Vol. VIII. No. 86. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[February, 1902.] 49 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL AND 
INDUSTRIAL SUMMARIES. 
GENERAL COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. 
COLONIES. 
Australia. — Glove Trade.— The French Chamber of 
Commerce at Sydney calls attention to the vast consumption of 
gloves in Australia. The demand for gentlemen’s gloves is but 
small, as large purchases are effected only of glacd and driving 
gloves, while of ladies' gloves great quantities are sold. The 
wearing of gloves is customary in all classes, including servants 
and workmen, and the heat in Australia causes gloves to become 
useless after having been worn several times, so that the con- 
sumption is very considerable. The best liked are four-button 
kid and sudde gloves, which sell at 3s. to 4s. retail. Light shades 
sell best. There is a strong demand, especially during the 
summer, for white gloves at the retail price of 3s. 6d., but this 
article meets with the growing competition of the white silk 
glove at is. 6d. to 2s. the pair. New South Wales alone imported 
in 1899 gloves of the value of ^89,855, the greatest portion of 
which was supplied via London. The total value of gloves 
imported annually into Australia probably exceeds ,£320,000. 
British Columbia. — Mineral Production. — A bulletin 
issued by the Minister of Mines estimates the value of the mineral 
production of British Columbia in 1901 at $20,713,501, being 
an increase of 25 per cent, over the previous year. The lode 
mines show an increase over 1900 of 57 per cent. 
British East Africa.— Openings for Trade.— The 
British Sub-commissioner for the province of Ukamba, British 
East Africa, reports that with regard to the present system of 
trading there, nearly all the local trade — that is, any trade 
within four or five miles of the railway — is brought into the 
bazaars, but to places further afield caravans proceed as in the 
past. The principal goods required by the natives are as follows ; 
Gray cloths, Americani and Gumpty ; black and dark blue 
cloths, Kaniki ; Turkey red, Bendera ; flannel shirts, fez caps, 
umbrellas ; cheap blankets, but must be wool ; military and 
police coats, copper wire, brass wire and fancy beads. Locally, 
rupees and pice will purchase anything there is for sale. The 
money eventually finds its way into the bazaar, and the trade 
goods required or fancied by the natives are purchased. Nearly 
all the retail trade with the natives is in the hands of the East 
Indians and a few Greeks. 
Canada. — Mineral Production. — The Dominion Statis- 
tician (Mr. George Johnston) has just completed a report, from 
which it appears that Canada's yield of minerals last year was 
only one-seventeenth of that of the United States, but this 
represented a value of $12. 6c. per head of the population, 
compared with $14. 3c. per head in the United States. 
Canada's increase per head in the decennial period 1891 to 1901 
was a fraction short of double that of the United States, being 
$8. 14c. per head, against $4. 11c. per head for the United 
States ; the Dominion Statistician remarks that it will not take 
long for Canada to catch up and pass the United States. 
Gold represents the largest part of the increase in Canada. 
In 1891 the gold produced in the Dominion was only $1,500,000, 
whereas last year it was $27,008,000. In the United States the 
yield of gold last year was one-seventh of the entire metallic 
production, whilst in Canada it amounted to five-sevenths. 
Since Canada commenced producing gold she has added 136^ 
million dollars worth to the world's store of the yellow metal. 
Of this over 52 millions came from the Canadian Yukon gold- 
fields. 
The metallic products of Canada chiefly comprise gold, 
silver, lead, nickel, copper, zinc, and pig iron ; whilst in the 
United States, besides these, there are produced quicksilver, 
antimony, platinum, and aluminium, which do not appear in 
the Canadian returns. Antimony is found in one province of 
Canada, Nova Scotia, and was at one time produced to a small 
extent, but a lawsuit stopped operations. Aluminium, although 
not yet produced in Canada, exists in deposits to the extent of 
millions of tons. Canada also has corundum, but it is too 
valuable for its abrasive powers to be used to provide aluminium. 
