Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-16
A NOVEL EXPOSITION.
AN AMERICAN ENTERPRISE TO
STIMULATE FOREIGN TRADE.
Steamer Victoria to Visit Oriental
Ports with Examples Of Almost
Every Available Article OF
Home Manufacture.

When the good ship Victoria weighs
anchor at Seattle November Is next she
will commence voyage SURPRISING in
Interest and commercial Importance
probably any that has ever been under
taken in the history Of the worlds great
ocean steamships.
sHer cargo will be the most unique and
diversified ever taken aboard in that her
hSld will be crowded from keel to sky
light with examples of almost every
available article Of American manufac-
ture
With these as floating exhibit Of the
continents enterprise and progress she
will visit the various ports OF inn
portance Commencing at Yokohama,
she will cross the Yellow sea to
Shanghai, thence by way of Hong-kong
to Manila, then out through the China
sea to Colombo, and after a long voyage
through the Indian ocean to the big sea-
ports of Australia. From the kangaroo
country she will cross the South Pacific
to Valparaiso, and SO along the coast,
finishing her voyage with the good luck
that should attend her in five and half
months after starting, having Travelled
p9,S54 miles
The enterprise is purely of an educa-
tional nature. The ship will carry no
cargo but exhibits and will anchor only
at ports Of commercial Importance.
From s q. m. to IL p. m. Of each
day will be given over entirely to Wis
itors. No admission will be charged,
and every effort will be made to urge the
merchant princes Of the orient to visit
this exposition of American thrift and
Ingenuity while.it fingers at their doors.
Maritime commerce is as ancient as
the Pyramids, but it Is only in the last
decade that Uncle Sam has been seller,
and history records no precedent for the
present undertaking.
OF course, back of this novel enter
prise are business men of experience
and wealth-James J. Hill, president OF
the Great Northern railway, is the lead
ing spirit and John Rosene, president
Of the Northwestern Commercial COM
pany, has full charge Of all arrange
ments.
This latter company Is spending $780,
900 on reftting the Victoria for the voy-
age The decks, which are roomy, will
be deliberately decorated and brilliantly
lighted. The ships crew will assist in
Installing exhibits without cost and
there will be no charge for light OF
power.
There will be no effort on the part Of
the commercial company to make
money. The whole idea Is to stimulate
the trade Of this country with the orient
and South America.
Thoroughly descriptive circulars are
being sent out to all industrial manu-.
faoturers throughout the United States
and their opinions of the plan are solic.
tied. So far the replies have been most
encouraging. Merchants everywhere
have noted the apathy Of the orient and
recognized the necessity ofremedying 1t
but the cost to single Individual, o.
course, would be much too great tt
think Of attempting it.
The markets of China, Japan, Siberia
the Philippines, South Africa and Aus.
tralia, ali. bordering on the Pacific and
Indian oceans, contain the largest por.
ton Of the worlds population and natur.
ally offer the most favorable fields fol
American manufacturers.