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Leader (1850-1860), 11th September 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 26, nA£> THE LEADER. [Ko. 442, September 11,...

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      Trade Between England And China. There I...

      ¦ ¦ £ ' . - ' - ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦ £ 1834 842 , 852 1839 ... 851 , 969 1835 '" 1074708 1840 ... 524 , 198 { III : ; : 1 , 326388 mi ... 862 , 570 1837 ... 678 , 375 1842 ... 969 , 381 1838 ... 1 , 204 , 356 Thus the effect of the Legislature putting an end to the monopoly of the East India Company was to excite the hopes of a wonderful trade with China , and to cause in two years an increase of exports to the amount of nearly 500 , 000 ^ . This was ,

      however , a speculative increase , and not being founded on the wants of the Chinese , did not continue . In 1837 the exports sank below the value of the exports in 1834 , and on the average of the three years , 1840-42 , they were below the value of the exports when the Company ' monopoly was abolished . Judging from the following account of the American trade , taken from De Bow , it appears to have declined in the same interval . AMERICAN TRADE WHS CHEJA . Total value of Imports and Exports . Dollars . 1836 ... 8 , 519 , 080 1842 ... ... ... 6 , 379 , 042 That anything happened in the domestic condition of China to cause an abatement of the demand for the goods of the Western world after the abolition of the monopoly , we do not believe . We never heard of a commercial convulsion at that time in China stopping trade , such as we have , had in Europe and America . The rebellion had not then broken out , and though it has been assigned as the

      cause of a subsequent decline in our trade , it cannot ever have oeen very influential . A more powerful cause for the interruption may be traeed in our own proceedings . The same act of Parliament which in 1834 put an end to the monopoly of the East India Company , placed the regjalation of our trade with China under the protection and direction of a superintendent . To fulfil these novpl and extraordinaryfunctionsi Tjord itapier was appointed , and he had . scarcely reached the waters of Canton before the representatives of the Cabinets of St . James and Pekin began to

      quarrel . Without pretending to adjust the balance of right or wrong between the contending authorities , we state the fact ; and from the arrival of Lord Napier at Canton till the capture of the forts of Canton b y us in 1841 there was an almost incessant quarrel between the English and the Chinese authorities . This impeded communication and checked trade . A treaty was then exacted by us . Hong-Kong wa 3 ceded to England , and the trade suddenly revived and expanded , as in 1834 , The declared , value of our exports was as follows , but henceforth they include Hong-Kong as well as Canton and the four ports opened by diplomacy to trade : — £ £ ¦ 1843 ... 1 , 456 , 180 1852 ... 2 , 503 , 599 1844 ... 2 , 305 , 617 1853 ... 1 , 759 , 597 1845 ... 2 , 394 , 827 1854 ... 1 , 000 , 716 1846 ... 1 , 791 , 439 1855 ,.. 1 , 277 , 944 1847 .,. 1 , 503 , 969 1856 ... 2 , 216 , 128 1848 ... 1 , 445 , 960 1867 ... 1 , 459 , 667 1849 ... 1 , 537 , 109 First half of 1850 ... 1 , 574 , 195 1868 .,. 1 , 499 , 314 1851 ... 2 , 161 , 268 These results are similar to those in the former period . The interference of the Government by force of arena and the treaty excited in 1844 , as did the abrogation of the mdhopoly in 1834 , great hopes of an extensive trade , and goods unsuitable to the markets were at once forwarded in largo quantities to China . In all other cases the merchants and manufacturers stxldy the wants of their customers , and only expeot to oxtend their trade with Persia or Hindostan by manufacturing the shawb and the tunics that are in demand amongst these people . In the case of China it seems to have been thought that an immense empire opened , as was boasted , to our traffio by our arms and a commercial treaty , was capable of absorbing , and was sure to absorb , ""^^ toterer ^ amount-oi ^ comm kind , our hasty speculators qhose to send thither . Slowly , however , the same influences prevented a continued increase of exports , as after 1834 , and they fell in 1848 to little more than half a million in excess of 1842 . Again quarrels ensuod between our authorities and those ofCanton , and a new convention , was agreed to in 1847 . The trade then . wont ahead , to reach 2 , 600 , 000 * . in 1852 , Aftorwards it feJU , off , till , in 1854 , it did not much oxoeed , its amount in 1834 . Subsequently it took a now etwfyto feel , w 1857 , the effects pf tho now quarrel ,

      though it promises now , even before this is settled , to exceed in the present year the highest amount it has ever attained since 1834 . In the interval , while the exports to . China have not made a continuous progress , and were actually less last year than thirteen years before , the general trade of our country , measured by its exports , has increased threefold . How is the slow and fitful progress of our trade with this vast empire to be accounted for ? It is not the consequence , we believe , of the disturbed state of China , for the industry of the people seems to have been uninterrupted , and pur imports from China have continually enlarged . The value of these was , in Value of Imports .

