The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-26
AMERICA LOSES IN
 MANY DIRECTIONS Trade Falls Off With South American Countries OTHER NATIONS GAINING Many Opportunities Are Offered to Industry in Both Chile and Ar
 gentina-Reports on Ger
 man Trade.
OTHER NATIONS GAINING

Washington. February 25.-(special)-At every door of foreign commerce a crowd of traders from the advanced nations oi the earth is eagerly entering. A sprink- ling of Americans often enters the com petition. vet as often as not the sale of American products Is entrusted to our rivals in trade after being transported by foreign ships That the consuls of the United States are watching these doors of commerce throughout the world in the interests of our export trade is evident from the many valuable reports published in Daily Consuls and Trade Reports for the week ending February A
 Consul Mansfield of Indiana, our repre- sentative at Valparaiso, develops the trade of Chilli He shows that out of total of 17,000,000 annual tonnage of vessels en- tering Chilean ports, those flying the American flag represented only 135,0OO tons. Great Britain's flag covered s,0OO,- i GOO tons, and German ships aggregated LOOK, GOO tons Great Britains exports to Chile increased from 2OoOo,OOO in 1903 to 25, 900 in 1904 Germany made even greater stride, her sales to Chile in 1905 being 145OOOOO, and closely pressing the British in 1904 by supplying 21,00O,OoO of German wares. The trade of the United States fell back from 100000 in 1903 to 10, 000,OOO in 1904, notwithstanding that Chile greatly increased her purchases. France increased her exports to Chile from 5000 GOO in 1903 or 9,4OOOOO in 1904 Tho chief articles of import from America are weighing scales blows, machinery, rail road supplies, gums and rosin, lumber vehicle parts, ladders wire, canned meats shoes, salmon, nails cooking stoves, min eral oils and paper.
 Although a maritime country, with q long coast line, the Chilean government is planning many new railroads and en- terprises The Transandine railway, when completed, will shorten the time between Chile and Europe ten or twelve days The building of a 15O0-mile railroad through Chile is assuming tangible shape. 300 miles of the route having been surveyed. Ap encouraging feature to American inter ests is the fact that an electric line Will be constructed this year from Conception to Taleahuano by Americans, the entire equipment to be sent from the United States.
 Conditions In Argentina. Special Agent Hutchinson furnishes the concluding chapter on the foreign com merce of Argentina. He pays especial attention to the items in which American trade can be extended. In the trade of inks, paints, varnshes, etc, the United States takes relatively little part, ex- cept in the small item of shoe polish. England and Germany are the largest providers of all other articles, except printers ink which comes mainly from France In this item, as well as in mixed paints and varnishes, however, the United States Is making encouraging advance, with a good market in sight. Our country holds the bulk of the trade in balances, brass wire, graphaphones, and electric ventilators. Cheap grades of American clocks are gaining a good foothold, but cheap American watches are avoided be- cadse they are considered less durable than the German, of the same grade. Tho increase of American trade In patent med icines, and in ammunition for sporting purposes is encouraging. In chemicals and drugs the American sales have risen to about $60O0.OOO.
 Minister Beaupre reports that oysters of most inferior quality from the near by coast region meet with quick sale in the Buenos Ayres market. He says that oysters of a good quality would secure enormous sales at high prices, and sug- gests that enterprsing Americans might grow the bivalves at good profits in the bays of Argentina. from oysters brought from the UnitedStates
 Minister Bea6pre also reports that the | Argentine exports of frozen sheep de- creased from 3,569000 for the first eleven
 months of 1904 to 3.O5O,00O for the first eleven months of 1905. Exports of wheat,
 however, increased from 2.26S,O00 tons to 1 2, 1000 tons, while corn decreased from l 2 POT 900 tons to 2,13S000 tons
 i Consul LeRoy of Durango writes that 1t will soon become necessary for Mexico to import wheat. since the amount in sight | will not run flour mills of that country more than two months. Mexcan ranches | are importing high-grade stock from the l United States in order to grade up | their herds in size and quality of the l product whether of meat or wool AS token of this in 1894 the United States exported to Mexico 5443 sheep valued at | $1 .67 per head, while in 1904 only 21S5 sheep were sent to Mexico, but their value was | S11 55 per head Four or more carloads of fancy American sheep were imported into the Durango district alone last year. Many Americans are becoming Interested in the new guayule rubber industry or Mexico. The Continental Rubber com pany of New York is operating an initial GOO guayule rubber factory at Torreon, and will make extensions. Many Ameri- cans have applied for Mexican patents on processes for extracting the rubber from the guayule plant. Pimenthal & Brother have received a twenty-year fed eral concession for securing guayue on IT, GOO acres of government land. for which they are to pay s25,OoO annual rental. Consul Kaiser tf Mazatran writes that the Mexican government will establish in that city a naval academy and school for marine engineers to open next Septem- Der. He also states that the government has established a wireless telegraph sys- tenn to Lower California, reaching Quay amas and Santa Rosalia.
 Trade with Germany.
 The satisfactory conclusion which has been reached between Germany and the United States on the tariff question, by