The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-20
Odd Things Noticed by Our Round-the-
World Correspondent Near
.> the Equator.

has largely supplanted both in the con
troll of the commerce of the port, tho
the Germans seem &c be numerous.
Singapore and Penang are the great
export ports for tin, three-fourths Of
the worlds output Of that product be>l
ing mined near by. The United States
takes ten and a half million dollars
worth of tin from the Straits Settle
ments, and six millions Of other prod
ucts, and sells only $l,16l, 900 worth in
return.
I might add in this connection that
the trade possibilities of the tropics
have been very much overestimated by
enthusiastic expansionists. The ma
lower cost than we could possibly sell
it to them, even if our food were suited
to their wants. They do not need our
building material, and as for clothing,
one American is worth more as a Gus
toner than a hundred Of these natives.
While a few wear rich robes, the mass
content themselves with a very scanty
costume of very cheap cotton-a cos
tune which someone has described as
ga handkerchief around the loins and
a tablecloth around the head.' No
shoe manufacturer need send q salesman
to these parts, for even the coachmen
and footmen in livery are barefooted.
L OuCo SuppOS6U IudC we 1ulSuU WOTK up
a trade In breechclouts and fishing
rods, but I find the latter grown here
ip .%profusion and the former is not valu-
able enough to furnish the basis for
much trade.
X \ !.
There is one branch Of commerce that
might be developed if this were not the
home Of the gen, and if the natives
were not skillful goldsmiths. Jewelry
is a passion here. Women fairly load
themselves down with ornaments when
they, can afford it.. They wear rings
strangest of all, jewels in the nose.
We noticed one woman yesterday with
three enormous pendants hanging
from each ear, one from the top, one
from the side and one from the lobe,
and our coachman at Handy was re-
splendent with six in either ear, but
his jewelry was more modest in size.
The nose ornaments look like shirt
studs and are screwed into one or both
the point 'o Of the nos a ''n fine e"n nssek iacM
vary greatly in style, workmanship and
value. The island of Ceylon is rich in
gems and furnishes a variety of stones
for the jewelers. art. From the fact
gems and furnishes a variety Of stones
mentioned in the Bible are to be found
here, it is thought that Oeylon must
that her ships carried wealth to Sol
have been known to the Israelites and
ONION.
After seeing the extravaganza use Of
jewelry here, one is almost tempted to
forgive sven the most vulgar display of
precious stones made in the occident;
and then, too, the rubies, the sapphires,
the diamonds, the emeralds, the anne
thysts, the ~alexanderites, the cat 8 eyes,
the opals, ETC., exhibited in the stores
here are so beautiful that one must be
proof against vanity to resist their
charms.
+ + =
Ice might have formed an important
item of trade, for nowhere does the
white man appreciate. this luxury more,
ton unnecessary. The larger boats
now manufacture their own ice from
condensed sea water, and there are
plants at all the important ports. We
went from Borneo to Singapore on a
ship which was equipped with an ice
machine, and we complained when the
supply gave out. An English passen-
ger took advantage Of our distress to
compare national characteristics, and
humorously remarked that when the
Americans moved into a new territory
they at once established an ice plant,
while the English gave their first atten-
ton to the laying out Of cricket
l grounds.