Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-05-27
WORLD DEMAND FOR COTTON
General Review Indicates a Terrific
Strain on the Supply.

Strain on the supply.
The cotton goods market Is improv-
ing In foreign countries, and the de-
mand gradually increasing and enlarg-
ing. But the number Of manufacture
ing centers is growing.
United States Vice Consul Charles
w. Drew, Jr., recently sent the follow
ing report on the demand for cotton
and wooden goods in Belgium and Ant
werp:
Belgium, formerly a great textile
center, is at this time a n-productive
state and will be so in textile lines for
at least four or five months more.
Cotton and wooden goods are need
ed at this time. All measurements or
widths are in centimeters (2.54 cent?
meters-1 inch). There is no market
for high-priced goods.
'aThe re- establishment Of Belgium
and French factories, which is not SO
far distant, makes all possible speed
imperative If market is to be found
for American goods. Quotations
should be (. O. b. New York or c. !. l.,
Antwerp. Moderately long terms are
generally desired.
"As a rule the Belgian and European
market desires narrower widths than
those common in the United States
of the large dealers, widths given In
inches: Cotton goods, %, 80, SO and
43: black satin, "a and 56; wool, ga
berdine, serges and clothes, Sd; mer-
cerized and printed matter (French
design, 80; cretonne, %, 80 and 36;
zephyr, 43 and 54; madapolame, 2St
32 and SO.
"A Brussels merchant, who furnish
ed the samples, is desirous Of receiving
goods Immediately from American
firms and is ready to place a guaran-
tee of $4,000 francs for the transac-
ton.
Commercial Attache Julean Arnold,
reporting from Peking, states:
opment in the cotton-grow1ng and COT
ton milling industries in China, as the
a activities Of mill owners and promoters
attest The information presented IN
the succeeding paragraphs, tending 10
bear out this assertion, Is taken from
issues of The North China Herald ana
the Shanghai Gazette.
"At a meeting Of the Laou kung
Now Cotton Spinning and weaving
Co. Itd.), it was reported that the
mill production for the year 1918 ex-
ceeded any previous record: The po-
litical disturbances have arected the
warn market unfavorably and recently
prevented all trade with Szecchuan
and Hankow. A weaving department
has been opened. Extension OF trace
in interior China is expected with the
coming Of internal peace.
"Some 10000 tons Of Shantung raw
cotton were exported to Japan in 1918,
an increase Of 5000 tons over the pre-
ceding year. Since the armistice the
export has greatly decreased and Will
probably cease unless silver declines.
"The shareholders Of the Yangtsepoo
cotton mill have voted to build up
strong reserve, instead of distributing
the profits. and have established cot
ton fiuctuation fund in view OF the ract
that cotton prices are at dangerously
high level with decline to be expected.
In spite of high prices, clearances are
reported excellent.
Cotton Culture to be Encouraged.
"The Chinese Cotton Mill Owners
association has started an enterprise
on its own initiative to estaollsh at
least six experiment stations Tor the
selection Of cotton seed ana tne I'M
provement of cultivation and Tor SEED
distribution to farmers. Funds will be
aised bv voluntary taxation Of Chinese
mills. and will aggregate $4,000 taeis
annually. Application has been MADE
to the department of agriculture, at
Washington, for seed samples: The
work will be directed by Mr.. ]. H:
Reisner, of Nanking university. a1ded
by an American expert to be secured
from the United States. China now
paws a high duty on imported cotton
for finer grades of yarn, whereas In
Japan cotton is duty free. 1t Is con-
ceded that China can become close
second to the United States as a cotton
grower for by selection and cultivation
a much finer and longer staple than is
now grown can be produced.
"Mr. Chow Hsjeh Hsi has been aP-
pointed director general OF cotton cul-
tivation in China with power 10 pro-
nose and initiate plans for the I'M
movement of cotton, subject to the ap-
proyal of the ministry Of agriculture.
II is reported that Mr.. Chow Will form
a Sino-Japanese cotton deVelopment
company. The capital OF the Chlnese
shareholders will be paid by japanese
cotton merchants with their shareS as
a guarantee and the company Will De
placed under japanese control.
Representatives Of japanese cotton
mills in China and Japan met at
Shanghai in January to discuss prop-
lems of after-the-war trade. SupJects
of special interest were the decllne III
demand for cotton following the ces-
sation of war; the increasing compeu-
fion Of Chinese mill products which
are no longer dependent on the activl.
ties ties Of the Japanese middleman; the
difficulty Of getting raw cotton from from
Chinese producers at competitive
prices; and the expected competition aOa
after the war with European ana
American merchants"