The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-10-06
ROOMS
 IN MANCHURIA; HARDWARE NEEDS

Washington, Oct. 4.-Demand for foreign manufactured hardware in Manchuria is constantly increasing. A recent survey of the situation made by U. S. Consul General A. W. Pom tius, stationed at Mukden, China, shows that the demand for hardware in Manchuria became marked as soon as the many centres were opened to foreign trade. Building activities have increased by leaps and bounds and the open exercise by the Japan csc since 1915 of the right to unre- stricted residence, land purchase and building construction contribute in no small way to the increased de- mand
 The survey points out that the South Manchuria Railway has contin- ued it's building activities throughout the railway zone, and hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of hard ware has been purchased in connec- ton with its railroad work, and also to supply the construction of build ings in the railway settlements. The same applies to the Kirin-C -Changchun and the Ssupinzkai-Chengcha Rail- ways, which have recently imported large supplies of hardware.
 Consul General Pontius in his re- port also emphasizes the fact that the big mines in operation throughout Manchuria also require large sup plies of hardware in many lines. AL so, supplies purchased by the rail- ways were ordered through connec tions at Dairen and Tokyo. The nu- merous official and private industrial concerns scattered throughout this district also handle large amounts of hardware supplies.
 ''Prior to the war most of the hard ware was imported from Great Bri- tain, Germany, the United States and Japan," the report stated. Follow ing the outbreak of the war the sup most entirely, and later the United States failed also source of sup ply. The Japanese had to depend up on the pre-war stocks and home man ufactures made from iron obtained from China.
 While the Japanese are able to produce a fair quality of certain classes of steel manufactures, such as printing presses, knitting machines, etc., besides carpenters and machin- grade tools such as drills, planes, dies and the like. and they are obliged to import such goods from abroad.
 German hardware formerly found a ready sale in this market, not due to the quality of the goods but tol cheapness and favorable terms of credit extended. In the course of time the Chinese discovered the in introduced and numerous articles soon lost their popularity. When condi- tions in the United States again per mitted the unrestricted export of iron and steel products importations of American hardware supplies into this district came in a steady stream and now find a ready demand. In spite of the high prices the demand per sists because of the very superior quality.
 ''The following are some of the best selling articles which are now largely imported from the United States:
 "Hardware-steel butt hinges; door locks, mortise and rim knob; pad locks of all sizes, door bolts, screw gate hooks and eyes, iron wood screws, flat and round heads; screw bolts and nuts, wire, galvanized, iron and steel; washers, iron and galvan- ized; iron sheets and plates, galvan- ized iron sheets, iron bars, flat, round and square; iron angles, equal legs.
 Machine Shop Tools-Flies flat, square. round and half round; lathes, to 12 feet; tools of assorted sizes for pipe work, such as pipe cutters, pipe wrenches, chain wrenches, taps and dies for screw cutting.
 "Pumps-Pumps, 3 inch to inch cylinder.
 Sundries-Screw cutting machinery iron tubes, pipe vises, chain blocks iron safes and cash boxes of various sizes, iron rails, screws and nuts for rails.
 "Carpenters' TooIs-Saws, planes, hammers, augers, chisels, etc, of var ious sizes"