COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 133 



All other imported articles of this class, as ginghams, pulicats, dyed 

 cotton, velveteens, silk, and cotton mixtures and mixtures, of linen and 

 cotton, etc., 5 per cent, ad valorem. 



Articles not enumerated on the tariff list nor on the free list pay an 

 ad valorem duty of 5 per cent. 



CONCLUSION. 



There is no information obtainable covering the manner of purchas- 

 ing from abroad of goods imported, nor is it possible to give an esti- 

 mate of the weight per yard of the cotton cloth used here. The greater 

 portion of it is manufactured in Manchester, England. In time the 

 manufacturers of the United States may be enabled to increase the 

 sale of their goods in the far East, but competition is strong and active, 

 having well-established communication and a net- work of agencies con- 

 necting the treaty ports of China with the places of supply. A knowl- 

 edge of the wants of the people is almost indispensable, but judgment 

 in the selection of articles, care in packing, and quick dispatch, should 

 never be lost sight of by the exporter. 



JNO. TYLER CAMPBELL, 



Consul. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Foo-Chow, July 31, 1889. 



HONG-KONG. 



REPORT BY VICE-CONSUL WITHERS. 



Hong-Kong being an entirely free port there are no customs returns, 

 and as no regulations exist (with the exception of those referring to 

 opium) requiring returns of merchandise either imported or exported, 

 the trade of Hong- Kong, large as it is, is not officially recorded. In 

 the absence of recognized statistics, reference to figures is of little 

 value ; but even a partial reply to the inquiries contained in the circu- 

 lar of instructions may be of some interest. 



Hong-Kong being a distributing center rather than a place of con- 

 sumption, the bulk of the goods entered here find their way by dif- 

 ferent routes to the coast ports and ultimately to the interior of China. 



The greater part of the cotton goods sold in Hong- Kong are the prod- 

 uct of Lancashire looms and are divided into two classes, plain and 

 colored. These are shipped to this country direct from Liverpool and 

 London. Some few imports of cotton goods manufactured in India 

 have taken place, but so far only in insignificant quantities. The trade 

 done in Indian cotton yarn, however, is considerable. American cot- 

 tons that come here are merely passing through on their way to Chi- 

 nese ports. Goods are purchased for cash by a class of middlemen 

 acting between the importers and the Chinese dealers. 



