The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-04
Carefully Considered by American
Exporters, Who Urge the Gov
eminent to Vigilance.
ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION
1t ExciteS Much Interest in Europe
Sharp Practice by American
Food Exporters.

abroad are New York exporters, and on
their return to this country they visit
Washington to impress on the government
officials the importance of keeping a close
watch on industrial and commercial con-
ditions abroad. 1t is unnecessary for any
one to urge on the men at the head OF the
great departments watchfulness or activ-
ity in this direction, for they are men of
intelligence and foresight, far above the
average. 1t would be well, however, If
members of Congress, on whose judgment
and favor the operations of departments
depend. should have their eyes opened to
the Importance of things outside of their
immediate congressional districts.
The appropriation committees are now
struggling with the details of the estimates
submitted by Cabinet officers. and are just
beginning to realize hat the United States
must put forth tangible efforts to cultivate
and encourage the foreign trade in compe-
tition with the great countries OF Europe,
which annually spend hundreds Of thous-
ands of dollars in the furtherance of their
outside business.
The American business men who have
been abroad, and who nave visited Wash
ington since their return, express their be-
lief in the inevitable triumph of the Cham
berlain policy of protection for Great
Britain. In travelling through the rural
districts of England, Scotland and Ireland
they found that Chamberlain is regarded as
the savior of the people. destined through
his political movement TO bring them out
of bondage. Especially is this true of the
agriculturists. During the past year
British agriculture has suffered a terrible
blow through a very bad season, which
resulted in the almost entire destruction
of crops, and only such an event as this
was necessary to make the British farmer
a hopeless pessimist and ready to accept
any change in government policy which
promised relief.
An English agricultural publication in
speaking of the past season and its effect
on English agriculture says: 1T is to be
feared that the country has scarcely yet
begun to realize the grievouS nature or the
calamity that has fallen on our rural dis
tricts. Battle and pestilence force people to
give them their attention, and there are
many other mishaps and misfOrtunes over
which an uncomfortable agitation would be
raised, simply because their effects are open
and visible; but the destruction of our crops
has been accomplished without any plctur-
esque surroundings. 1t is natures way Of
doing things silently and slowly. During
the past nine or ten months ruin has been
deliberately prepared for the British farmer.
No such year as the present abides in the
memory of men,"
The British government has taken the
first step towards the adoption of the deci-
NAL system of weights. 1t has just been
announced by the Board of Trade that,
under a special order, it will sanction the
use of a weight of fifty pounds instead of
the present standards of liz pounds Called
a hundredweight) and fifty-six pounds
(called a half hundredweight). The fifty
pounds is by this action made a legal stand
ard of weight.
Consul Boyle, of Liverpool, says that this
reform has been adopted after forty years
of agitation by Liverpool merchants, and
later on by petitions to the government by
the Chamber of Commerce throughout the
country and particularly by the Chamber of
Commerce of Liverpool. Liverpool has felt
the necessity for the change more than any
other city, as ii is the leading entrepot for
American and colonial produce of bulk, the
Weighing of which is a considerable item in
the handling and in the ultimate cost of
the shipments.
More cotton. corn, provisions and tobacco
are imported into Liverpool than into any
other city in the world, and by far the
largest proportion of these imports come
from the United States. The United States
is, therefore, particularly interested in the
reform just instituted.
Americans have great difficulty in under
standing the English system of weights, al
most as muCn as they encounter In trying to
understand the English fractional system of
coinage. For instance, If you ask an Eng
lishman how much he weighs he will tell
you, say, III stone Il A stone is four
teen pounds; SO eleven stone would be 15i
pounds, and, adding the extra seven pounds
the weigh given would be 161 pounds. Some
times provisions and other articles are sold
at so much a stone and then II the quantity
purchased weighs Il few odd pounds over a
stone or a number of stones, the purchaser
and seller have to figure out the price per
pound.
1t is the expectation and hope that the
results of the adoption Of the new standard
weight of fifty pounds will be so s~atisfac-
tory that before long the Old-fashioned
h~undredweight of 12 pounds will be entire
ly abolished, along with the stone, and tina
a decimal fractional system of five pounds,
ten pounds and twenty-five pounds will
come into general use.
Consul SINNERS expedition to Abyssinia
continues to attract wide attention in Eu-
rope. Abyssinia is an African empire,
known to the ancients as Ethiopia. The
total imports of foreign goods last year
amounted to about $4,000 and included
all manner of manufactured goods. Abys-
sinia is rapidly rising in Importance indus
trially and commercially. 1t is situated in
the eastern part of Africa, and is presided
over by an Emperor, with the title of "Ne-
gus Negusti." which signifies king OF
kings"
The present ruler is Menelik II. born in
1912, a man of rather remarkable character
and singular Observation-Disclosures for one Sc
far separated from the outside influences
of the civilized world. After a long ano
eventful career Menelik succeeded in Sc
curing independence for his country by a
treaty signed at Adis-Abeba Aug. Is. 1896
Up TO the present time the different States
or provinces, of Abyssinia are ruled over
in a manner almost feudal by Governors
called Raises. Each Ras has his own mill
tary forces. The total army of the empire
amounts to $4,000 men, all of whom are sup.
posed 10 be mounted and armed with rifles
obtained from the Italians or imported il
recent years from other countries.
The area is about I'D, 1000 square miles. and
the population is a little less than 1000. 900
The last census estimated it to be 3.5OOO 900
The chief industries of the empire are tbe
rearing of cattle, sheep and goats and the
cultivation of barley, dhurra, wheat, hops
and tobacco Tor home consumption.
The chief interests connecting Abyssinis
with the outside world are the powerful i'm.
fuence OF the Negus and the possible Later
connections with the interior of Africa
through instrumentalities in his possession
The French, English and Italians have FOL
a lOng time been carrying on correspond
ence with the Negus with the view of de,
v~eloping the industries of these countries.
= 2 Z
The attention of American exporters I,
invited by Consul General Mason 10 III,
fact that there is in Germany "a practi
cany unlimited demand for many kinds O.
dried. smoked and salted fish. as well a.
for fresh fish, which are caught either il
salt or fresh water under conditions which
permit them to be exported to this countr,
by cold-storage vessels in a fresh or slightly
cured condition. As a result of this an