COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



73 



WEST INDIES. 



BRITISH WEST INDIES. 



ANTIGUA. 

 HE PORT BY CONSUL JACKSON. 



Upon the matter of cotton textiles imported into the consular district 

 of Antigua I have to report that, owing to the want of statistics at the 

 custom-house, the correct number of yards can not be ascertained. 



All imports of cotton goods are placed under the head of u cottons, 

 woolens, and linens/' and no separate values are rendered. The whole 

 amount of invoiced value of imports of fabrics, excepting silks, for the 

 year ended December 31, 1888, was 890,408.48; of this amount it is es- 

 timated fully 75 per cent, may be credited to imports of cotton fabrics, 

 mostly confined to calicoes, bleached and unbleached cottons. 



The value of cotton goods imported from the United States for the 

 above period amounted to $1,248.66 only. 



These goods were confined to ducks and denims, and were purchased 

 much cheaper there than they could be purchased for in Manchester, and 

 the trade has been diverted to the United States in consequence. 



All cotton goods imported come from Manchester, England, and the 

 United States, and pay a duty upon entry of 6| per cent, ad valorem. 



Three months' time is generally given from Manchester, or 5 percent, 

 off for cash, while goods from the United States come through general 

 commission houses which give thirty to sixty days' time. 



In order to present a fair and suggestive view of the situation of the 

 trade in cotton goods in Antigua, I submit a list of samples, obtained 

 from one of Antigua's merchants, which I had analyzed by the Govern- 

 ment analyst there, and which covers the merchant's importations for 

 the year 1888, and which is estimated to cover one-eighth of the busi- 

 ness done in that line in Antigua for that year. 



CHESTER E. JACKSON, 



Consul. 



HOLLEY, N. Y., September 18, 1889. 



WHITE COTTONS (SHIRTINGS OR BLEACHED). 



