The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-17
Manchurian Question Believed to
Have Been Settled Satisfactorily
to the United States.
MILLER'S
CONSUL
REPORT
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS
WARNED TO BE ON THE ALERT.
Russians Are Attempting to Capture
the Cotton Goods Trade, and Are
Aided by the Government.

WASHINGTON, July 16.-The Manchurian
question has been settled satisfactorily to
this government. Assurances have been re-
ceived from the Chinese government that
it will in the near future open as treaty
ports several ports now closed to the
worlds trade. The Russian government has
conveyed formal assurance to the United
States government that it will not, in any
way oppose such opening. While the ports
to be opened are not yet specified, it is
gathered from the communications received
that they are Moukden. the principal in
land port of Manchuria, and Tai-Tung-Kao,
at the mouth of Yalu river. The State De-
partment is highly gratified at this out
come. feeling that it has secured not only
for American commerce, but for the COM
merce of the world at large very substan-
tial gain.
Respecting the two ports mentioned as
likely to be opened, namely. Moukden and
Tai-Tung-Kao. 1t may be said that both
politically and from a trade point of view,
the latter port is apt to prove the more
important although the place is now so lit
tie known that the name is not to be found
on many Of the best charts. 1t lies on the
right bank of the Yalu river not far from
its mouth and close to it is the Korean
town of Weju. an important trade center.
which undoubtedly will prove tributary to
the new port. At present Tai-TungK ao
does not amount to much, but rapid devel-
opment is looked for as soon as 1t becomes
treaty port. At first the United States
government sought to have Takushan made
the open port in this part of Manchu-
ria, but the Japanese favored Tai-Tung-K ao
and the United States abandoned Takushan
in favor of Tai-Tung-Kao when Ii appeared
Is a q
while Takushan is closed by ice during
several winter months. Moukden is at the
head of navigation on Laiao river and is the
point from which caravans start through
Manchuria and Siberia. 1t is at present the
largest market in Manchuria next to Neu-
SchWang.
simultaneously with the promise to open
up Manchuria to the worlds trade comes
report to the Bureau of Commerce and La
Dor from United States Consul Miller at
Neu-ChWang, which thus far Is the only
open port in Manchuria, respecting the cot
ton goods trade of that province. He says
the great market for cotton goods in Man
churia is attracting the earnest attention of
Russian manufacturers at Moscow. They
are seeking TO capture good share of the
Sl2,lSOOO worth of cotton goods trade that
annually comes through this port and are
Offering most tempting inducements to mer-
chants TO go to Moscow to purchase their
supplies. The consul refers to a dispatch to
the minister at Picking, in which the latter
mentioned that a Russian agent had taken
a number of merchants to Moscow to make
a contract for the importation of drills i'm
itating American products. The consul re-
ports the return of these merchants to Neu-
Chwang because the drills were not quite
up to the American standard in quality.
The completion Of the Siberian Railway.
the consul says has brought a new factor
in the great cotton goods trade of North
China, and American manufacturers must
be alive to the situation and adjust their
business arrangements to meet these new
conditions If they wish to hold their trade
The volunteer fleet, heavily subsidized by
the Russian government, is bringing Rus
sian goods to North China at very low
freight rates, and these goods are being
entered at Port Arthur and Dalny without
paying any customs duty; besides, the port
charges for ships are nominal and there are
no pilot charges. American goods go first
to Shanghai, where customs duties and port
charges, storage and handling are paid. and
then reshipped to Neu-Chwang where
freight, pilotage, port and handling charges
are again paid. This fleet consists of four
teen steamers with a total tonnage of 3S 4S1
tons.