The sun., 1919-07-30
CHANCE FOR TRADE
IN BRITISH MALAYA
People Are Prosperous and
Have Kindly Feeling for
Americans.
CALL FOR COTTON GOODS
Absence Of Customs Duties q
Factor In Making Busi-
ness Desirable.

In sn article on trade conditions in
Malaga the Far Eastern Division.
Bureau Of Foreign and Domestic Com
rehce. says:
"As business men Of British Malaga
and the community In general are kindly
disposed toward Americans, this seems to
be an opportune time for the establish
meht Of trade between that country and
the United States, especially az the peo-
pie are prosperous and there II grow
ing demand for foreign goods.
"The purchasing power OF the Penang
district is very considerable, as indicated
by the exports to the United States,
more than $a2,ooo,0 900, Notwithstanding
the scarcity OF tonnage, Tho principal
articles exported 70 the United States are
tin, rubber, copra, tapioca and patchouli
leaves (used In making perf1mery), but
our markets do not demand largo qdan-
titles OF cloves, pepper, nutmegs and
other spices, mangrove bark and other
local products.
Detailed specifications Of the imports
into the Penang district from tho United
States are not available, and II they were
much Of the commerce OF this region is
carried on by rail and local steamships
through Singapore.
"An idea Of the nature Of this trade
can, however, be gained from a study of
the statistics Of the Straits Settlements,
which imported from the United States
in 1917 goods to the amount OF ss.446,-
OIL, against s6,776.812 in 1916. These
imports in 1917 Included the following.
Bacon and hams, books and maps, boots
and shoes, bottles, brass ware. building
and roofing materials, butter and cheese,
cabinet ware. canvas. cards (playing).
chains and anchors. chemicals. clocks and
watches, confectionery. copperware, cor
rugated iron, cotton piece goods, cutlery
and hardware. druggists and dentists
sundries. drugs and medicines. engines
and boilers, fancy goods, toys and sport
ing materials; fruits. preserved and
dried glass and glassware, India rubber
goods (including tires). iron bars nails.
ironware Excluding cooking utensils).
lamps and lampware, lard. leatherware.
lubricating oil. electrical and other ma
chinery. milk, condensed and sterilized :
motor cars. cycles, &C. musical instru-
ments; oil, petroleum otlmen's stores,
paints, paper, machinery and paper
goods; perfumery, Photographic and ci-
lnematograph materials railway and
tramway materials. sewing machines.
silk piece goods, soap and soda, steel,
tinplate, tobacco. cigars and cigarettes !;
tools and implements. wearing apparel.
hosiery. &c; wire rope, woodenware.
wooden cloth.
| while little increase can be expected
| In tho demand for q number of these
articles which are used only by the
small European and wealthy Chinese and
native population. In many cases an ener-
getic sales campaign in certain lines
would probably show good results, pro-
vided q careful study were made OF local
Of the population.
"It might be well to inve vestigate with
cara the trade in sewing thread. knit
underwear, hosiery. cheap cotton blank
/ cts, cotton piece goods, cotton handker-
| chiefs. prints and other textiles boots
and shoes, metal and enameled table
and cooking utensils. woodenware. glass
ware. crockery and porcelain. cutlery and
hardware. clocks and watches. sewing
machines, paints, soaps, medicines,
drugs ana chemicals. motor cars and
trucks. nails and ironware. tools and i'm
plements. electrical and steam machinery
of various kinds, especially for railroads,
mines and agriculture tin plate, dry and
salted fish and condensed milk, butter
and canned goods Of various kinds. II
may be possible to sell some glass,
crockery or metal cups for tapping rub
Der trees. Considerable quantities of all
these articles are supplied by other coun-
tries.
'rhe resumption of building opera
tions. almost entirely suspended during
the war. is likely to create q demand for
corrugated iron. structural steol and
other classes OF building materials.
Trade is favored by tho absence OF
customs duties In Penang, except on dn-
toxicating liquors. opium, petroleum.
cigars, cigarettes and tobacco.
The import business In this district
Is carried on largely by local British
and Chinese importers who ''indent' or
order from abroad the goods which their
retail customers desire. The latter are
almost entirely Chinese. and local COM
mission houses perform a useful service
in consolidating small orders, financing
the transactions and conducting corre-
spondence. while several export agencies
have built up extensive businesses by
working tho territory systematically
Few concerns, however, specialize in
particular lines and most Of them are
willing to handle anything in which there
Ia profit.
while good results may be secured by
corresponding with local merchants,
whose names may be secured through
tho Bureau OF Foreign and Domestic
Commerce. and sending directly TO them
catalogues and other printed matter.
visits from American commercial travel
lers would certainly be moro effective in
establishing definite relations. Arrange
ments for joint representatives in nom
competing lines might DO made by Amer
loan manufacturers who prefer not tc
sell through commission houses and
whose foreign trade Is not extensive
enough to warrent the expense Of q
travelling salesman Of their own.
Local Advertising Advisable.
"As most of the purchases are made
ny consumers at scattered plantations
and mines, II has been found that the
best way to increase business IL by ju-
dicious local advertising In the daily
papers, supplemented by wall posters
and circulars The local dealers expect
the manufacturers to bear at least part
OF the expense involved, and some of
the enterprising Chinese retailers have
secured good results for their American
connections by carrying additional ad-
vertisements on their own account and
by sending out hundreds of letters.
Many Of these Chinese merchants are
most energetic and efficient in their
methods of distribution and have built UP
O large trade in American products
throughout the Straits Settlements and
the Federated Malay States
Some OF the prominent business men
from Penang are planning to visit the
United States IN order to secure agencies
| for thu enlA NJ iirhs ne