The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-01-15
COTTON GOOOS IN TURKEY.
One Foreign Country Where Amcri.
cans Have Very Good Show.

Consul w. G. Magelssen, writing
from Bagdad. furnishes the follow
ing information concerning the con-
sumption of cotton goods in that
part of Asiatic Turkey:
Cotton goods form the principal
item of imports into Bagdad and their
consumption Is yearly increasing.
Their value exceeds s1,0OO,O0O an
nuaiiy' The most important Bag
dad houses have their own BUYERS in
Manchester and these supply the To-
cal market with only such goods as
they know will find favor here. Brit
ish cotton manufacturers study the
requirements and wants of the peonl,
with whom they desire to transact
business. and the result is that sell
dom, II ever, does a British cotton
goods consignment arrive here that
can not be quickly disposed of. Some
thirty years ago Basdad firms had
no buyers In Manchester; today af-
teen native merchants have branch
houses there. The great bulk Of the
cotton importations is british. Terms
or payment are cash on arrival of
goods, though sometimes a credit il
allawed after arrival.
During the past year Italy has
made strong efforts to share in this
market, and the quantity of cotton
socds hitherto imported from that
country has tIebled. Direct shin
ments from Italy were made. but
moro important consignmcnts came
via Syria ports. where Italian manu-
racturers make frequent calls md
where they are represented by agents
VINO extend their business operations
10 tnese parts. In hosiery Italy
stands at the head as the supplier
OF this markets wants, while tho
cotton cloth importations have con-
sisted mainly OF prints. Austria is
also making progress in the Mesopo.
tamian cotton market.
1T Is not many years since Ameri-
can cotton goods found their way to
Egypt and the Sudan. Five years ago
syrian houses placed important or.
ders with American firms for cotton
goods to be shipped to the east and
west coasts of the Red Sea. Gradu-
ally American cotton goods have
worked their way to Jibuti. Alden.
Bombay and Karachi and are now
slowly working their way up the
PERSIAN gulf. In Kowler and Bah.
rein American gray sheetings. thirty
inches wide and thirty six yards to
the piece. are finding favor. and from
these ports they are being distributed
to interior points of Arabia. where
tney are known under the name OF
|Americania." The same quality of
cotton goods that sell in Persian gulf
ports are suited also for this market.
american gray shirtings have made
their appearance also on the Persian
side OF the gulf. having come through
bombay commission houses. and from
all accounts they are being kindly
received. All the gulf ports maintain
close connections with Bagdad, and
In view Of the Importance Of the lat
ter city In this part Of the world IS
would seem that this market IS we'll
worthy the attention OF American
cotton manufacturers.
"Bagdad supplies northwestern Per-
sia with foreign goods Of many kinds
and owing to the constant develop
ment of these regions the Importance
OF Bagdad AS commercial center is
daily Increasing. The substitution by
the natives Of imported goods for
those OF local manufacture and the
increasing popularity Of the diverse
varieties OF cotton goods among the
Ariab tribes present many attractions
20 European exporters, and American
| manufacturers will do we'll to follow
their example and keep a sharp look
out on developments in Turkish
Arabia
THE imports Of Manchester goods
show decrease for 1906. owing to
high quotations and distant deliver
les. The year saw shortage in the
imports Of English gray yarns. In
dia quoted Bagdad with about $500
bales. valued at $4,000. Some $50
bales Of bleached yarns have come
from Great Britain, their value being
some 100000"