AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 93 



Sailers that draw about twelve feet when the deck load is taken off, 

 n ml that can carry as many logs as possible, without a heavy propor- 

 tion of "broken cargo," or planks and laths (which latter always sell 

 badly and reduce the profits on the venture), and that are about 400 tons 

 measurement, are considered by experienced Tientsin merchants to 

 be handiest and best. A vessel of the above description with a 6-foot 

 deck load should bring 450,000 superficial feet to the bar, and 300,000 

 up to Tientsin itself, the vessel being lightened of 150,000 feet to 

 enable it to get over the bar. 



There are no difficulties in the way of financing shipments, as the 

 prominent banks of China are represented at this port. 



The following foreign houses interested in American trade are estab- 

 lished here: Carlowitz & Co., Collins & Co., Cordes& Co., William Forbes 

 & Co., Hatch & Co., Jardine, Matheson & Co., Mackenzie & Co., E. 

 Meyer & Co., Philippot & Co.," and Wilson & Co. The firm most exten. 

 sively interested in lumber here is William Forbes & Co. 



GENERAL BUILDING. 



Railway construction. During the last year rails were laid to Shan 

 Hai Kwan, a distance of 180 miles from Tientsin, by way of Taku. 

 Shan Hai Kwan is on the Gulf of Pechihli at the eastern terminus of 

 the Great Wall, and the road is apt to stop here for the present as funds 

 are in great demand at Peking for the festivities soon to occur, on the 

 occasion of the Empress Dowager's sixtieth birthday. The first 80 odd 

 miles of this road to Shan Hai Kwan are under the control of the Chin a 

 Bail way Company and lead up to the Kaiping coal mines. These mines 

 are the chief reason for this road, from the mines to Taku. The remain- 

 ing 100 or less miles belong to what is known as the Imperial China 

 Kailway, of which Li Hung Chang is the director-general. 



It is intended in time to push the Imperial Kailway beyond the Great 

 Wall in a northerly direction through Manchuria to Moukden and Kirin, 

 in the neighborhood of the Eussian frontier, a distance of about 450 

 miles from Shan Hai Kwan. This contemplated extension will require 

 many temporary wooden bridges. 



It is the imperial policy to replace all temporary bridges and works 

 by steel structures and solid masonry. 



The progress of railway extension in this consular district will be 

 noted from time to time in my general reports to the Department. As 

 the only railway in this vast Empire, its development will undoubtedly 

 be carefully watched by those interested in railroad construction. 



The Kaiping coal mines above mentioned are the only considerable 

 mines in China worked by foreign methods and machinery. 



SHERIDAN P. BEAD, 



Consul. 



TIENTSIN, February 27, 1894. 



