Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-23
TRADE IN MANCHURIA
ACTIVE SOURCES OF COMPETITION
WITH AMERICA.
United States Cotton Exports Were
Largest in 19O3-Undeveloped Re-
sources of the Country.

long and interesting report upon
American trade in Manchuria has just
been received al the State Department from
United States Consul General Henry B.
Miller. at Niuchwang. China.
AIR. Miller says that the entire trade of
Manchuria In the year 1889 went through
the port of Niuchwang. whereas this year
there seven different avenues of trade.
each doing considerable business. The con-
sui states that there are no official records
from which it is possible to get the neces-
sary data to give even an estimate of the
quantity Of goods coming in and going out
through these various channels, excepting
for Niuchwang. The foreign imports in
1903 for Niuchwang amounted to s13314-
OH. against S15G41. 442 in 1899, the largest
Import In the history of that port In adj
dition to the foreign trade of Niuchwang
there was an import of native produce from
amounted to $4.27s,940 in 1899 and to
S4s5J21 in 1903.
Undeveloped Mineral Resources.
The country is extremely rich in minerals,
including coal. iron. copper, silver, gold and
other kinds, but these have been worked
only in small and crude way by the ma
tives. Should this mineral wealth be de-
veloped and worked by modern methods in
a manner fitting its economic possibilities,
Manchuria will prove to be one of the rich
est sections Of Asia. 1t has the happy COM
bination of splendid variety and vast
quantities of minerals, valuable forests,
great agricultural wealth and an industri-
GUS capable people, whose labor is per-
haps the best In the world for it's cost.
Mr. Miller says 1t is mistake to at
tribute the growth of this trade to the
building of the Russian railway, as the bulk
of the produce is hauled in carts, which
compete with the railroads in a haul of 400
miles or more. Mr.. Miller says he believes
that there Is no place In the world where
the wagon cart traffic Is equal to that
of Niuchwang The country has made this
marvellous growth Independent of the rail-
ways. and what IL will do with them will
depend upon the wisdom of the railway
management.
Competition With United States.
'Tt is erroneous to think that the United
States has monopoly of the Manchurian
trade. or that there is no successful com
petitor," says the consul las there are
four active sources o.. petition, each
striving for a stronger hold on the trade,
and the contest is so close that the yaria-
lions In the value between gold and silver
have a determining influence thereon
The product of the hand looms of China
known as nankeens, made from the yarns
produced In the various cotton mills of
China from both native and foreign cotton.
is the strongest competitor
Mr.. Miller adds that the growth in tbe
trade or United States cotton goods in Man.
churia represents the greatest expansion
of United States trade In the orient. and
the year 1903 proves to have been the
largest In its history. There Is reason to
believe that considerable more than is
shown came into this country through the
ports OF Dalny and Port Arthur and the
schedule OF imports forwarded by Mr.. Mil
Ter to the department shows that the United
States has almost the entire foreign trade
In cotton cloth passing through Niuchwang.
Russian Cotton Goods.
cne other great competitor and the un-
known quantity is the competition of Rus
sian cotton goods. I'm prints" says Mr.
Miller. II have reason to think it Is con-
siderable. and In northern Manchuria, with
Hardin as a center. am told by the man
ager of the Russo-Chinese Bank that Rus
sian drills and sheetings are driving out
the United States goods. These Russian
goods come into the country via Dalny,
Port Arthur and Vladivostok without duty
and we have no means of ascertaining their
value"
Mr. Miller closes his report by saying
that the development of the four-miilinz
business In Manchuria and the sale of the
cheaper Shanghai -four have practically
closed the market for United States flour
81 all points except Port Arthur The
amount OF United States -four imported