‘STANDS SCOTLAND ..

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 88, 8 January 1935, Page 3

‘STANDS SCOTLAND ..

11 ■■■■ ♦ Keen Bid For Empire Trade ENTERPRISE AND CHARM Scotland, in common with other progressive countries (excluding New Zealand), is making a keen bid for a greater share of Empire trade. The effort takes the form of attractive advertising, backed by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, who have combined to produce a handsome journal. The aim of the informative journal is to promote an increasing two-way movement of trade between Scotland and the Empire. Tj further it the Scottish Chambers of Commerce offer their service to Empire producers and buyers, and give a cordial invitation to readers of the journal to visit Scotland, where, if they call at the offices of the chambers, they will be warmly welcomed —ye’ll ken fine hoo bonnie the welcome wull be with maybe something warm, forby. The journal is beautifully illustrated and also fitted with enticing information, to say nothing about the remarkable display of advertisements, thick as heather on the wine-red moors. The letterpress includes special messages from British administrators, and from the High Commissioners of the Dominions. Sir James Parr says a good word for Scotland, but incidentally shrewdly adds rather more for New Zealand. All the other contributors are representative Scottish scholars and business men. There are no economists, and there are few statistics—just enough here and there to show that Scotland is holding its ain in difficult times and means to get more. Growth of Exports. Even Scots who read the journal with pride will agree that the contributors have answered the national prayer: “Lord, gie us a guid conceit o’ oorsels.” There is reason for a wee bit of boasting. The growth of the Scottish export trade has been wonderful since Sir Walter Scott, not much more than a century ago, said that Scottish exports consisted of men and cattle. Though “there is more length than volume in the earlier portion of ths tale,” the body has filled out with time. In 1614 the total value of Scottish exports was about £54.818, whisky contributing only £lB. The value of exported whisky to-day is discreetly overlooked, but its cost per glass, m '■he far countries, suggests a prodigious sum. A New Auld Reekie. Even Edinburgh is now recommended as an industrial centre covering an area of 50 square miles, and possessing 11 miles of seafront It still claims pride of place as a city of beauty, history and romance, to say nothing of cultural distinction, but it appears to be willing to have “Auld Reekie” written in the smoke of hundreds of new factories. The Edinburgh breweries produce about three-quarters of Scot? land’s beer, and the output of its whisky distilleries is “very large and important," but regret is expressed that such industries cannot be described as large employers of labour. Glaswegians still are living up to their motto, “Let Glasgow flourish!” There, trade is reviving steadily. The city promises to return before long to its old prosperity. The secret of the city’s success is conveyed in the familiar saying: “Glasgow made the Clyde and the Clyde made Glasgow.” In 1812 the Clyde’s first steamboat. Comet, drawing only four feet, ran aground at Renfrew, five miles from the city. Little more than 100 years later the Aquitania was launched within a mile of the scene of the Comet’s mishap. This year Queen Mary launched the world’s largest liner, Queen Mary. The Clyde is now the shipbuilding centre of the world. “Hear the pibrochs sounding, sounding . . Every year the number of visitors to Scotland increases. It is “a grand country, yon, for intelligent tourists.”' Tartans and Tweeds. Sheepmen in New Zealand will be pleased to know that the finer woollen cloths woven in Scotland are produced from wools imported from New Zealand, Australia, Cape Colony and Argentina. Even the best tartan may have a streak of Taihape in it. All the Scottish mills are located among some of Nature’s most alluring spots, and so designers are able to observe the riot of colour which prevails among the trees and hedgerows er on the heather-clad moors, and to translate these tints into the structure of their cloths. “Tweed” is not, of course, the right name of homespun or Harris cloths so beloved Iby sportsmen. A London merchant many years ago misread the word “Tweels” and called it “Tweeds,” and Tweeds it now is all the world over.

Professors, clergymen and merchants, for “auld Scotland’s sake,” have succeeded in producing a trade journal which should inspire more backward, countries to do likewise in these days when it pays to advertise.

“Trade and Commerce between Scotland and the Empire,” by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Glasgow.