Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-01-31
EAST AFRICAN COMMERCE.
Germany and England Conteetine
Bitterly For Supremacy.


Because they do not hurry in Fan
zibar it must not be understood as a
lazy spot. Let no one think that; on
the contrary. it has now become the
metropolis Of East Africa, and rarely
day passes but that the big-bellied
tramp ships from Rangoon. Hamburg,
Liverpool and New York discharge
their cargoes on the shelving beach
and fill UP again with the rich prod
ucts of the island and it's mainland
nearby. This much to the poignant
envy of Emperor William, whose own
possessions lie just across the chan
mel, the capital of which, Oar es
Salaam, is making every effort to de-
fleet thither the trade from Zanzibar.
In no port of the world are Germany
and England contesting so bitterly for
commercial supremacy as on this
| African east coast, and the rivalry has
now reached such a point of intensity
as to be a cause of open rupture any
moment. With the projection of rail
roads to the interior and constant
land-grabbing, the two nations are
running neck-and-neck race, and
both, not to be outdone one by the
other are sowing the earth with gold
en- coin in the hope that it will be re-
turned tenfold as the land is de-
veloped.
Germany, however, with her East
African Steamship Line that has now
begun to circumnavigate the dark
continent, sailing from Hamburg
weekly, is in the lead commercially
and the English ministers, while
wrestling with the Transvaal problem,
cannot afford to lose aught OF that one
which confronts them further north.
In less than a decade the willy and
subtle Teutons have subsidized this
great steamship company, now so
prosperous that every year it is en-
abled to build new vessel out of the
dividends; they have planted cloves,
coffee and tea plantations and made
them pay; have exploited rubber com
panies, built two railroads as against
England's one and have sent out hun
dreds of colonists.
Meanwhile America has not been
idle, having seized two-thirds of the
petrolem trade. one-half of the ivory
trade, and doubled her shipments of
cotton cloth, an item that furnishes
one-quarter of all the imports to Fan
Zibar. Yankees are landing every
week, prospecting for American firms
of every description, and on the coast
one will find plenty Of adventures.
While at dinner at the European hotel
in Zanzibar the evening before | left
great, red-bearded person with sun
blisters on his face and hands sat
terranean whisper If was not an
American. On replying afflrmatively
he said in a burst OF confidence:
Som ], Michigander--lum
n got the greatest graft out here you
ever saw Just landed about SIC, 900
worth of teakwood thirty miles below
here. and II can get 1t away from the
hippotots I'll go back to the states in
style He and his pardner, he ex-
planned, had fioated the wood down a
river, and accidentally ran into hip
popotamus family, whereupin both had
to swim for their lives. They had come
up to Zanzibar for guns and ammuni-
ton to rescue their property.
"As in other parts OF the world, one
is Inundated to see no vessels carry
ing the American flag. In the last
twelve months, but two Maine sailing
ships, and no American steamers,
landed at Zanzibar. Fortunately,
however, this is no criterion of our
commerce. At present no country can
compete Win us IN the so-called piece
goods trade. though the British consul
points out religiously each month to
the home Office that this is the most
profitable traffic in east Africa, and
wants TO know why the Manchester
firms do not get after 1t. America,
however. should widen her market in
this part Of the globe with the export
ing Of hardware, building material,
flour. provisions and ali kinds of cheap
cloth. Americana shoes, machinery
and novelties are as popular on the
est coast as below the Zambesi. The