Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-03
NORTH CHINA,

4 lien Tsin, Newchwang and Che Foo,
which are mentioned as the points of
greatest activity and danger, aside
from Picking the capital, in the present
troubles in China. are especially impor
tant in relation to American trade in
that country. They are in the north
ern part of the ountry and it is in
them that American goods seem to be
in the greatest favor. The growth of
our trade in that section is described
somewhat in detail by recent publica-
ton of the treasury bureau of Stats
tics, which describes Tien Tsin as the
most important city of northern China,
being located at the head of the Gulf
of Pechili and but eighty miles from
the capital, Picking, with which it is
connected by water and by a railway
line. Another completed railway line
runs ENTHUSIASTICALLY to Shanhai-kwan
and an elaborate railway system is
projected southwrd from this point
thru the populous provinces of Shan
tung and Kiangsu to connect Tien
Tsin with Shanghai. In addition to
these the grand canal, the most ilnpor-
tant of the great artificial waterways
of China, has for centuries connected
Ten Tsin with the Yangtse-Kiang and
Shanghai. Its population, is in round
numbers 100000, and it's imports,
which in 1883 were less than 29,000,000
haikwan taels, were in 1897 more than
53,000,00O haikwan taels, having thus
nearly doubled during the decade. The
commissioner of customs, Mr.. Alfred
Hippisley, writing in 1898 of the 1897
trade, calls attention to the import
ance of American trade at that port,
and adds that it is the only trade with
increased in 1898 over that of 1897,
saying that American drills, Amer
lean sheetings and American kerosene
had especially increased in imports
during the year, while the cotton goods
from other countries were showing a
decrease. Another interesting fact to
which he calls attention is that the
new railway line recently built to con-
meet TienTsin with Picking is already
proving extremely popular with the
Chinese. On this subject he says: ut
is astonishing how speedily Chinese
despite their reputed conservatism,
adapt themselves to new environment
and make the most of increased trans
port facilities offered them. Already
Picking fruit is sent direct to Tanku for
shipment south, and Picking is similarly
with southern fruit, and traf-
fic generally developed so rapidly that
it soon became necessary to double the
line"
Consul Reade, of the United States
says that lien Tsin ranks in CONNER
cial Importance next to Shangha; and
Canton, and i'll a report to the state de-
Iartment, says. sTien Tsin. by its
geogra phjcal position, is the point Of
acct mutation and distribution OF all
merchandise destined for the United
States or intended for consumption in
the northern provinces of China Di-
rect shipments fiom the Unit.G States
to Ten Tsin are impracticable. it DC.
ing in all eases more advantageous to
ship TO Shanghai or Hong Kong and
then transfer to the steamers of light
draft that ply between those ports and
Tien Tsin."
Che Foo is considered an extremely
important treaty port by reason of the
constant and growing demand for
American goods at that point. 1t is
located on the Gulf of Pechili, compar-
atively near to Tien Tsin, but nearer
to the British port of Welhaiwei, and
its Importance to American interests is
pictured by Consul Fowler in a report
to the state department, in which he
says: ''It is satisfactory to see that
during the six months under review
the following American goods show a.
gain over the same period of 1896:
Drills, 1924 pieces; sheetings, 111,040
pieces; Kerosene oil, 942,050 gallons.
1t is worthy of note that of the thirty
six classes of foreign merchandise
showing gain in the table of imports,
twenty-seven are imported from gold
standard countries and only nine from
Asia or silver standard countries; this in
spite of the enhanced values due to the
tremendous fall in silver. OF the TWEEN.
ty-two classes of foreign merchandise
that show decline eight are imports
from gold standard countries and four
teen from silver standard countries"
Newchwang, while comparatively
small city of but 10000 inhabitants, is
of especial Importance to the United
States as a treaty port. 1t is located
at the extreme north of the Gulf of
Pechili, considerably farther north
than 1ien Tsin, and is of especial i'm
portance to the United States because
of the demand for goods from this