
pretty closely on the heels of the most
important factor in the Chinese trade.
In 1897 the value of our sales to China
exceeded those of all continental Eu-
rope, including all the Russias, Euro
pean and Asiatic, by 1920, 900; in 1898 this
excess had increased to "a, OO0, 900; in 1899
it was over $6,OOOO 900. If one looks back
only a few years one will realize how
rapid has been our advance. In 1895
Great Britain sold China five times
what we did; in 1898 she sold a little
over twice what we did; in 1899 the pro-
portion was one and three fourths; with
steady progress on our side.
But Americans will have to handle
their own goods in China. The reason
for the advance of American trade in
China has been the excellence of the
articles manufactured. The Manchester
manufacturers cut their own threats
when they took to adulterating their
cottons; this enabled American cottons
to make an advance which they have
never lost. But the American oil trade
is suffering from adulteration, and this
because it is handled by alien mer-
chants, who systematically adulterate
it after it reaches China. The method
of adulteration is extremely ingenious,
and is thus set forth in a letter address
ed to Consul Fowler:
There is a matter of commercial i'm
portance to which l must call attention,
though perhaps you may have already
/ CORnlLdIlCe l.
widespread and increasing evil of wa
tered kerosene. We hear of this prac-
tice on all Sides and even we foreign
ers, who pride ourselves on our ability
to detect such trick, have of late been
unable to discover how the tins are
| opened. So skillful has one local timer
become in opening a seam for the adj
mission of water and afterwards clos
! ing it against detection, that he is CIV
ing his whole time to this work (for ma
tive firms, of course) and at great profit.
Not only is this fraud making it diff
ficult for us to secure pure oil, but I
notice it is rapidly bringing foreign oil
into i'll repute, for the idea is spreading
that the watering of the oil is done by
the Americans and Russians before II
comes to China. The evil consequences
of such a report are easily foreseen.
If you feel it worth while, will you no
tify American exporters of oil to devise
some form of can that will be more
difficult to open without detection?
Possibly a seal over the seams might
afford a chance of distinguishing cans
that have been tempered with
The result has been that our oil, from
being our leading export, has gone back
some 100000 gallons, but the increase
in our cotton goods has more than made
up for the loss in this direction.
These facts make it very clear that
our interests in China are very large,
and are ever increasing. In another
direction the same story is told. In 1898
there were 43 American firms doing bus
mess in China; that is, having business
houses in Chinese ports; in 1899 there
were 20 such firms. When, therefore,
any settlement of Chinese affairs is
made, the United States, from its com
mercial interests in that country, will
have very strong voice in the form
ing of the result.