COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES OF BRITISH (From United States Consul Moulton, Demerara, British Guiana.) From official records and other available sources of information, sufficient data has been secured regarding the industrial and commercial activity of this country for the year ended March 31, 1903, and the four months succeeding to adduce the following conclusions: There was a slight increase in the output of the soil, mines, and forests, consisting of sugar, gold and diamonds, balata, and timber, over that of the preceding year. These products, which constitute the chief articles of export, were mostly distributed as follows, compared with 1902: The local market for raw sugar opened in October, 1902, at $1.75 per cwt. (112 pounds), which it is claimed was less than cost of production. However, prices advanced gradually until December, when sales realized $2.25. With few exceptions shippers closed out most of their stock at a profit. It was distributed as follows, compared with the previous year: From January 1 last to July 31, including the May and June grinding, there were approximately 69,398 tons to be disposed of. Prices gradually eased off to $1.80 by the middle of July, advancing It thus appears that the Dominion of Canada, during the period under consideration, very substantially increased her importations of raw sugar from this country, and markedly so during the last four months. The reasons are clear and the fact is of considerable importance. Canada heretofore has imported sugar largely from Germany, but owing to a dispute with that country a tariff duty was arranged discriminating against the German product. A preferential tariff rate of 333 per cent favoring British colonial products already existed in the Dominion. Quotations during the past six months were abnormally low in New York, where from time immemorial the Demerara product has been chiefly marketed. Under these conditions Canadian importers sought what they required from Demerara and other British colonies in the West Indies, with the result of largely diverting, at least, Demerara shipments from their accustomed channels, as shown in the above statistics. Local exporters were thus able to realize from one-sixteenth to one-eighth of a cent more per pound for their sugar than could be obtained in New York, and steamers plying regularly between the United States and this port have for several weeks past discharged their usual inward cargo and cleared out empty, while subsidized Canadian steamers and tramp vessels captured largely the tonnage. IMPORTS. The value of importations from all sources, considered as a whole, slightly exceeded those of last year. Local conditions have undergone no apparent improvement and moderate increases in valuation are immaterial. They are often due to the ordinary vicissitudes of trade and prices current. The value of imports from the United States was $2,172,856, against $1,943,806 the previous year. Not since 1894 have our exports to the colony amounted to so much. There were increased quantities of the following articles imported: Lumber, petroleum and other oils, staves and headings, machinery and materials for electric lighting and for the manufacture of sugar, cement, beef and lard, and boots and shoes, valued at $39,000, against $18,000 the previous year. The flour trade was normal up to March 31. Importations of butter, cheese, corn meal, pork, oleo, tobacco, hardware, hay and grain, coal, and cotton textiles fell off. Our trade with the colony has steadily improved. For years the local exporter has found the most profitable market for his sugar in New York, and in return we have supplied this market with the flour and food stuffs required. Thus far this mutual exchange of commodities has been carried on without serious rivalry. COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS. The ordinance imposing a tax on commercial travelers visiting the colony, which was passed last year, has been repealed and no obstacles exist to that efficient method of promoting trade. ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP COTTON PRODUCTION. An organized effort is being made to reestablish this industry, which formerly flourished in the colony during the days of slave labor. A cotton-growing association has been formed in Berbice. County. The locality has been divided into ten districts, and seed distributed and planted mostly by small farmers, though the managers of several sugar estates have also planted from 1 to 3 acres. It is estimated that from 800 to 1,000 people are planting. The scheme is to encourage a general cultivation of the staple throughout the district. Small prizes are offered-not for the best cotton, but the best cultivation. Former experience demonstrated that the coast lands were admirably adapted to the purpose, and a splendid article was produced and the industry flourished until the close of our war of the rebellion, when prices fell off to an unprofitable figure and cultivation was abandoned. While those who are promoting the enterprise are very sanguine of ultimate success, there are others who prophesy failure, for the reason, among others, that the black people can not be induced to combine in efforts to provide the necessary drainage, and it is questionable whether the government would appropriate money for the purpose without some guaranty that the people would, to some extent, help themselves. It is thought that eventually