The times., 1901-03-25
AMERICAS new CONQUEST
Growing Exports of Boots and
Shoes to British Markets.

| English-Made Articles Being Driven
Ont by Those manufactured in the
United States-Some Reasons for
! the Success of the Compefition
| The rapid growth of the exports of
| boots and shoes from the United States
| is attracting the attention of the manu-
| featuring world and of the representa-
! tives in the United States of the various
manufacturing countries. The British
| commercial agent in the United States
| has forwarded to his home Government a
statement regarding the expectation of
boots and shoes from the United States,
in which he cites the figures relating to
our exports to the United Kingdom,
British West Indies. Australasia, and
Africa, and says: "A glance at these
figures will show how American made
boots and shoes are being pushed with
success in places where British made
goods ought to have practically the
monopoly"
This report, a copy of which has
reached the Treasury Bureau of Statis-
tics through the British Board of Trade
Journal" shows that the exports of
boots and shoes during the twelve
months ending December 81, 130o. to the
United Kingdom, British West Indies,
British Australasia and British Africa
from the United States have grown from
G142,32S in 1898 to G323 30S in 1899. and
f426 124 in 1900. and that the exports of a
similar character from the United King
dom to British West Indies, British
Australasia, and South Africa have
slightly decreased meantime. being in
1898, G1,G92 094; in 1899. E1,00l,92l. and in
1900, G1.075,47S
can sales in British territory and the abb
sence of growth of British sales in the
same territory. the report says:
why this state of affairs should be
possible is not. at first sight, quite clear
1t means either the American made arti-
Gle is cheaper than the British made one
or that 1t is of better quality. Taking it
for granted that the British boots and
shoes are not inferior to those of Ameri-
ca, there must be some important reason
why the latter should cost less than the
former. That America is large export
er Of leather to the United Kingdom
shows that they can manufacture 1t
cheaper Considering that so much of
the raw material has to be imported into
the United States by the tanners, there
seems no reason why leather should not
be manufactured as cheap or cheaper in
the United Kingdom. This applies espec-
tally to the finer qualities. such as patent
leather. glazed kid. and others.
There is no doubt that as far as GER
tain class leather is concerned, America
possesses considerable natural advan-
tages. There are plentiful supplies of
suitable bark growing in the different
parts of the country, and the tanneries
have been placed at no great distance
from it, The hemlock bark, which is
that Most used for tanning sole leather,
is obtained from the forests situated in
the States of Wisconsin and Michigan
1t is also found in New York State and
Pennsylvania, but the supply is rapidly
diminishing. For tanning the finer quail
ties of leather chemicals and extracts are
used. large quantity of which is i'm
ported
THE United States is a large importer
of hides. There were imported during the
year ended December 81, 1900 307. .257, ,924 |
hides, valued at G10, 007, of which 49,
792, ,232 valued a R3,S15, ,9S7, were hides of
cattle which pay import duty of Is per
cent ad yalOrem, and So 121. .666 valued at
e., ,960, 800, were goat skins. which are ad- |
mitted free of duty. OF the total imports |
lA, ,255,2 234, valued at &4.2SS, 707, came from |
Europe, and 66,2l2.792 valued at G., ,19l, ,f51, |
came from the East Indies.
Those in the trade will doubtless be |
able to say whether the disadvantages of |
having 70 import this quantity of hides, |
bIliiSlu5 theil from Sucn great distances |
and paying 10 per cent duty, paying |
higher wages than are customary in Eu-
rope. and heavy railway and steamer |
freights, are compensated for by getting
cheaper bark; If not there must be some |
thing in the process of tanning that en- |
ableS the American tanners to compete |
with other countries in their own mar |
ketS. Needless to say, only the latest i'm |
proVements in the general process of tan |
ming are employed in the United States |
IL is the use of so much improved ma |
chlnery that enables the American manu- |
facturer to turn out such large quantities, |
and do it 50 cheaply.
american manufacturers are going to /
make q bid for the South American boot |
trade as well as the European and Colo
nial There is also some talk of an |
City of Mexico
Practically the whole of the boots and
hoes made in the United States came |
-ormerly from the factories situated i'm
The East, Boston being the centre Lat
terry, however. tanneries have sprung up
farther West, about Chicago especially.
SO as TO be near the supply of hemlock |
bark The boot and shoe factories have |
naturally followed suit, and consequent
Y considerable portion or the trade has
been taken out Of the hands of Eastern |
makers, and they in turn have been |
obliged TO. look for other markets where
hey can dispose of their goods. II is |
therefore, from that quarter that British |
must look for the severest
1t has been suggested that a combina- |
ion of American manufacturers should |
rect in different parts of the world large
warehouses in which could be stored the
iifferent kinds and sizes of boots and
shoes. 50 that retailers could replenish
heir stocks as, and when they required
[. The advantages of such plan, should |
{ be carried out. would be considerable -
|