YARNS AND TEXTILES. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Exports of Cotton Goods : The tables published on pp. 80-81 of the "Board of Trade Journal" of the 12th April, and on pp. 518-19 of the issue for the 15th March should have been stated as giving the exports of cotton goods (domestic manufacture) from the United States, for the eight months ended 28th February, and for the seven months ended 31st January, respectively. The following particulars respecting the textile trade of Bolivia are taken from the "Nachrichten für Handel " (Berlin): Textile Trade. Cotton goods form one of the most important items in Bolivian import trade, "tocuyos " or grey domestics being prominent amongst them. Peru, the United Kingdom and the United States are strong competitors, an American firm, who have a branch in London and a buyer in Germany, sending for the most part "tocuyos," white drill, flannels, prints, and white cloths. Included also are sundry kinds of grey domestics, grey, white, and blue drill, and white shirting. The "tocuyos" serve not merely as underclothing for many Indians and for the larger portion of the population, but also in the warmer districts as the entire clothing of the Indian. The better classes wear white cloth or shirting instead of "tocuyos." The Indians inhabiting the high plateau in the west of Bolivia wear all wool, mostly native lama wool, whilst the "Cholos" (half-breeds) wear European cotton hosiery and woollen cashmeres, either imported or native, as well as "tocuyos." The "Cholos" are also the principal consumers of calicoes, and prefer glaring, parti-coloured stuffs. Germany, England and France rule the market for women's dress materials, but imports from the last-named country are declining, in spite of the Bolivians' fondness for Paris modes. Cotton flannels were formerly an important import from Germany, but the United Kingdom have now ousted them by imitating the German patterns at a cheaper price. Germany, however, does not intend to let any opportunity slip for recovering her former position. Italy is now competing in this class of goods, as also she is in cotton hosiery. Trade in the latter is not so important in Bolivia as in other parts of Yarns and Textiles. South America, as the Indians prefer either the warm woollen stuffs or the "tocuyos." As regards the trade in shawls and wrappers, Berlin leads in the better qualities. In table-cloths Italy is beginning to compete in cheap cotton qualities-to the detriment of the linen article. H.M. Consul at CHINA. Ichang (Mr. H. H. Fox) has forwarded two samples of a cotton cloth which is now being manufactured in Ichang, and furnishes the following particulars respecting the same:"The factory, established some months ago, by some of the local gentry, has 50 wooden hand looms (of Japanese make), 30 of which are in constant use. A Japanese has recently been engaged as manager, and machinery for working two new looms by steam power is now being set up. This cloth, woven from native yarn (steam factory product) is made in two patterns, one usually dyed black after leaving the factory: width, 15 and 14 inches; lengths vary; plain white sold locally at 1d. per yard, black at 2d. per yard. "The new cloth is in great demand locally as a clothing material, being of better quality than the native cloth woven in the Shasi district. I enclose a sample of this cloth for purposes of comparison. The quantity sent up river is at present inconsiderable, but as the output increases, I have no doubt an attempt will be made to compete with the Shasi cloth in the markets of Ssuchuan. "I think this modest enterprise is interesting and worthy of the attention of British manufacturers as being an instance of what is doubtless going on all over China at the present time, viz., the introduction of Japanese machinery and skilled methods in the manufacture of cotton piece goods." The samples referred to may be inspected at the offices of the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall Street, London, E.C. Cotton-Spinning JAPAN. According to a report by the Canadian Commercial Agent in Yokohama (Mr. A. MacLean), the cottonspinning industry now occupies the foremost rank in all branches of manufacture in Japan. The late war has in no way affected its development, and its future is most hopeful. According to the latest returns there are 49 spinning mills in existence throughout the country, and the number of spindles in operation aggregate 1,330,234. The factory hands employed number 71,445, and their average wage is 27.09 sen, or about 7d. per day. AGRICULTURE. UNITED KINGDOM. The prices of British corn per quarter of 8 bushels, as received from the inspectors and officers of Excise in the week ended the 14th April, 1906, were as follows: Corn Prices. Exports of Potassium Salts (Artificial Manure). GERMANY, In a report recently issued by the Foreign Office (Annual Series, 3,544), H.M. Consul-General at Berlin (Dr. P. Schwabach) gives the following particulars of the