The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-03-27
MEXICO As A CUSTOMER.

British legation at the City of Mexico
Office on Mexican trade in 1901 THE
United states of America" he says,
are yearly increasing the proportion
of their trade in this country The
value of the imports (from the United
States) in 1901 amounted to S69i1, 1929 as
against e6,767.O i2 in 1900, or an increase
from 511s per cent. to 55% per cent. of
the total import trade. The United
Kingdom and her colonies together sup
piled Mexico with merchandise to the
value Of G1,909,167 during 1901, as
against G2,217,111 in 1900 representing
about Is 1-3 per cent. of the import
trade. France supplied merchandise to
the value of G1,3s3, 500 in 1900 while in
1901 the value was but Ell ,231 1872. it's
proportion in 1900 being 101A per cent,
| but now is scarcely 9A per cent. Ger
many's share of the trade of Mexico in
1901 was a trife over 10 Ia per cent,
as against liz per cent. in 1900. The
/
same as in past years, viz, AZ per cent.
! in 1900 and Az per cent in 1901 The
report presents table showing the
percentage of the principal countries in
the imports of Mexico from 1896 to 1901
and shows that the percentage supplied
by imports from the United States has
increased from 40 per cent. in 1897 to
55A per cent in 1901; while that of the
United Kingdom has fallen from 10 per
cent. to Is 1-3 per cent; France, from
13 per cent. to 9A per cent; and Ger
many, has increased it's share from 10
per cent to 1913 per cent, while Spain
has decreased from per cent. to S-16
per cent.
Cotton manufacture in Mexico, he
says, is not as active as formerly. The
number of cotton factories in the Re-
public increased in late years to such
an extent and the product of those [!
already in existence 50 increased that
with the opening up of new establish
ments fitted with modern machinery !
the market has become overstocked and
to stop work and in many cases close
entirely, a state of things which will
continue until the existing stocks of
cotton goods are very much reduced.
Nevertheless cotton goods form one of
the principal items in the imports of
Mexico.
The Use of electricity not only for
lighting but also for industrial purposes
is, he says becoming more general, and
several companies have been formed for
the purpose of making use of the larger
waterfalls throughout the country for
tie generation of electricity, the ma
chinery being imported chiefly from the
United States. The Electric Light
Company of the City of Mexico has
been unable to supply the demand for
electricity for lighting purposes, and
the extension of the electric tramway
lines about the City of Mexico has
greatly increased the use of electricity.
The popularity of American goods is
especially commented upon by the
writer, who says that boots and shoes
of American manufacture are now
found all over the Republic, while in
the City of Mexico four or five estab-
lishments have been opened for the
express purpose of selling boots and
shoes of American make only.
Commenting upon the growth of the
import trade of Mexico, and especially
the increasing proportion obtained by
the United States, the writer of the re-
port, Mr.. Biorklund, says: However
mach the trade of Mexico increases, the
share of the United Kingdom is always
decreasing, partly for the reason that
British manufacturers and merchants
generally will not adopt more modern
methods, and consequently what is loss
to the United Kingdom is gain to some
other country.
Though of cburse the United States,
on account of their proximity, are
p'uiii W posscsS Tic ScSt SheiiS' oi'N
the facilities for transportation being
greater thence than from Europe, there
does not seem to lie any special reason
why the trade from European countries,
especially the United Kingdom, should
not be more than it is, a fact that can
DC verified by the figures given in an
other part of this report. American mer-
chants and manufacturers are ready to
agents are continually travelling for
the purpose of extending the sale of
articles already known, or are endeaV-
oring by means of samples to open
a. as Though