The production of corundum is this year being undertaken in 
Canada on a somewhat extensive scale. Next to pig iron in 
importance in the United States is copper. The value of its 
copper output last year exceeded that of its gold by nineteen 
million dollars. In Canada the output of copper is trifling 
compared with that of the United States, oifly amounting to a 
little over three million dollars ($3,063,119) last year, compared 
with upwards of 98 millions ($98,494,039) in the United States. 
Copper mining companies are now in existence in Canada, 
however, having an authorised capital exceeding 140 million 
dollars, only a small proportion of which has so far been 
actually employed. Eight of these companies— namely, four in 
Ontario, two in Quebec, and one each in Nova Scotia and New 
Brunswick — are working mines of copper and pyrites ; six 
companies, all in Ontario, copper and nickel ; 32, in British 
Columbia, gold and copper. In nickel, Canada outstrips the 
United States and all other countries. 
The non-metallic division of the mineral wealth of the 
United States and Canada comprises fuels, structural materials, 
abrasive materials, chemical materials, pigments, and what one 
may term “miscellaneous.” The fuels include coal, natural 
gas, and petroleum. In these, as in the metallic division, 
Canada is gaining rapidly on the United States. The products 
of the latter country were 34 times greater than that of Canada 
in 1890, but fell to 27 times greater in 1900. The increase in 
that period in the United States was 75’9 per cent, and in 
Canada 1207 percent. In structural materials such as stone, 
tiles, clay for brick and cement, Canada’s increase in the same 
period was 67 per cent., against 19 per cent, in the United 
States. Canada (Ontario), says Mr. Johnston, is unique in 
that it is the only maker of arsenic on the continent. Last year 
the Canadian Goldfields Company, Limited, produced 606,000 
pounds of arsenic, of an estimated value of $22,725, as a by- 
product of their gold-milling operations. 
Straits Settlements.— Cocoanut and its Products. — 
During the calendar year 1900, there was imported into the 
Settlements 93,074,933! lb. of copra, the import value of which 
was $4,455,489 Mexican. During the same year there was 
exported 91,160,026! lb. of copra, valued at $4,416,937 
Mexican, Of cocoanut oil, there was imported during 1900, 
10, 105, 733jlb., the import value of which was$i, 01 1,679 Mexican. 
The export was i 4 , 74°.5534 lb., the value of which was$i, 500,910 
Mexican. Imports of cocoanuts amounted in 1900 to $21,409 
in Mexican currency, and the export to $311,773 Mexican, 
showing a large local production. Of vegetable tallow, imports 
during the year 1900 amounted to 52,533! lb,, valued at $7,034 
Mexican, while exports amounted to 91,900 lb,, valued at 
$37,948 Mexican. About 60 per cent, of these imports came 
from Japan, and the remainder from Burma; all was exported 
to Great Britain. 
Tasmania. — Timbers. — Tasmanian timber, admitted by 
experts as among the best in the world, finds but scant place in 
the world's market. The Tasmanian Mail , therefore, welcomes 
a scheme whiih is likely to lead to development in trade in this 
product. From the evidence given before the select committee 
appointed to deal with the Geeveston Tramways and Timber 
Leases Bill, it appears that the proposal is to take up 26,000 
acres of timber land lying beyond the town of Geeveston, in or 
near the valleys of the Kermandie and Arve rivers, and to 
utilise the timber growing thereon. With the aid of complete 
modern equipment, it is hoped to turn out 200,000 superficial 
feet of timber per week. The ports of the Commonwealth 
being open to the timber of this State, a demand for large 
quantities is expected from Victoria and Broken Hill, and it is 
further hoped that an increasing trade will be built up with the 
United Kingdom. 