      1848 ; .. £ 3 , 105 , 099 1851 .... ,. ¦ 5 , 371 , 675 1856 ( the latest accounts ) ... 9 , 421 , 648 The people who have so much to sell must be able to buy . They go on wearing clothes and using and consuming articles we can supply . Notoriously they have emigrated to all parts of the earth , and have acquired a knowledge of European customs , and have adopted some liuropean habits . They are imitative , and readily adopt arts and customs superior to their own . They are a material people , the very incarnation , it is said , of common sense , and extremely anxious to traffic . That our trade has not rapidly and continuously increased is not their fault .

      They haver been willing to buy but our people have not made and sent them what they wanted . They like our cotton twist , and the export has increased from 2 , 640 , 090 lbs ., in 1 S 45 , to 5 , 775 , 620 lbs ., in 1856 . But they do not want knives and forks / which , according ' to Mr . Wingrove Cook , the Sheffield cutlers have sent them , nor pianofortes , which some London speculators shipped for their use . They prefer the produce of the looms of Lowell to the produce of those of Manchester . Into Shanghai , as an example , there were imported , between 1 S 48 and 1851 , — In English vessels . In American vessels . Domestics—pieces . 26 , 228 127 , 960 Drills—ditto 47 , 012 ...... 550 , 346

      This is an official account ; in 1856 , according to Mr . Cook , the proportion was still more favourable to the Americans—221 , 716 pieces of drill imported by them into Shanghai , against 8745 pieces imported by us . The Chinese prefer , too , the common Russian woollen-cloth to our inferior , and we are afraid sometimes falsified woollencloth , and they use some of the silver we send them to buy the commodities of our rivals and competitors . Our trade has not succeeded in China , therefore , because our people have not adapted their wares to the Chinese market . They seem , unfortunately , to have supposed that

      the Chinese were as backward as their Tartar rulers , and because these were ignorant of the art of war tha , t the people had neglected the arts of peace . For ages the Chinese have been a shrewd manufacturing people , distinguished for their skill , and excellent judges of the commodities they make and use . On them woollen cloths and cotton goods cannot be forced , as the unwarlike mandarins were compelled to conclude treaties . Mistaking tho Government for the people , our merchants thought tljo latter could be as easily used for their purposes as the former was conquered ; they have found thcmselvos mistaken : the Amerioans have profited by the treaties

      wo havo concluded , and our people aro disappointed and . angry . This is qnc , source of tho mutual ill-will which , sinco 1834 , scorns to have continually increased betwixt our people and the Chinese . Our merchants have relied on treaties when thoy should havo relied on wcll-mado oalicoes and cloths , and though every treaty lias disappointed them , they still persist in demanding and in relying on treaties . JEven thoso who lmvo ox plained tho causes of the formor failures oxpecfc from Elgin what Pottiuger failed to oiFecfc . In truth , tho sending a superintendent to China—a political agent , tlio representative of the royal- power not of trade—the

      endeavours of that agent and of tho Government 4 o ^ roeure ^ re & uniodwadvttrttagcsj ; a . iuto ( iQ , ai 4 (; l ^ a » coerce tho Chinese Into more open and official communication , have impeded the progress thoy wore meant to , promote . They have made our people nogleot the true commercial moans of success , and havo excited continual hostility whore trade , unintorfore'd with , would havo onsurod oon . t 4 n . ual and increasing friendship . Tho history of our trade with China since 1834 la a striking illustration of tho groat and well-rooognisod truth that Government never interferes in . favour of trade without damaging it .

      Na£> The Leader. [Ko. 442, September 11,...

      nA £ > THE LEADER . [ Ko . 442 , September 11 , 1858 . U 4 iO ¦ ¦ - ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ : . - ¦ ¦¦ : . ¦ ¦ ¦ ' " - - — - ¦¦¦¦ ' ¦ . _ ' ¦ ¦ -

      - . _ ' - General Trade Report. London, ...