the cultivation may be confined mostly to the front lands of the sugar estates, where indentured East Indian laborers would be available for the purpose. GEO. H. MOULTON, Consul. DEMERARA, BRITISH GUIANA, August 12, 1903. PRODUCTION OF COTTON IN PERU. (From United States Minister Dudley, Lima, Peru.) I inclose herewith a copy and translation of a dispatch from the Peruvian minister at London to his Government, which has just been given publicity through the National Agricultural Society of Peru. The purpose of the publication, as will be observed, is to point out the expediency of increasing the production of cotton in Peru for British manufacturers, in view of the alleged forestalling of the American output destined for the English market. LIMA, PERU, August 22, 1903. IRVING B. DUDLEY, Minister. PRODUCTION OF COTTON IN PERU. The Peruvian Minister in London to his Government. The English press during the last few weeks has been giving an account of the crisis at present affecting this country in consequence of the heavy purchases of cotton made of late by speculators from the United States, who, having monopolized the article, are in a position to demand exorbitant prices. This combination has already produced serious results in Manchester-so much so that during the last few days many manufacturers have, through want of cotton, only been able to work during four days in the week, while others, who were expecting the arrival of new supplies, have found themselves compelled to suspend their work altogether for the present. With reference to this state of affairs, according to information communicated to this legation by the consul of the Republic in Manchester, several manufacturers in that city have asked for information and statistics respecting the production of cotton in Peru, and more especially as to whether there existed in that country a sufficient number of laborers to attend to the cultivation on a larger scale. The consul, in view of these facts, has asked the legation to furnish him as often as possible with all the information and data on this matter that appears from time to time. The legation has done hitherto all in its power to comply with the consul's requests. I think it would be convenient-and I would ask you to seriously consider this matter to publish in English and distribute among the manufacturers of Manchester and other centers of the textile industries in England a pamphlet treating of the production of cotton in Peru and setting forth all the data which would be of interest to any parties who might wish to encourage the cultivation of the plant on a large scale. I have no doubt that such a publication would produce magnificent results, and perhaps under the present state of circumstances the English manufacturers might, in view of the possibility of a similar crisis, determine to back up with their capital the cultivation of cotton in Peru. PUBLIC WORKS. URUGUAYAN COMMERCE AND PUBLIC United States Consul A. W. Swalm, of Southampton, England, under date of September 2, 1903, transmits a communication, printed in the London Times of September 1, from its regular correspondent at Montevideo, July 25, from which the following extracts are taken: FOREIGN COMMERCE. The gross statistics of the foreign commerce of this Republic for the first quarter of the current year (only just published) are more favorable than might have been expected, the general totals being as follows: Imports, $6,396,888; exports, $13,538,066-total commerce, $19,934,954. As compared with the same quarter last year, the imports show an increase of $565,900 and are above the average for the last six years; the exports show an increase of $2,018,423, reaching much the highest figure on record for the quarter, being ahead of 1900 and 1901 by some $4,000,000. This is mainly due to a large clip and good prices of wool. The exportation of agricultural products was below the mark, owing to the wheat harvest having been poor both in quality and quantity. On the whole a good start has been made commercially in the first quarter, which is generally the index for the rest of the year. PUBLIC WORKS. Government has recently adopted some secondary measures that deserve commendation. Among these may be mentioned drainage extension works in Montevideo and some of the principal towns of the interior; surveys for port and canalization works and transit improvements at Colonia and other points; steps for the establishment of veterinary stations and for combating the plagues of tick and "Texas fever," which of late have wrought great mischief among the live stock of the country; a tour of free lectures by experts on scientific and advanced methods of agriculture and stock farming; and arrangements for the distribution of seed wheat to improve the strain of wheat, which in the last two harvests has shown signs of marked deterioration. The contract has just been signed, after much obstruction and a period of gestation extending over nearly five years, for the introduction of electric traction on the principal group of tramways in this city, which are known as the Baring group, because they were capitalized and worked under the auspices of Baring Bros. & Co. The electrification is being carried out by English capitalists and engineers and will involve an outlay of about $1,000,000. Proposals are under consideration for the electrification of other tramway lines in the city, some with English and some with local capital, |