Uganda Railway.— Capital and Revenue. — Sir George 
Taubman Goldie, in a letter to the Times , reviews this enterprise 
with respect to the manner in which the work has been done, 
and also in regard to its future. Answering the question 
whether there will be intrinsic value to show for the capital 
sum expended, he gives an unhesitating affirmative, his assertion 
being based on an inspection of tire line throughout practically 
its entire length, and of the fully-equipped workshop, stores, and 
other accessories. It is probable that money might have been 
saved if time had been no object. Some of the temporary 
diversions, which have enabled material, labour, food, and 
water to be extended rapidly along the projected line would 
have been unnecessary. But the railway was not primarily a 
commercial speculation, and the public will not have forgotten 
the international situation up to 1899. The second question of 
interest is : how many years of loss or of mere covering of annual 
expenditure must be expected before the Treasury receives its 
first dividends. Sir G. T. Goldie feels no doubt as to the line 
ultimately proving a sound commercial speculation, but urges 
that the happy day may be hastened by a very moderate ex- 
penditure in assisting to develop the East African Protectorate. 
Its two needs are 
Irrigation and Population. 
For these we must look to paid Indian experience and assisted 
Indian immigration, excepting in that white man's country 
which the railway traverses between Kiu, 267 miles, or, perhaps, 
Nairobi, 317 miles from Mombasa, and, roughly speaking, 
Fort Tertian, 542 miles. The breadth of this healthy zone in a 
bee line is, of course, considerably less — perhaps 160 miles in 
all ; but it affords an ample field for ‘settlers who are content not 
to make fortunes, but to provide prosperous livelihoods on the 
land for themselves and .their descendants. It may be that 
Great Britain is no longer able to supply agricultural colonists 
of this stamp. The constantly accelerating migration from the 
country to the towns at home arouses reasonable doubt on this 
point. But if it is so, a useful lesson may be learnt from 
Argentina. Concessions of land in the white man's country 
may be granted on moderate terms to British resident capitalists, 
both great and small ; and the manual labour can be supplied 
by Italian immigrants, who will remain, as in the regions of the 
Plate, for ten or twelve years, until they have amassed sufficient 
savings to enable them to live in comfort at home. Sir Charles 
Eliot, who has wisely devoted his first year of administration to 
constant travel throughout his extensive province, making him 
self acquainted with the wants and possibilities of the country, 
will certainly do all in his power to initiate and advance the 
development of his protectorate ; but if Great Britain wishes for 
a harvest, she must undoubtedly lend the seed more liberally 
than heretofore, especially in view of the large province that the 
protectorate will take over from Uganda on March 31 next. 
INDIA. 
Demand for Machinery. — The Indian Textile Journal 
states that the demand for second-hand machinery is good. 
The bad financial straits in which many of the mills have to work 
preclude them from investing in new machines when they want 
one now and again. To some enterprising machinery merchant 
opening up a large showroom in Bombay the trade in second- 
hand machines would be found profitable. Such an establishment, 
conducted on well-organised lines, commanding an ample stock 
of machines, with prices within reasonable reach of the purchaser, 
ought to do well. There are some mills at the present moment 
badly in need of increasing their preparatory machinery, having 
room and power available for same, with a view to spin coarser 
counts on a larger scale than they could do at present. 
Industrial Exhibitions in Calcutta. — Two industrial ex- 
hibitions have recently been held in Calcutta, the Mohan Mela 
having assembled for the eighteenth time, while the Indian 
Industrial Exhibition was held in the Beadon Garden in 
connection with the Indian Congress. The Mohan Mela exhib- 
ited works of purely Indian art, manufactured by Indian artisans. 
The noticeable exhibits were a Santi pore hand loom preparing 
handkerchiefs of a fine texture, embossed with floral designs and 
names; a clock depicting scenes from the Mahabharata; a 
miniature locomotive engine and trucks plying on wooden rails ; 
miniature steamships ; clay models of Krishnaghur representing 
faithful life-size figures ; filigree work of Dacca in gold and 
silver, tastefully set with diamonds and pearls ; a new device of 
a penny-in-the-slot machine turning out postcards. Besides this, 
ivory and sanda!-wood work from the Punjab and Madras of 
exquisite skill ; paintings on velvet from Jodhpore ; and marble 
work of various designs from Jeypore were on view. FIoricuL 
tural exhibits on a smaller scale were secured. 
The Indian Industrial Exhibition was held for the first time. 
The exhibits were mainly articles sent by Indian firms, being 
both of European and Indian manufacture. Filigree work from 
Orissa, shellac and earthen models, automatic fountains and 
electric fans figured conspicuously among them. The fly-shuttle 
appliance for Indian handlooms, so much advocated by 
Mr. Havell, was on view, with a quantity of coarse fabric woven. 
The committee, consisting of native and European gentlemen, 
have succeeded in so far as to set many models for Indian enter- 
prise. The exhibition of perfumery, medicine and drugs showed 
the extent to which the natives have developed the chemical 
industry, probably actuated by the visitation of epidemics. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
A New Dyestuff (Dye Sorrel). — The constantly increasing 
difficulty of obtaining the necessary tannic acid for the prepara- 
tion of leather was mostly caused by the fact that the tanning 
stuffs formerly used have been extracted from the bark or fruit 
of trees. These grow slowly, and, in consequence, large tracts 
of land are necessary for obtaining the needed supplies. The 
endeavours to rectify ihese conditions, by using a quick-growing 
plant containing tannic acid, have been successful, through the 
discovery in the plains of Mexico and California of a sorrel 
(Rumex hymenosepalus } in the bulbs of which tannic acid exists. 
In a dried condition 35 per cent, of tannic acid is produced. As 
the wild plants were soon exhausted, plantations were com- 
menced in 1896, and the large bulbs were used for tanning and 
the smaller ones for cultivating new plantations. The tannic 
acid is much increased by the plentiful use of water. The plants 
grow to the length of about a metre, and the leaves make an 
edible vegetable. — Handels Museum. 
(It is interesting to note that the experimental cultivation of 
Rumex hymenosepalus was undertaken some years ago in New 
South Wales, but no further development appears to have 
resulted. ) 
A New Textile Fabric. — The Bolletino delle finanze reports 
that some capitalists in Lombardy propose to make large 
plantations of zanzeviera in Erythrea, and also to build a 
spinning and weaving factory in Asmara. According to recent 
experiments, the new fabric is very useful for the manufacture of 
coarse goods, such as wagon cloths, and it is not unlikely that 
the zanzeviera fabric will compete seriously with the Manila 
hemp. 
Brazil. — Consular Invoices. — The Austrian Consul in 
Curityka reports that some firms in Curityba were recently fined 
because the consular invoices gave no detailed description of the 
goods. It is to be particularly noticed that, in these Brazilian 
invoices, the weight of the goods, as well as the nature of them, 
must be very accurately specified. The fines are by no means 
small, and may even amount to three times the value of the 
goods. 
Chinese Coal. — According to the Straits Budget , a coalfield 
of vast magnitude, giving fuel of a very high quality, will 
shortly be in full operation within a few hours' steam from 
Shanghai. It lies in the province of Anhui, quite close to the 
capital, Ngankin, which is situated on the Yangtse, less than a 
day’s steaming from Shanghai. It is in the centre of an impor- 
tant carboniferous region, and foreigners have long known and 
often tried to get permission to tap the coal seams, which 
borings have shown to be extraordinarily rich and easily worked. 
The mines are to be worked by Japanese and Chinese capitalists. 
Compressed Wood Casks. — The German Consul in Naples 
reports that a company has been formed in Bari for the manu- 
facture of wooden casks by hydraulic pressure. The casks 
possess a cylindrical shape and are cheaper and more durable 
than the ordinary casks. On the other hand it is said that repairs 
will not be possible. The factory employs at present 80 work- 
men and produces 150 large casks daily. Up to the present, 
however, they are not much used in trade. — Handels Museum . 
Japan. — Export of Matches. — During the last three 
years a decrease in the export of matches from Japan has taken 
place. For instance, the export from Kob6 to China, Hong 
Kong and British India has fallen from six million yen in 1898 
to 5 ‘4 millions in 1900. The German Consul reports that this 
is caused by the bad quality of the Japanese matches, which 
is the cause of universal complaint. A fire on board of one of 
the Austrian mail steamers was attributed to a parcel of Japanese 
matches, which spontaneously ignited, and were without doubt 
the cause. 
Japan. — Ship-Building. — The extraordinary progress in 
Japan of ship-building, which is strongly supported by the 
Government, has been shown by a report of the Yokohama 
Chamber of Commerce of November last. The United States 
Government has given an order to the Uraga Dock Company 
in Yokohama to build six gunboats for service in the Philippines. 
A representative of the above-named company went to 
Washington on the 24th October last, to settle details and 
terms of contract. The cost of one of these torpedo-boats is 
estimated at 0M5 to o‘2o million yens. 
Trade between Russia and Japan. — The Odessa 
correspondent of the Times learns that an official of the Japanese 
Commercial Bureau has arrived in Russia with a commission 
from the Japanese Minister of Commerce, and will shortly visit 
Odessa for the purpose of supplementing the information already 
gathered by previous Japanese delegations in regard to the 
conditions and requirements of Russian markets and the 
possibility of establishing new markets in Russia for Japanese 
products. He will be accompanied on his visit to Odessa by a 
representative of the Russian Bureau of Commerce, One of 
the principal questions in view is that of establishing a direct 
service of steamers between Japanese and Black Sea ports. 
The negotiations are, it is stated, practically assured of success, 
in view of a promise given by the Japanese Minister of 
Commerce to accord material assistance to the new service, if 
established. The Russian authorities, on their side, are favour- 
able, as the project should stimulate the export of many of 
Russia’s products, such as sugar and kerosene. For the 
purpose of familiarizing Russian traders with the quality and 
variety of Japanese exports, commercial information bureaux 
are to" be established in Moscow, Odessa, Warsaw, and other 
leading centres of trade in Russia, with the assistance of Russian 
commercial agents, to whom will be delegated the task of 
acquainting Russian producers and exporters with Japanese 
requirements. 
United States. — Ministry of Commerce. — For some 
time past the opinion has been gaining ground regarding the 
necessity for establishing a Ministry of Commerce for the United 
States, as is the case in most European countries. A Bill has 
passed the Senate creating a Department of Commerce and 
Labour, which is to unite the Consular department, or that 
portion of it which has to do with trade and commerce, the 
Government Statistical Bureau, and the Labour Bureau, into 
the Ministry of Commerce. 

LABOUR MARKET. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
British Merchant Service. — A Board of Trade Committee 
has been appointed to enquire into and report upon (i) The 
causes that have led to the employment of a large and increasing 
proportion of Lascars and foreigners in the British merchant ser- 
vice, and the effect of such employment upon the reserve of sea- 
men of British nationality available for naval purposes in time of 
peace or war ; (2) The sufficiency or otherwise of the existing 
law and practice for securing proper food, accommodation, 
medical attention, and reasonable conditions of comfort and 
well-being for seamen on British merchant ships ; (3) The prev- 
alence of desertion and other offences against discipline in the 
mercantile marine, and to make such recommendations with 
respect to these matters as they may think fit. 
COLONIES. 
The usual monthly report, compiled by the Emigrants' 
Information Office, states that there is no demand for more 
labour in Canada during the winter season, but several indoor 
trades — notably that of the tailors — have been very busy. 
Although the strike of miners at Rossland, British Columbia, 
has not formally been declared off, work has been for the most 
part resumed, and the supply of labour is quite sufficient. 
Australia (New South. Wales).— There have been dis- 
putes and strikes in the glass bottle trade, among tailoresses in 
the clothing trade, and at the Hillgrove mines ; but they are 
now for the most part settled, a rise in wages having been con- 
ceded. Many persons at the Broken Hill silver mines complain 
of want of work : a reduction in the wages is contemplated, 
owing to the low price of lead. Reports state that at Mudgee 
there is a demand for farm and general labourers, female ser- 
vants, carpenters, joiners, wheelwrights and engine drivers ; 
that at Walgett “a few good steady men, able to turn their 