exportation of potassium salts (kainite, sylvinite, &c.), from Germany. Mr. Schwabach says that the value of these fertilising salts, of which Germany is the most important producing country, seems to be recognised more generally everywhere, especially in the countries mentioned below: 46 OTTOMAN EMPIRE. The Levant Herald" reports that with the view of improving the Cotton Cultivation. quality of cotton grown in the country the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture has decided to distribute American and Egyptian seed to cultivators. The Ministry is about to buy 1,000 kilos. of seed, which it is proposed to send to the provinces of Adana, Aidin, and Salonika. Cotton Crop. MEXICO. According to the "Mexican Herald" the cotton production of the Laguna section of the Republic, where the bulk of Mexican cotton is raised, will reach about 70,000 bales this year. The constantly growing demands of the Mexican mills require the importation of ever increasing amounts from the United States each year, and it is believed that during 1906 there will be imported into the country something like 80,000 bales. Agriculture. GUATEMALA. H.M. Chargé d'Affaires at Guatemala (Mr. H. A. R. Hervey) has forwarded a sample of cotton grown in the Sample of WeevilRetalhuleu district of Western Guatemala, said to resisting Cotton. be possessed of special weevil-resisting characteristics. This cotton, which is called "Pachon," is a short season cotton, productive, and ripening very early, with a fibre of good length and texture; the rapid ripening is a feature which tends to leave the weevil without opportunity to breed during a large portion of the year. Experiments have already been made at Lanham (Maryland), and further experiments are to be made, Mr. O. F. Cook, Bionomist in charge of investigations in the agricultural economy of tropical and sub-tropical plants, having recently cabled for an additional supply of seed. The sample referred to may be seen at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall Street, E.C. Progress of ARGENTINA. The "Bulletin" of the French Chamber of Commerce at Buenos Ayres states that an official report has recently been issued on mulberry cultivation in Argentina. From this it appears there are now about 300,000 mulberry plants in the province of Tucuman, 200,000 in Santa Fé, 350,000 in Cordoba, and more than 50,000 in Salta Jujuy and Santiago del Estero. The climate of Tucuman appears to be the best adapted for mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing. BRAZIL. The following particulars of the exports of Seringa rubber from the Ports of Manáos and Pará during the years 1904 and 1905 are taken from the "Brazilian Review" of the 13th March: Rubber Exports from Manáos and Pará. NOTE.-The above figures are inclusive of rubber shipped from Itacoatiara, but exclusive of rubber from neighbouring countries shipped from the ports of Amazonas and Pará. MISCELLANEOUS. UNITED KINGDOM. A report published in the "Board of Trade Labour Gazette "* of the 16th April, based on 8,076 returns, viz., State of the 3,917 from employers and their associations, Labour Market in 3,705 from trade unions, 406 from local corresMarch, 1906. pondents, and 48 from other sources, states that during March employment continued to show some improvement in most industries. It was good in the mining, metal, engineering, shipbuilding and textile trades. There was a general seasonal improvement in the building trades, and the woodworking and furnishing trades also showed an advance. In the tinplate trade there was some decline. Rates of wages again increased, on the whole, especially in the metal group of trades. As compared with a year ago, there was a considerable improvement in coal mining, the metal, engineering and shipbuilding trades (excluding tinplate), the textile trades, and the boot and shoe industry. The building trades showed little change. In the 271 Trade Unions, with an aggregate membership of 585,376 making returns, 22,465 (or 3.8 per cent.) were reported as unemployed at the end of March, 1906, as compared with 4-4 per cent. at the end of February, 1906, and 5.6 per cent. at the end of March, 1905. Cotton Statistics. The number of bales of cotton imported into the United Kingdom during the week ended the 12th April, 1906, was 96,613 (including 344 bales British West Indian), and the number imported during the fifteen weeks ended the 12th April was 1,530,140 (including 2,212 bales British West Indian and 971 bales British West African). As regards exports, the figures are, for the week ended the 12th April, 1906, 6,944 bales, and for the fifteen weeks, 129,181. For further details see p. 135. A statement showing the number of receiving orders and administration orders under Sec. 125 (Deceased Debtors' Estates) of the Act of 1883 gazetted Bankruptcy Statistics. in England and Wales during the month and three months ending 31st March 1906, will be found on pp. 136-7. * For list of principal contents see p. 138. |