The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-10-21

NHA cial nations is undoubted-
MI n ly being attracted toward
NWEX the Pacific coas t,
~ and as consequence that
section of the United
States is rapidly developing in it's
commercial relations with the peo-
pie of other countries. The wealth
and resources of the Pacific coast
are already being vastly augmented
through it's foreign trade, and it is
quite probable that in the near fu-
ture the western coast of the Unit
ed States will be the scene of very
considerable proportion Of the
worlds commerce.
The past year has witnessed great
expansion of trade with the orient,
South America, Australia, East
Indies and the southern Pacific
islands, and it is probably true that
the capacity of this trade for future
development is only just beginning
to be appreciated.
The commerce of the Pacific coast
has been increasing since the Span
ASA-1AlACl1Shu war dU u Idtc IudU Ctiu
scarcely be credited. The United
States will probably control the
trade of the 100000 inhabitants of
the Philippine islands, trade
amounting to over s6o,ooo,ooo yearly,
and it will undoubtedly have stead
lily increasing share of the $1,O0o,oOO,-
600 or more of annual foreign trade
of China, Japan and the Dutch East
Indies.
An important factor in the devel-
opment of the trade of the United
States with eastern countries is that
the goods it exports to them do not
compete to any considerable extent
with their domestic products. We
furnish them with wheat, flour, cot
ton, tobacco, lumber, iron, imple-
ments and machinery, and receive in
exchange silks, tea, coffee, spices,
mattings, and numerous other prod
ucts peculiar to those countries.
There is in the Philippines, where
navigation lines from the Pacific
coast ports and Australasia con-
verge, an important base of opera
tions at the door of all the countries
of the east. This fact alone would
mako the orient the natural mar
ket for the products of the Pacific
coast, and already offers an oppor-
tunity for a large and remunerative
trade, a trade that is constantly in
creasing and is very different from
that of the Atlantic coast, whose
shippers must necessarily take their
wares to all the markets of the
world and compete for the trade
with the principal countries of Eu-
rope.
The records of the last ten years
show that there are on an average
about 1913 vessels engaged in the
grain trade of the Pacific coast. OF
this number, 1872 cleared from San
Francisco, Cal, sc from Portland,
Ore, and As from the Puget sound
ports-Tacoma and Seattle, Wash.
The number of vessels engaged in
the grain trade varies to a consider
able extent from year to year, and
is largely dependent on the amount
of grain available for export and
the kind of vessels engaged in the
trade.
During the grain season the flag
of nearly every nation on earth is
! represented at most of the Pacific
coast ports. All styles of vessels are
seen. Clippers, packets, schooners,
| barks and other classes of vessels,
| from the largest modern steamers to
the smallest ocean-sailing vessels,
are constantly anchored in some of
the many fine harbors of the coast.
The relative proportions of Ameri-
can and foreign vessels engaged in
the grain-carrying trade of the Pa
/ citic coast vary somewhat from year
to year, but on the average a little
over 80 per cent. of the total mum
Der of vessels employed in this trade
are owned by foreign capital
During the season of 1901, 361 car
goes of wheat were exported from
the Pacific coast Of the vessels en-
gagged in this trade, 243, or 67.3 per
cent, sailed under the British flag;
SO, or 14.4 per cent, German; IS, or
81 per cent, French; and ten, or 2S
per cent, American, every one of
the American vessels having sailed
from San Francisco. The remaining
21 vessels were of the following ma
tionality: Italian, 7; Australian, 4;
Gillian, Danish, Norwegian and Rus
sian, ench; and Dutch and Pc
ruvian. 1 each.