El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-23

UNCLE SAM, EXPORTER

America. the West Indies and South
America combined. Great Britain
sells more than twice as much cotton
goods to Argentina as We sell to the
whole Of Latin America, and to Ar
geutina and Brazil more cotton tnan
we sell to all the world outside the
United States.
Another special agent has just sent
in a report on the shoe and leather
trade in which he shows that our eN-
ports OF these goods have increased
about $4,000. 600 during the past year
OF the shoes $1,000 600 or $S,0OOOO9
worth went to Latin America ana
more than $5.O00,O00 10 Mexico
Trade Lecturers
CONGRESS has made an appropriation
of $4,000 for these commercial travel
ers this year and the time VIII come
when the scope Of their Work VIII ne
much wider than It is now They are
doing 90 much that their number VIII
be increased, and it is the intention OF
the department to have each Of them
spend part of his time In the UnlleQ
States coming in actual contact with
our exporters and manufacturers, ana
giving them suggestions as to our Tor
eign trade and how to develop It Ihe
experts on cotton will visit the cotton
centers and those on steel viii go 70
the steel mills and steel shippers. 1t
viii be the same with every brancn OF
business. Each industry VIII be to1d
where and how it can ship its goods
to the best advantage and the 1aults
which now prevail as to our dealings
with foreigners win be pointed out
and corrected
Late Information as to Packing.
Among the important things which
the bureau Of manufactures has been
recently doing is the gathering OF
fresh information as to how goods
should be packed. About year ago a
pamphlet Of this kind was published
and it created a great deal Of comment
Since then I am told that OuT ship
ments have been improved, and that
something like so percent OF the goods
now sent abroad are properly packed
The worst work is that done in the
export of raw cotton. The bales are
poorly put up; the bUrlap is torn and
a great deal of cotton is wasted. Our
consuls say that the Russians, Egyp-
) tians and East Indians have much bet
ter cotton bales than we have. 1t is
claimed that altogether something ike
$4,000, 900 worth Of damages is lost 10
railroads through improper packing.
From the consular reports Whlch
have recently come I find many com
ments as to the improvements IN
packing. Consul general Mason, at
Paris SAYS our French exports are
very much better put up than they
have been in the past, but that our
packages are often too heavy, ana
that the goods should. be so arranged
that they cannot move inside the
boxes. Consul general Skinner at
. Hamburg says that our packing is as
good as that OF any in the world, ana
that bad packing usually comes from
new firms that do not understand the
market.
other consuls, and especially those Of
Asia and South America, urge that the
goods be packed in waterproof boxes
or bales and that they be so fastened
that pilfering is not easy The chi
uese COnsuls say that the knot holes
I In boxes should be covered by pieces
l Of tin nailed on the inside and that
! all packages for the interior should be
made so that they could be carried on
Animal Transports.
Many Of the COnsuls urge the packing
| of goods in small parcels. In Arabia
and Africa much Of our exports goes
I inland on camels, and the ordinary
] beast viii carry only about 900 pounds.
I pounds, one to fit on each side the
I hump In interior Bolivia American
! goods are carried on llamas, the loads
I Of which are restricted to 100 pounds
I the back so that there can be that
{ much in one package. A donkey viii
/ carry from so to 100 pounds, a mule
/ about 200 pounds. while from so &c
IS pounds is a good load for a man
/ if he has to make a long journey. In
{ Siberia all boxes which weigh over
/ 500 pounds should be fitted with skids
3 as there is no way OF handling freight
{ in the eastern part of that country
/ and the marks on the packages should
/ be English and Russian, metallic paint
/ In my talk with Mr.. Baldwin he re-
/ ferred to the Trade Directory which
! has just been issued by his bureau
/ This is a volume as big a a dictionary
I which contains the names of 125,OOl
! business men in the leading cities and
[ ports outside the United States. These
Z names have been sent in by the con
. suls and they should be of value tC
1 all those who sell goods abroad. The
I book is for sale at IS. which was about
I the cost of publication.
Frank G. Carpenter.