The evening times., 1900-07-18
TRADE WITH THE DONS.
American Consuls Report the Need
of Commercial Treaty.

of Commercial Treaty.
At the suggestion of Consul General Dick
inson. OF Constantinople, that market for
American products might be created in
Spain through the agency OF the New York.
Constantinoole Steamship Line. the State
Department sent instructions to certain
consular officers in Spain. directing them
to report with reference 10 trade openings
in that country. Replies have been re-
ceiyed from the consuls al Malaga and Va
lencia. r. n. Bsrtleman, Consul at Mala-
ga, writes as follows:
The first impediment to the extension
of our trade with Spain is the absence of a
commercial treaty. When we stand on the
Same level as other nations. the commerce,
so far as this consular district is concern
ed. is assured. Banking facilities and di-
rect communications will follow OF their
own accord Otherwise, we cannot com
pete for Spanish trade in articles manufac-
tured by othel nations. which enjoy privi-
leges we Go not. and are near to the gate
ways OF Spain, paying very low freight
rates.
1T is not due to the want OF initiative
that there are no better direct cOmmuni-
cations with United States ports The i'm
ports here do not warrant il. I have en-
ceavored for some time TO gather together
statistics 10 show 10 certain Mediterranean
lines that il would pay them 70 again make
This a port of call The result was not
satisfactory. excepting possibly for VOYAGES
to the westward.
The total value Of all exports from
Spain 10 the United States during 1897
was s.. .S29, ,S69. 63. Complete statistics axe
not at hand for 1898 and 1899 The fol-
lowing figures only are available.
Consular district of Barcelona during
quarter ended June 80, 1898, $39 AZ.
Malaga tyear ended June 80. IS9S), $3.50. -
654: Almeria (year ended June 30. 1S9S),
S513.044; San Feliu de Guixois (year end
ed June 80. 1S9Sb, $22S. .7SS: Tara -ona
tQnarter ended June 80, 1S9S). $21 SIS.
Malaga tyear ended June 80, IS99D. 20 r.
Of1; Almeria (year ended June 70 1890
SlSS.42l; Malaga (year ended December
81, lS@9), S76411T; AlmerIa Cyear ended
December 81. 1891. s452.0,3.
The imports from the United States
received at Malaga during the year ended
December l, 1909. as per custom house
returns we're as follows:
OILS. paints, and cOlors. 56.5 599 pounds;
raw cotton, GAO s66 pounds: chemical
products. 1922 pounds: barley and corn
le.@i46S2 pounds; beer. 3.67S liters; hides
and skins. 1909 pounds; slaves. 4259.: 90
z
tin, copper. and zinc, 35.022 pounds.
grease. 1870 pounds; iron and steel tail
kinds. 3e4.951 pounds; wire , S97 pourj
lard, $5S.593 pounds; butter, 5.763 pounds:
machinery. 24.l40 pounds; furniture. see
pounds; paper tall kindsl 25e2 pourds:
woven goods Gall kinds). 36S pounds;
wheat. 3.169.S33 pounds. and glass. cry
tai. and porcelain, 5.9S5 pounds
Whether il would pay any new steam
e nv rD nah ~
Of call in going TO the westward can be
best judged by observing the excess Of
tonnage sent by way Of England. In 20 ng
10 the eastward, a new line Will not pay
under existing conditions: but when
commercial treaty is an accomplished fact.
sufficient trade is assured TO make regu-
lar line profitable.
Many merchants inform me that they
could sell thousands Of dollars worth of
our hams canned goods. breadstuffs. and
machinery if we could only make a treaty.
Formerly. Spaln's trade with the United
States was large. but now little can be
bought.
The value of agricultural products alo=e
exported from the United States 20 Spain
Spanish possessions in Oceania and Afri a
not Included) during the last five years
GS94-1SSS) had an annual average OF So
761 $40 The United States Secretary Of
Agriculture states in his last report on
the distribution OF our agricultural ex-
ports:
Among the countries 10 which Ameri-
can farm prod dLcts were sent in diminished
amounts during the last few years Spain
was the most noticeable Our agricultural
products TO Spain. which were valued at
81. $50. 4S7 fell 10 less than $4,000. GOO in
1898. 1896, and 1897. and in 1898 10 sS-
i67.ls6-a decline OF S5,I13,3O1 in the FIVE
years q"
Horace Lee Washington. Consul al Val
encia. writes as follows:
The introduction OF our products into
this consular district in such manner as
TO insure practical results appears 70 re
quire. frs a reduction Of freight char yes.
which are excessive by reason OF trans
shipments. and. second a thorough pres
entation CT our products 10 the trade here.
The iEvarisble reply 10 enquiries Of
representative merchants here as TO open
ings for our products is that freight kills
profit. Without means Of communication
obviating transshipment. this disadvantage
cannot be counterbaIaHced. Nevertheless.
10 warrant a regular line calling at Va
lenCia and other Spanish ports. new and
enlarged demands must be created for our
product. An exposition Of American pro
ductions should be organized and branches
established at such places as Valencia.
where good returns may be reasonably de
pended upon.
For the return voyage there would be
no difficulty in furnishing a proTntiCuate
quota Of freight from Valencia. and from
Denia in the raisin-shipping season. Last
year, in addition to miscellaneous articles.
Valencia shipped to the United States hides
TO the value of $l53 600 and so 900 hun
dredweights Of raisins were shipped from
Denia-
''SenOr Don Luis Mon. Marquis Of Per
aleja, thinks it might be expedient to Join
American with Spanish capital in the or
ganization of an exhibit. He is assured
that he can count upon Spanish capital
requisite for the enterprise and il would
appear practical for our commercial ass0-
Citations ard exporters DESTROYS Of reach
ing the Spanish market to consider the for
nation Of an association for this purpose.
Such an association would be in a situa-
tion to present 10 steamship companies
trading in the Mediterranean inducements
to eXperimentally include in their calls Va
lencia and other Spanish ports So foster
ed. / believe our trade in this consular
district would grow TO large proportions
Among other articles. lard bacon. ham.
and cOnserves would find good market -
BOLIVAR CHRISTIAN DEAD.