The evening times., 1900-06-16
TRADE VIII ZANZIBAR.
Most of the Ivory Comes to the Unit.
ed Strfes.

R. E. Mansfield, Consul OF the United
States at Zanzibar. reports to the state
Department that the trade between the
East African Island and the United States
increased considerably during 1883. He
says:
THE total valuation OF ivory exported
from Zanzibar for the year 1899 was $685..
So. of which amount S265, ,969 went TO the
United States. Only $255. .635 worth of ivo-
ry was exported from this port to all the
European countries during the year. or
sl0.SS4 less than was shipped direct TO the
United States. These figures show that
more than two-ffths OF all the ivory ex-
ported from Zanzibar in 1899 went to our
country.
There was shipped from this port dur
ing the year $27.O97 worth of ehiles. Of
which S9.4sS-or more than one-third-
went direct to the United States.
'Of the s1.e5O.4s1 worth of cloves ex-
ported. only S47. .239 worth was shipped di-
rect to the United States.
The chief articles of import into ZanzI-
bar are petroleum and piece goods. The
total valuation OF piece goods imported ia
1893 was $1.SS9. .246. of which amount $S47,-
666 came from the United States-less
than one-ffth Of the total. Practically ell
the petroleum consumed in Zanzibar
comes from the United States. The yalua-
ticn Of petroleum imported last yea was
l4l,560. only $3.50 worth of which came
from other countries than the United
States.
In the year 1897, the total import from
the United States into Zanzibar WAS S27s,-
S25; the total for 1898 was 1894. .S9J. an in
crease Of $l2l, $50; for 1899, $5O5, ,059, an in
crease over the previous year OF Sl10. ia.
This shows a total increase in American
trade with the island in the past two
years Of 1921. PA. The total value Of goods
exported to the United States from Zan-
zibar in 1897 was S222 500: in 1898. $2S5. 400.
an Increase Of So. 500. In 1899 the total
was S422.3lS. an increase over that Of 1898
OF Sl36.S5S. and an increase OF $199. .JIS in
the two years last past.
The Glove supply of the world is pro-
duced on the islands Of Zanzibar and Penn
ba, which constitute the principal produc-
ing territory of the Sultanate. Cloves
were at one time the Cnly economic prod
uct supplied 10 foreign countries by Zan-
zibar. and. although an effort has been
made In recent years 10 encourage the
native agriculturists TO cultivate a va
Tiety OF crops. cloves are still. and prob
ably always VIII be. far more extensively
cultivated than any other product
The 1883 crop was the largest ever pro-
duced. being S.06l .259 pounds in excess Of
that OF 1898 II may be significant TO re-
mark in this connection. however. that
Notwithstanding the large crop Of cloves
produced. the Glove plantations. particu-
l4riy in Zanzibar Island, are not being
cultivated in way 10 keep them up to
the past standard. The labor question IS
+. the great difficulty Since the prohibition
OF the importation OF slaves, the supply OF
labor has diminished with increasing "a
Didity each year. and since the decree OF
1897 granting freedom TO the slaves. the
labor supply has been quite inadequate TO
meet the demands.
An effort is made. wherever t IS pos
sible. to get the freed slaves 10 set,Ie on
the plantations of their old masters and
Work Tor them. under voluntary agreement.
either for fixed wage or by giving up a
certain number Of days 10 their EMPLOYERS
and devottng the remainder OF the line
10 the cultivation OF plots Of ground al
loted TO them for that purpose
1T would seem however. that il is i'm
possible 10 get the native TO take a genuine
interest in his work or TO keep at II for
I, a longer period than viii enable him 10
exist the rest OF his time In idieaess This
condition. II continued, VIII result in great
~ diminishing the Glove crop. and will also
have the effect OF putting upon the market
an inferior article for no matter how
generous nature may be with a country.
1t viii not produce satisfactorily without
cultivation
"Abou- one-fourth Of the total imports
into Ear zibar in 1899 consisted Of piece
goods. trade which always has been,
and probably always will be. far more i'm
-
| every reason 20 believe that the spread
OF civilization in the interior OF Africa
Will increase the demand
4 quote below portion Of the report OF
| the British Acting Consul General at Zan-
zibar, Mt Basil 5. Cave. for the year 1898.
which is Of interest;
Great Britain has done fairly well in
white shirtings. greys, and colorei cloths
both printed ard woven; but in the i'm
pOrtant branch OF "Americani" an uu-
bleached cloth which Is in great demand
in the interior Of Africa and forms in
some parts Of the country the only cur
rency. Manchester has rot vet succeeded in
competing successfully with the United
I states The reasons for this were stated
a. length in last years report. The ef-
forts that have been made to push English
products in Uganda have not had the de-
sired results: hut a cloth recently irnrort ID
from Canada, where the milling process ap-
pears TO be the same as that adopted in
America has beea far more readily &C.
cepted. and large order for IL has recently
| been sent home. The imports of Ame-i-arf
have been larger than usual. in spite
of the fact that prices have risen nearly
20 per cent The supply Of ''kangas" Cthe
| printed cotton handkerchiefs worn by ua-
tive womenD has been confined. as heret1-
fore. almost exclusively to Holland. TIE
British manufacturers are apparently abe
| 10 compete with the Dutch as far as their
prices are concerned; but, owing &c more
I expensive methods Of printing recufrs
| such large numbers to be taken of each
separate design that importers, TO avoid the
risk Of having a considerable PARTON Of
| their stock left on their hands when the
fashion changes, prefer to place their or
ders in Holland.
" The demand for brass and copper
wire has fallen of recently. owing 10 the
| advance of the Uganda Railway and the
consequent decrease in the numbers of car
| avan5 which on their journeys into the in
terror use wire as one of the principal ar
ticles for barter purposes What does
come is almost entirely OF continental
! manufacture. which, though inferior in
| quality. is equal to the homemade article
| in appearance and decidedly cheaper. Less
| English cement isimported every year a
| cheaper quality from Belgium having To a
great extent taken its place. For corrugat-
| ed iron Sheets which come mostly from,
| London. there has been less demand than
usual owing to the absence Of auy exten-
| sive building operations Germany has a
monopoly OF most other kinds of hardware
| Soap is still shipped principally from Ger