The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-08-18
--..a-I....- -. --- -----.----f.-. -------.----- -
FIELDS FOR OUR TRADE
Siberia Likes American Ma
chinery, Says Agent Greener.
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT LENDS AID

Assists In the Distribution of Amerl-
can Agricultural Appliances-Pcs-
sfble Commercial Relations With
India-Cuba Making an Effort to
Restock Island With Cattlc-OuF
Flour In China.
There is such a demand in Siberia for
agricultural machinery and appliances
Of American manufacture that the min
lister of agriculture in that country has
decided to lend government aid to it's
distribution. Commercial Agent Green
er at Vladivostok informs the state de-
partment at Washington that Il special
fund has been set aside to establish at
Habarofsk a government warehouse for
the benefit of importing jobbers. says
J.. D. Whelpley in the New York Com
mercial Advertiser. The pre-Amur man.
agement Of imperial properties will
have charge and will operate to a large
extent in American goods.
The Siberian officials state that they
are greatly in need of information from
competent sources regarding the pui'-
chase and importation Of such goods
from the United States, and they ask
for the address of firms dealing in ag-
ricultural machinery, price lists and
catalogues, lists Of steamships plying
between the United States and Vladi-
vostok and the best terms upon which
goods will be sold.
Mr.. Greener also finds considerable
complaint to the effect that in quoting
prices American firms do not state their
bottom figures. What is needed is the
lowest quotation for goods, details as
to payments in cash or on time, the
latter being preferred. and several
copies of a brief catalogue in the Rus
sian language.
Consul General Patterson, at Calcut-
ia, is confident that a large increase in
the American trade would follow the
establishment Of a rapid and reliable
freight line of steamers between New
York and Calcutta. He says that the
only way goods can be shipped at pres
ent from New York to Calcutta is via
Glasgow, Liverpool, London or Naples,
and there is long delay in making these
shipments. Out of the $25O,OO0 900
worth of goods imported annually by
India the United States only had about
Is per cent of the trade, while Eng
land had about 81 per cent and Ger
many, France and Belgium, in the or
-. 1-~~ A1o 11~~~n 80 ~ x1,> 80
mainder.
About 50 per cent of the imports are
cotton goods, and the next largest are
iron and steel manufactures, and the
American consul sees no reason why
the United States should not compete
in these lines. He says that if a direct
line Of steamers was established be-
tween New York and Calcutta, sailing
not less than once every month. the
passage not to be more than forty days,
the importers could then rely upon re-
ceiving their goods at specified times.
Consul Patterson also recommends
the putting of active, capable men into
the field to exploit the markets of the
country. There are no restrictions on
trade in India, the only obstacle being
the lack of rapid transit and more de-
termined effort to secure business.
In line with the suggestion made by
Consul Patterson the bureau of statis-
tics at Washington has been looking up
the figures on the trade between India
and the United States. India ranks
sixth among the exporting and tenth
among the importing countries. Last
year her exports amounted to over
$4OO, 100000 and her imports to $2G4,-
100000. T~hirty-six per cent of these
imports We're cottons. Next on the list
were iron and steel products. The bu-
reau estimates that so per cent of In
dia's imports are of a class of goods
which might be called indigenous to
the United States and that fully three
fourths of the entire list is made up of
articles successfully produced by and
exported from the United States. Not
withstanding this fact, u exports to
India amount to less than 2 per cent
Of the imports Of that country.
The popularity of American flour in
China is attracting attention on both
sides of the globe. The British consul
general at Canton in a report sent from
China TO London and published in that
city states that the demand for flour
among emigrants returned from the
United States is so great that the
quantity Of -four imported in 1902 ex-
ceeded that Of 1901 by 95,S31,328
pounds and was also some 78,4OO,OO0
pounds in excess of the average for
the past five years. Stated in dollars,
we are now selling to the Chinese ST.
CO.,, 900 worth of flour annually.
The Cuban republic is making an eff
fort to encourage the restocking of the
island with cattle. especially those of
- ,011 1vDN1 -ElD I~4x l~o1 I0ny,