Evening star., 1941-11-02
Natures Part in Creating Vital Regions of the World
w
East Coast Trade
Of China Changes


the fascinating geographic back
ground OF 1Dorld areas in the
newS OF today. At the request OF
The Sunday Star the National
Geographic Society as part of
its many educational activities,
has prepared the basic data and
accompanying maps from its rich
resources OF geographic kno,rl-
edge and surveys. By clipping
this series from week to week
adults and school pupils may
acquire gazetteer for perna-
nent reference and interpreta-
ton OF neUS dispatches.
(Copyright, National Geographic Society,"
What a change trade with China
has undergone since the romantic
and exciting days of the Yankee
clipper ships!
Instead of exotic cargoes of en-
broidered silks, chests of tea, fine
dishes and ornaments Of porcelain,
and lacquer ware, modern freight
ers bring home from Chinas Pa
cific ports such humdrum articles
as soy bean oil, tung OIL tin, tung-
stem, antimony, raw silk and dried
eggs,
Gone are the dangers of long,
rough trip around Cape Horn; the
Panama Canal cuts off thousands
of miles between New York and
Shanghai. Much of the glitter and
glamour has disappeared along with
the risks, but the commerce itself
has not become less important
Geographically, the story of the
China trade begins long before
Marco Polo travelled through Won
drous Cathay, as he called the vast
Asiatic empire which was then ruled
by kublai Khan.
In early times China made its
slender contact with the outside
world on the land side, along its
western and northwestern borders.
From behind its mountains and
plateaus the silks, spices. perfumes
and gems of the Orient seeped into
Mediterranean lands over long,
twisting caravan trails.
But the overland route was diff
cult and expensive. Get-rich-quick
European merchants thought a
water route would be easier. Co.
lumbus tried to find one. but dis
covered the West Indies instead.
BY sailing around Africa, venture
some Portuguese traders succeeded
in reaching China a quarter of
century later, Grudgingly, the
Chinese let them establish a set
tlement at Macau on a peninsula
near the mouth of the Canton River
1t still is Portuguese colony.
Dutch, French, English and Amer
lean merchants eventually broke
Portugals commercial monopoly.
Six months after the American
Revolutionary War, China became
the first country to trade with the
infant United States.
AS this commerce grew 1t ended
China's almost complete isolation
from the rest of the world. Geo.
graphically. the Pacific Coast proved
a far better outlet than the west
ern caravan roadG. In some re-
spects, it is like the Eastern coast
of the United States. 1t is pri-
marily in the temperate zone The
shoreline is long and regular, pro-.
viding many excellent harbors.
Large rivers offer one important
way of shipping goods to and from
the interior. In some regions, how
ever, transportation is even more
primitive than the river boats
Coolies carry heavy loads on their
backs or in baskets and Wheelbar-
rows, while oxen and donkeys haul
freight in sections where railroads
have not been extended.
To foreigners, the China trade
rapidly became a profitable enter
prise. Sometimes one voyage would
enrich shipowner for life. In
genious Americans gained a prompt
advantage through their clipper
ships, famed for speed and beauty
These sharp proved vessels, with
enormous spreads of sail. could out
distance many a modern steamer!
But there were plenty of difficult
ties for the traders. The Chinese,
clinging to their ancient civilization.
wanted few of the strange articles
from distant lands that were offered
to them. Ship captains often were
hard pressed to find cargoes to take
to- the Orient, even though their
holds might be jammed on the re-
turn trip. Some even carried ice;
an Icehouse street in Hong Kong
recalls the unique freight.
Because of limitations and taxes
imposed by China, traders constant
ly demanded greater trade privileges.
European nations even went to war
with China over trade disputes at
intervals in the 18th century. In
the long run treaties were made by
HL.IJ elJ. l. f: