Vol. VIII. No. 95. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[November, 1902.] 
301 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL AND 
INDUSTRIAL SUMMARIES. 
GENERAL COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Latin- American Chamber of Commerce, Mines, and 
Industries of London,— It is proposed to establish in London 
a Chamber of Commerce, Mines, and Industries, with the 
objects of (r) protecting and promoting British commercial and 
financial interests in the Republics of South and Central 
America and Mexico, (2) of making the markets and resources 
of those countries better known in England. The preliminary 
circular calls attention to the immensity of our interests, 
mentioning that it is estimated that more than ^600,000,000 of 
European capital, principally British, has already been invested 
in those countries in State loans, railways, and other enterprises, 
whilst the amounts involved in commercial and private businesses 
are enormous. They consume imports to the value of about 
;£8o,ooo,ooo per annum, and export produce to about the value 
of ,£105,000,000. All of them abound in vast natural resources 
capable of almost unlimited development. Their progress has 
hitherto been retarded by causes which are well known, but, as 
these pass away, the increase of their commerce will be great and 
rapid. The importance of not only holding our own, but of 
extending our relations as the countries advance, cannot be 
disregarded. It is indisputable that Great Britain has hitherto 
held a position of commercial and financial supremacy in those 
markets, but it is well known that our competitors, notably the 
Germans and North Americans, have been making systematic 
and strenuous efforts to extend their business with them to our 
disadvantage. That their endeavours have been attended with 
a large measure of success can be seen from numerous reports 
of the Consuls of our own and other countries. The British 
representatives have been constantly warning us that, unless some 
organised measures be taken for the protection of our interests, 
our position will be seriously imperilled. Sir Alfred Bateman, 
of the Board of Trade, says, in a Blue Book recently issued 
by that Department, “ We have lost ground proportionately in 
Argentina, Uruguay and Chili.” 
It is intended to organise this Chamber upon thoroughly 
practical lines such as experience has shown to be necessary. 
Besides the ordinary functions of a Chamber of Commerce, it 
will be, first of alt, a special information office, where all the 
official publications of the various republics and also the Consular 
reports from all countries and all documents bearing upon the 
trade may be consulted. Permanent exhibitions of products and 
goods consumed could be established. The Chamber should 
have special correspondents in every business centre of the 
Republics and States, who should supply it with reports upon 
all matters referring to trade, industries, mines, finance, 
opportunities for new business, contracts open. etc. It would 
publish a special bulletin to be sent to the members, as it is not 
always found convenient to call at a Central Office. 
Oil as Fuel. — The Navy Department has made public the 
report of Lieut. Ward Winchell, U.S.N. , the expert detailed 
by the department to investigate and report upon the effici- 
ency and installation of the oil-fuel system as fitted to the 
Oceanic Steamship Company's steamer Mariposa, The gross 
displacement of the Mariposa is 3,160 tons. The average 
horse- power developed was about 2,481. The average distance 
made each day by the ship was 354 knots, giving a mean speed 
of 13*53 knots an hour. There were consumed each day about 
278 barrels of oil, which gave an average consumption of 
3,720 pounds per hour. It practically required pounds of 
oil per hour to secure an horse-power, and while this result has 
been secured on shore in highly efficient engines, the consump- 
tion is practically 50 per cent, less in weight of the combustile 
than would be required of coal. The ship required 262 hours 
to make the voyage from San Francisco to Tahiti, while only 
260 hours was required to make the return trip. By the use of 
oil as a fuel the complement of the ship was reduced front 81 to 
55, thus decreasing the force in ,the engine room from 36 to 
20 men. The crude oil was atomized by means of an air com- 
pressor, which had a capacity of a thousand cubic feet of air 
per minute compressed to thirty pounds. The Mariposa has 
eighteen furnaces in her boilers, only twelve of which were used. 
Two burners were installed in each furnace, although all the 
burners were not in use, except at short intervals, when the 
engines were run at full power. Careful inspection did not 
show any effect of the flame on any part of the boilers. Upon 
reaching Tahiti, after the run, the tubes were swept by scrapers, 
and all the refuse collected barely filled two ash buckets, and 
some of this came from the coal which had been used on one of 
the preliminary trials. 
COLONIES. 
Australian Pearling Industry. — An interesting report 
on this industry has been compiled by Mr. Justice Dashwood, 
the Government Resident of the Northern Territory, Coloured 
labour has practically captured this industry, so that it presents 
a difficulty in the carrying out of the declared policy of the 
Commonwealth Government to secure a “white Australia. 11 
Mr. Dashwood states that, beyond a few owners and employers, 
there are now no white men actually engaged in pearling within 
the limits of his official observation. The value of the pearl- 
shell raised in the Torres Straits fisheries had fallen from 
£[126,042 in 1897 to ,£105,403 injxgor, although a greater number 
of men and boats had been employed. Divers are paid from 
£,■2.0 to £2$ per ton for the shell, with an additional wage 
varying up to £\2. 10s. per month. In Customs Duties the 
Commonwealth received directly from the industry nearly ,£4,000 
per annum. The great majority of the witnesses examined by 
Mr. Justice Dashwood declared that the industry could not be 
carried on by white crews, because the work was hard, the life 
monotonous and rough, and the climate trying. As to white 
divers, opinion differed. Under better conditions white men 
might be obtained, but after a careful consideration of the 
figures Mr. Dashwood is satisfied that the consequent increase 
in working expenses would prevent the industry being profitably 
carried on. As to the present profit on the capital invested, 
some witnesses put it as low as six per cent., others as high 
as from 25 to 50 per cent. At Port Darwin, Mr. Dash- 
wood's .headquarters, there was a practically unanimous con- 
sensus of opinion that the compulsory introduction of white 
men would mean the extinction of the industry. Japanese, 
Malays, Chinese, Javanese, and various other nationalities con- 
stitute the motive power of the industry. The prosperity of 
Thursday Island was at present entirely dependent on these 
fisheries. Mr. Dashwood incidentally reports a considerable 
revival in beche-de-mer fishing, the value of the trade, after a 
series of dull years, having risen from ,£1,255 in 1900 to £7 , 399 
last year. 
Canada.— Nickel Output. — In his report for 1901 
Thomas W. Gibson, Director of Mines for Canada, says : — 
“ The leading place in the list of mineral industries is accorded 
to nickel mining, which produced returns exceeding in value 
those of any other branch of the industry. The output in 1901 
was the largest ever recorded, and owing to the more extended 
manipulations to which the nickel-copper matte of the Sudbury 
district is now subjected previous to its exportation, the product 
has a much larger value than ever before. The production for 
the year amounted to 4,441 tons, valued in the matte at 
$1,859,870, an increase in quantity of 25 per cent., and in value 
of 145 per cent, as compared with 1900, when the yield was 
3,540 tons, valued at $756,626. Owing to the process of re- 
treatment of the low grade matte now adopted at the Ontario 
Smelting Works at Copper Cliff, the average price at which the 
nickel contents of matte were appraised in 1901 was 20 9 cents 
per pound, as compared with 107 cents per pound in 1900. 
This is a very appreciable advance in the direction of having as 
much as possible of the labour requisite to transform the raw 
material into the finished article of manufacture performed in 
this country.” Since 1897 the quantity of ore smelted has 
increased from 96,093 to 270,380 tons; the value of the nickel 
produced from $359,651 to $1,859,970; the value of the copper 
output from $200,067 to $589,080. Returns covering the first 
three months of the current year show that the advance is being 
maintained, as the nickel yield shows a gain of $355,493, and 
copper a gain of $121,545 over the first quarter of iqor. 
Fig Iron in Canada. — The American Iron and Steel 
Association reports that in the first six months of 1902 the pro- 
duction of all kinds of pig iron in the whole of the Dominion of 
Canada amounted to 157,804 gross tons, as compared with 
149,952 tons in the last half of 1901, and 95,024 tons in the first 
half of the year. The increase in the first half of 1902 over the 
last of 1901 was 7,852 tons, or over 5 per cent., while the increase 
over the first half of 1901 was 62.780 tons, or over 66 per cent. 
Of the total production in the first half of 1902, 12,000 tons were 
Bessemer and low phosphorous, and 57,209 tons were basic pig 
iron. The coke furnaces made 147,892 tons, and the charcoal 
furnaces 9,912 tons. Neither spiegeleisen nor ferromanganese 
has been made in Canada for several years. The unsold iron 
held by Canadian pig iron manufacturers on June 30th, 1902, 
none of which was intended for their own consumption, amounted 
to 37,721 gross tons, as compared with 59,472 tons on December 
31st, 1901, and 28,711 tons on June 30th, 1901. Of the unsold 
iron on hand on June 30th, 1902, less than 2,000 tons were made 
with charcoal, the remainder being coke iron. On June 30th, 
1902, Canada had fourteen completed blast furnaces, of which 
eight were in blast and six were idle. Of this total nine were 
equipped to use coke for fuel, four to use charcoal and one to 
use mixed charcoal and coke. 
Ceylon. — Industrial Development. — A question which 
will have shortly to be dealt with, says a writer in The Times, is 
the development of extensive regions to be opened by the new 
Northern Railway from Kurncgalle to Jafna, and lying beyond 
the influence of the restored tanks, and of land capable of being 
utilized for rice cultivation. An experienced English farmer, 
who has twice visited this country, has been giving his opinion of 
late that it can well be adapted to stock-raising — that cattle seem 
to be in better condition around Anuradhapura, even at the end 
of the dry season, than they are in the comparatively wet 
western province. In fact most of the country is the same in 
soil and climate— whenever cleared of scrub and jungle under- 
growth — as parts of Southern India, whence Ceylon now imports 
every year live stock to a value in our local market (not the 
nominal value at the Customs, there being no import duty) of 
,£130,000. The following figures for three periods are from 
Ferguson's Ceylon Directory, and show the imports into Ceylon 
of live stock : — 
1895. 
1900. 
1901. 
Horses, No. 
627 
534 
453 
,, Nominal value 
R. 179,290 
169,190 
154.850 
Cattle, No. 
18,381 
26,530 
29,093 
,, Nominal value 
Sheep and Goats, No. 
R. 410, 550 
613,230 
650,940 
68,940 
96.330 
III .733 
,, Nominal value 
r - 332 . 5 ?o 
544.520 
683,260 
Horses are included because an experiment under the auspices 
of Mr. R. W. levers, C. M.G., an experienced Civil servant, 
assisted by the Government veterinary surgeon, Mr. Sturgess, 
shows that good-sized and useful ponies or small horses can be 
successfully bred a little further north on the island of Delft. If 
the Ceylon Government were prepared to lease blocks of from 
5,000 to 10,000 acres for stock-raising purposes, it is possible 
that squatting capitalists from Australia and elsewhere might be 
attracted. 
Jamaica.— Export Trade. — It will be seen from the 
following approximate statement, published by the Mercantile 
Intelligencer , what vast strides have been made in certain 
Jamaican exports this season : — - 
Approximate Statement supplied by the 
Merchants’ Exchange. 
Articles. 
From 1st April, 
1902, to 
20th September, 
1902. 
From 1st April, 
1901, to 
31st August, 
>901. 
Coffee 
. cwt. 
32,126 
10,717 
Cocoanuts 
. No. 
11,721,176 
5,879.845 
Cocoa 
. cwt. 
7.537 
9.434 
Dyewoods. 
, tons 
19,680 
16,968 
Bananas . 
. bchs. 
8,239,239 
5,285,636 
Oranges . 
. No. 
12,297,303 
3.643,990 
Ginger 
. cwt. 
18,253 
14.339 
Pimento . 
• t ♦ 
47,001 
21,927 
Rum. 
galls. 
1 . 395.423 
1 . 150, 35 ° 
Sugar 
, tons 
11,270 
10,593 
Cotton Cultivation. — Amongst the increasing number 
of places where the movement for the extension of cotton culti- 
vation within the British Empire is receiving attention, it is 
interesting to find the West Indies included. At the end of 
the eighteenth century the West Indies were the chief source of 
England's cotton supply. Tobago, at that time, grew cotton of 
the finest quality. Ten years ago cotton of the Sea Island 
variety was planted in Turks island, and the result was a 
shorter cotton, but of excellent quality. Egyptian cotton has 
been tried in Jamaica, but the colour was not satisfactory. It is 
stated that the old variety of cotton, which is still found growing 
in some places in Jamaica, produces a quality of marketable 
value, but to gain a footing in the markets it would be necessary, 
should the industry be attempted, to produce a cotton of 
distinctly superior quality. There seems no reason why 
Jamaica should not grow good cotton, and it has been 
suggested that the Jamaica Government should take the matter 
up and induce some enterprising planter to grow an experi- 
mental crop. 
Malay States. — Coffee Export. — The fifth annual 
report of the United Planters’ Association, Federated Malay 
States, contains an interesting statement regarding some 
attempts which were made to develop the export of coffee to 
Europe. With the idea of eventually placing regular monthly 
consignments of 100 piculs upon the London market to attract 
attention to the coffee, several members combined and sent a 
trial shipment of 80 piculs. This was bulked in the Port 
Dickson Company's mills, and sold through Messrs. Frame 
Alston and Arbuthnot. The price realised was 32s. per cwt. 
which worked out to $17.78 per picul The result was not 
sufficiently encouraging to provide any inducement for perse- 
vering wfith the Experiment, and no further shipment of any 
size was made, There may be markets where old coffee is 
eagerly competed for, but Singapore is certainly not in touch 
with any of them. Reports from London brokers favour ship- 
ments of coffee dried in the cherry before peeling, and report 
such coffee to be sweet and suitable for home consumption, but 
it is suggested that a market for this description must be 
gradually built up, and no shipments of any size are known to 
have been made. The export returns for Perak, Selangor, and 
Negri Sembilan show an increase in 1901 of 6,476 piculs ; this 
must be considered a satisfactory result in view of the fact that 
prices averaged $18.29 P er picul, as against $20.80 in 1900. A 
good deal of coffee has, nevertheless, been planted in 1901, 
mostly in conjunction with Para rubber, and cultivation has 
been well maintained, whilst quality has improved, and com- 
plaints on this score have been much less frequent 
South African Trade.— At a meeting of the South Africa 
Trade Committee, held at Palace-chambers, Westminster, the 
reports of two of the Commissioners sent to South Africa to 
enquire into and report upon the openings for trade there were 
submitted. Mr. J. Lockie presided. Mr. B. H. Morgan, the 
Engineering Trades Commissioner, dealt at length with the 
conditions of trade in South Africa. He forecasted the trend 
of the reports in stating that there were enormous opportunities 
for trade in engineering lines, and particularly in machinery 
utilized in dock and harbour construction, railway extension, 
mining, and agricultural work. The harbour work includes 
contemplated improvements and work in progress at Saldanha 
Bay, Cape Town, Simon's Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, 
and Durban, for which an enormous amount of machinery has 
still to be purchased. New railway lines and extensions are in 
contemplation and being proceeded with in Cape Colony, 
Orange River Colony, Transvaal, and Natal, and he explained 
and laid before the meeting special drawings showing such im- 
provements and extensions, and the class of machinery that 
would be required in such case. In regard to the mining in- 
dustry of the Rand, he was of the opinion that as soon as the 
political atmosphere cleared, enormous development would take 
place, and a large quantity of mining and electrical machinery 
of all kinds would be required. Agriculture is already making 
headway in every direction, and the demand for machinery and 
implements was very large, and would increase as the country 
settled down. Similarly bright prospects were held out to manu- 
facturers of steam engines and general tramway and lighting 
equipment for towns, and he dealt in detail with the prospects 
of trade in iron and steel constructional work. He found that 
German and American competition was everywhere very keen, 
and although prospects of trade were so good, business could 
only be obtained by enterprise and “pushfulness,'' and a 
thorough appreciation of the requirements of the market. He 
was surprised at the antiquated methods of business which 
British manufacturers adopted in dealing with this market, and 
he hoped that the exposure of such methods in his report would 
open the eyes of British manufacturers and traders, and help 
to bring about a better condition of things. 
INDIA. 
Trans-Frontier Trade of Burma. — According to the 
official report the total value of the trans-frontier trade of the 
province last year was 357 lakhs, or nearly 2^ millions sterling. 
A quarter of this total was absorbed by Western China, a 
quarter by the Northern Shan States, and a quarter by the 
Southern Shan States. Comparing the two triennial periods, 
there was an increase of nearly 20 per cent, in the latter of the 
two, the exports from Burma to the adjacent countries having 
grown more rapidly than the imports. Of the exports, about a 
fourth consists of silver, more than a fourth of British and 
Indian cotton yarns and piece-goods, and a fourth of salt fish, 
silk goods, raw cotton, and railway materials — the latter being 
doubtless for the construction of the Mandalay- Kunlon line. 
Timber and treasure absorb half the import trade, and cattle 
and tea a quarter. The growth of the trade with Western 
China during the last three years is the most conspicuous feature 
of the statistics. Imports more than doubled and exports in- 
creased by more than half. Compared with the previous 
triennial period, imports from Western China of raw silk in- 
creased by over seven lakhs. In exports the chief increases 
were : — In cotton yarn and twist 12^, silver 7I, European 
cotton piece-goods nearly 8, dry fish over 3§, and woollen 
piece-goods about 3! lakhs of rupees. The report adds that 
these figures show that the trade with Western China is capable 
of development, and various improvements in transport condi- 
tions, etc. , all tend to an increase of this trade with China. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Natural Gas in America. — It is universally recognised 
that much of the great growth in manufactures in the United 
States during the past 20 years has been due to the use of 
natural gas. A recent report by the United States Geologica 
Survey furnishes figures showing the extent to which it is in use. 
The value of natural gas consumed in the United States in the 
year 1901 was $27,067,500. The general rate at which this is 
sold is 15c. per 1,000 cubic feet. It is, therefore, estimated that 
the consumption during the year in question was equivalent to 
180,450,000,000 cubic feet. If the 20,000 cubic feet of natural 
gas which is taken as the equivalent of a ton is assumed to be 
correct, this amount of gas displaces or adds to the production 
of heat units as much as would come from 8,458,600 tons ot 
coal. The value of this product for 1901 exceeded that of 1900 
by $3,368,826, and that of 1899 by $6,992,627. It is estimated 
that, considering the displacement of coal and wood effected by 
natural gas, this product, as a whole, represents nearly half of 
the entire value of the various petroleum products of the 
country. Not only has the consumption increased, but the 
number of wells was also slightly greater at the end of 1901 
than in the preceding j^ear. During the year 800 miles of pipe 
were laid down, bringing the total length of main for use in 
the transport of this product up to 21,848 miles. It would 
naturally be expected that a consolidation of companies would 
go on with this industry, as in others, but, in spite of this, there 
were a large number of new companies, which necessitated the 
addition of many millions of new capital. As showing its 
employment in industry, the report says that natural gas is in 
use in 5,742 establishments, 102 of which work in iron and steel 
and 219 in glass. In addition, it is estimated that fully one 
million domestic fires are supplied by natural gas, and that four 
million people are furnished in this way with both fuel and 
light. 
_ 4. 
Wireless Telegraphy.— It has now been proved that it is 
practically possible to cross the Atlantic, and to remain in 
communication with the land all tire way across via various 
ships, which can act as retransmitting stations. If all the vessels 
plying between America and Europe were similarly fitted with 
wireless telegraphic apparatus, it would be possible for a business 
man to remain au courani with home or the commercial world 
during the whol passage. 
