Evening star., 1901-03-11
TRADE WITH MANCHURIA
INCREASING RAPIDLY IN CoTroN
GOODS AND KEROSENE.
Importance us "a Market for American
Products shown by
Statistics.

ket for American goods is presented III
some figures which the treasury bureau ot
statistics has compiled from the latest Of
cial reports of the Chinese government.
The fact that Manchuria has of late be,u
looked upon as a rapidly growing market
for American goods. coupled with the suC-
gestion that it is likely to pass permanrut-
ly under Russian control, adds to the inter-
est Of these figures.
The official figures Of the Chinese govern.
ment scarcely seem to Justify som" Of tho
estimates which have been made regard
ing the value of the commerce of this par
ticular section Of that country. Its popu-
lation, 800. eco is less than per cent
of the total population of China, and it's
density OF population about twenty per
square mile against average of about
$40 per square mile in what is ordinarily
known as China proper" Manchuria be-
ing usually classed as dependency, and
not part of the compact. central terri
tory known as the eighteen provinces, or
China proper.
The single treaty port through which
foreign commerce enters Manchuria is the
port of Newchwang Its total imports
from foreign countries and Hong Kong
in 1899, the latest date for which figures
are available, We're valued I'm the official
returns at 5.219, lS5 Haikwan taels and its
imports Of foreign goods brought from
other Chinese ports 1885, 413 Haikwan
taels, making the total value OF foreign
goods received during the year 2l,s45. .59s
Haikwan taels, or Sl5.g14. 300. the value Of
the Haikwan tael being officially given at
the date of the issuance Of the report I'm
question at 13 cents. American gold. at
the average sight exchange on New York.
The total imports into all China in the
same year amounted to 264 74S 4J6 Haik-
wan taels. or S193. .266. 800. making the to-
tai value of imports OF foreign goods into
Newchwang either direct from foreign
countries or from other Chinese ports, less
than 10 per cent of the total imports OF
foreign goods into China in that year
In cotton goods and kerosene oil, how
ever. the American producers are. accord
ing to the report of the customs officer in
charge, gaining rapidly in the share which
they are able TO supply OF the total con-
sumption. The entry OF 5s4,S77 pieces OF
American drills. valued at 2023 646 Haik-
wan taels." says the report of the customs
officer, shows the firm hold these goods
have on the market, they having in
creased tenfold in many years. Ameri-
can sheetings are even more sought after.
over 100000 pieces having come in, valued
at 39l0,916 Haikwan taels. The importa-
tion Of American cotton flannel quadrupled
In comparison with the total for preced-
ing years American kerosene oil
has leaped from 1,730. 600 gallons to . 2e2-
O6O gallons, and Russian kerosene oil from
$1,000 gallons to 20J,Oo0 gallons though
great as is this growth, the consumption
fed but there is a strong competitor in
the native vegetable oils"
An examination of the detailed statement
of imports into Northumberland with
those into other ports shows that OF the
1,G46,101 pieces of American drills received
In China from the United States and Hong
Kong, 5S4,SII pieces or b per cent. finally
found their way to Newchwang. practically
all Of this having entered China at Shang-
hal and thence reshipped to Newchwang.
OF the 4,oO,011 pieces of American sheet
lnSs entering China In 1899, ], 10l $50 pieces,
or "a per cent, finally reached Newchwang,
and of the 126,323 pieces of American
jeans imported, 29,630, or % per cent,
reached Newchwang. OF the 39.295.rSs gal
into China, 2 2S20 06O gallons or about q
per cent, found its way to Nechwang
either as direct import, or a reimporta-
ton from other ports
An accurate determination of the proDor-
tion of American exports to China which
finally reach Manchuria, is impIarticable,
since the customs returns of Newchwang
only specify the country of origin in the
case of cotton goods and kerosene oil. In
each of those items the value given at
Newchwang is apparently considerably in
excess of that named when the goods leave
the United States or reach China, since
they, in most cases, go first to Hong Kong
and Shanghai, and when reshipped to New
chwang carry the additional charges of the
importers, shippers and freight carriers
while a determination of the proportion by
quantity of the cotton goods is impra ctica-
bic because of the fact that the Chinese
official statement is given in pieces vary
ing In length, and our own statement of
exports is in yards. A comparison of the
figures of the port Of Newchwang with
those of the other ports of China how
ever, seems to indicate that about 30 per
cent of the cotton goods and per cent OF
the kerosene oil sent from the United
States to China and Hong Kong find their
way to Manchuria The value of cotton
goods from the United States to China and
Hong Kong in 1899 was $I033S 469. and as
suming that 80 per cent reaches Manchu-
ria, would give the value of our exports OF
cotton goods to Manchuria at So, 10. $50
Inc value of kerosene oil exported from
the United States to China and Hong Kong
in 1893 was 3,95S, 467, and assuming that o
per cent of this reaches Manchuria would
give S231 sos as the exports of American
oil reaching that territory. The other ex-
ports from the United States to China and
Hong Kong, exclusive of cotton goods and
kerosene oil, amounted to SS726077, of
which it is estimated that less than 81 eo0,-
0OO reached Manchuria, making the total
value of our 1899 exports to China and
Hong Kong, which reached the markets of
Manchuria, about 5000, 600 or % per cent
Of the total of S23013,0 ,013 exported from
the United States to China and Hong Kong
in that year.