      GENERAL TRADE REPORT . London , Friday Evening . We have again the satisfaction of reporting a continuous improvement in the general trade of the country ., All the various classes of industry in the cotton , -woollen , and silk districts are fully occupied * yet they do not overtake the demand , and there is no accumulation oi stocks . It -will be noticed , further , that prices generally are rising—in some cases , as in flax , from a scarcity oi the raw material , but much more in consequence of tie character of the demand for goods . In cottons higher terms have been established in the Liverpool market ,

      but they are less in proportion to the higher prices required by manufacturers and spinners . This fact is a further confirmation of the statement made in our last , that the profits of the cotton trade are returning to something like their old scale . There is still some depression in iron and hardware , but it is gradually disappearing , and we anticipate more cheering reports in future . Under present circumstances things are looking very satisfactory , and there are certainly no visible signs of reaction . Money is cheap and abundant , the people are well employed , foreign orders are enlarging , and stocks of all kinds of manufacture are generally exhausted , The year , therefore , is likely to close prosperously .

      At Manchester the increasing activity of business has been obvious all . the week , both from the extent of transactions and the steady hardening of prices , which in many cases amounted to a decided and substantial advance upon the prices of last week . In yarns for export a fair amount was done , both on Tuesday , and again yesterday , and almost without exception oh better terms for spinners . The improvement is Most marked in mule yarns for India , particularly 40 ' s , which have been sold in large quantities , at an advance of fully sd . per lb- over the rates of last week . For Russia 40 ' s to 50 ' s mule have been largely bought at very full prices ; and for China a good business has been done in 2 O ' s to 30 ' s water twist at 4 d . advance . Purchases for Germany have been checked by the advancing prices , and the

      buyers are acting with extreme caution , but they are obliged to accede to the spinners ' terms . Two-fold : yarns are fully as good to sell , but the improvement is most marked in the finest counts . Home-trade yarns are dearer all round , with a healthy and active demand . Blackburn yarns , 32 's , are id . per lb . dearer ; and the finer counts , influenced by a demand from Bradford , have advanced in proportion . The spinners of 6 ' 0 " * and upwards complain , however , of difficulty in obtaining remunerative prices . The cloth market is also very firm , and manufacturers are striving further to advance prices . In shirtings , jaconets , madapollaihs , and nearly all other descriptions , considerable business has been done for India and China . The Greeks arc operating freely in T cloths and L cloths at hardening rates , m ith the turn of the market in favour of sellers . '

      At Blackburn on Wednesday , the yarn-market of which is second in . importance only to Manchester , there was a brisk demand , which was not affected by the . idvancing tendency of the raw material at Liverpool . - Air . Alderman liaynosof that town has just collected tlu-following statistics of tho extent and importance of the cotton trade in the district , which may bo interesting ' , as furnishing data , for calculating the productive powers of any particular locality : —

      " Mr . Buynes gives certain data for calculating the power , number . of persons employed , wages earned , Sic , such / is , that each real or mechanical horse-powur will drive 450 self-acting mule spindles with preparation , or 200 throstle spindles , or 15 looms for 40-inoliPn t'Mli , with winding , warping , and sizing . Each horse-power , in spinning , will give employment to 24 operatives , Imt in weaving , to ten persons , at wages averaging full 10 s . Gd . per wuok each person—mon , women , and children , including short-timera . -

      " Thcro wore , on tho lat instant , in actual operation in tho town of Blackburn , 050 , 000 self-acting mule spindles , and 05 , 000 throstle spindles , total I , . *! . " .. ' . '"!) spindles , and 25 , 800 power-looms , omploying iiliwiit 2 tf ,. ' 3 OO factory operatives ; ami tho wage * etirmi ! l > y them amounted to 12 , 500 / . per week . Tho U > uil i ' "' power employed Is -1150 horsos . Thoro nro , i" ; U ' " ditlon , mills mid sIjoUb ompty , or only partially vii »" ployed , capable of containing 75 , 000 mulo Hjuihllca , and l « 00 looms , a portion of which will shortly K llt work .

      " Tho fixed capital in mills and machinery Mr . Uaynos ostimatos at 1 , 500 , 000 / . sterling , and tho floating * -u |« lti \ l T ^& W 70 W 7 . 7 TOiTO ^ koop to enable spinners and manufacturers to liuUI Uct \\ y stocks of cotton , yarns , and cloth , wUea it may l > o c onsidered Advisable to do bo . ^ ¦ Tho average counts of yarn spun and wovi'ii '" ' ° from . ttO ' ato 02 ' s twist , und M'a toUO ' swoft yam * 1 « ll " » taking the spinning production at lDos . per spimlw I '" week , will givo 824 , 7001 b . yarn spun por week , requiring 070 , 0001 b . or 2000 bales of cotton , at « e «» l 0 I 28 , Q 0 QJ , por weok . ' Tho yarn woven may bo l"l «' f 1 , 200 , 0001 b . porwoek , thus requiring » 7 G , 0001 b . oi' l' ° "s " c yarns from otuor quarters , at a , cost of 10 , 000 / . por

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 11, 1858, page 26, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_11091858/page/26/