COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 65 



PANAMA. 



REPORT BY CONSUL-GENERAL ADAMSON. 



My report upon cotton textiles imported into this district, which is 

 called for in circular instruction of May 27, 1889, has been delayed in 

 the hope that some information of possible value might be obtained, 

 Thus far, however, my earnest efforts have failed to procure any im- 

 portant information. 



IMPORTS. 



The local government does not keep records to show the quantity, 

 kind, or value of the textile fabrics or other goods imported here, 

 this being a free port. The merchants who might be expected to be 

 able to estimate the value of such imports do not show any willing- 

 ness to mention an estimate. This may be explained thus : During the 

 flourishing times of the canal enterprise, the imports were large, prob- 

 ably much larger than the Government officials supposed. The com- 

 mercial tax was enormously high, and would, perhaps, have been in- 

 creased had it been known how large the importing business really 

 was. The merchants have, therefore, always been reticent as to the 

 amount of their imports. 



I think it probable that the value of the cotton textiles imported 

 here from all countries, during 1888, approached nearly $1,000,000, and 

 I doubt its amounting to one-fifth of that sum in 1889. 



In fact, there is such a stagnation in business here, owing to the fail- 

 ure of the Canal Company, and such an excess of supply over the de- 

 mand, that imports- must almost entirely cease for some time. 



KINDS IMPORTED. 



The kinds of cotton textiles imported here are principally bleached 

 and unbleached shirtings and sheetings, printed calicoes, and a moder- 

 ate quantity of colored drillings, denims, and various goods for men's 

 wear, and that light class of goods for women's use which is known to 

 the dry-goods trade in the United States as " white goods," and which 

 embraces cambric, muslins, lawns, etc. The bulk of the cotton textiles 

 imported consists of bleached and unbleached shirtings and sheet- 

 ings and fancy prints. 



As to the weight per yard, it would be no guide to American manu- 

 facturers to state weights, for the goods intended for the local trade 

 are chiefly of inferior cloth, heavily weighted with starch, clay, and 

 other substances used for that purpose, as the trade may demand. All 

 the cotton goods imported for local consumption are weighted with for- 

 eign substances, because it gives them a seeming body, and as there are 

 no customs duties on goods brought to this Isthmus the cost is not in- 

 creased to the dealer. But Panama sells goods to the ports of the 

 Department of Cauca, which embraces thr whole west coast of Colombia, 



