Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1915-11-20
GREAT BRITAIN !
IN TRADE CONTEST
VIII Contest With United States for
Commerce Of South
America.

OF the Associated Press) - Great
Britain has no intention Of allowing
the United States to Gust Il from first
place In trade with South America.
declares the Daily Chronicle In long
and earnest discussion OF The South
American Market" After noting the
relative positions of England. Ger.
many and the United States In South
American trade prior to the war, the
article warns It's readers that the
United States has already accom-.
plished a great deal In its effort to
take advantage Of the opening OF.
fered II.
But let us look for moment al
the assets OF the British trader In
South America" continues the Chron.
icle. zone OF his greatest is his repu.
tation for strict integrity and scrupu.
lously honest dealing. which will
stand him In good stead In his coming
race for trade. II must be maintained
at all costs. South American people
have had experience OF our methods
OF business and OF those OF the United
States. and as general rule they
prefer our own. II they can do so
they will deal with us. .,
Another great point In our favor
is the remarkably strong position OF
our leading banks. The names OF the
Anglo-South American Bank. the
British Bank OF South America and
the London and Brazilian Bank are
household words In banking and finan.
cial circles all over the world. En-.
lightened management and the growth
OF British trade have brought them
prosperity. Then again there Is the
Banca Commercials Italiana. The en-.
tente between British and Italian In.
terests In Brazil Is Of peculiar import.
ance. owing to the predominence OF
the latter In the South American labor
market.
Consideration OF our banking posi-.
ton naturally leads one to speak OF
our shipping predominence. Our pre-
eminence In South American trade In
the past has been due In no small de.
gree to the great development Of our
merchant marine. The United States
is not slow to appreciate the import.
ance Of the banking and shipping ele-
ments. Her banks are already open.
ing branches In some OF the big South
American centers. while her colossal
activity in producing war munitions
and the sale Of her foodstuffs at high
prices will enable her for the first
time In her career to lend freely
abroad and also to put money into
the development OF her mercantile
marine.
Another point In our favor Is the
large amount Of British capital al
ready sunk In the various South
American countries. This reaches
the stupendous total OF s3.750.O0O.
while our annual trade . In South
America. prior to the war. touched
$3.50. OO0.0 900. or one-fourth OF the total
trade OF those countries. Obviously
British companies will. whenever pos.
sible, place their orders In Great
Britain. But they are not In business
for their health. and our traders must
give them what they want or they
will go elsewhere"
The article goes on with a discus
sion OF the shortcomings OF British
trade. Selling by catalogue is impos-
sible In those countries. Il declares.
and II adds that there Is a lamentable
lack OF really skilled British travellers
and agents. In this respect II urges
British traders TO take leaf from
Germany's handbook. "Germany's
and agents we're skilled men
and they spared neither time nor trou
BILE. Good linguists were they. not
with q mere smattering OF Spanish
and Portuguese. Nor did the heads
Of the firms In Germany leave every.
thing to their agents. They were al.
ways making personal visits to study
local commerce and credit conditions
on the spot. Above all. they took
care to give the importer what he
wanted"
Turning specifically to the oppor.
tunities In Argentina, the Chronicle
declares that a great effort is neces-
sary here II England is to maintain
predominance. The last
complete years returns for this Re-
public shows that in 1918 the trade
was divided as follows: England.
$4,000. 900; Germany. s70.0O0.0OO.
and the United States. se2.o0O.OoO.
In Brazil. the second most import.
ant market. the Chronicle believes
that the clearing OF the financial at.
which has come about since
the war opens new opportunities for
H. A.na NnAlo.. m. Ahn annf