AUSTRALASIAN TRADE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 58, 5 February 1884, Page 2

AUSTRALASIAN TRADE.

COMMERCE BETWEEN AMERICA AND THE COLONIES; We are indebted to Mr. Adams, bookseller, of Gisborne, for a copy of the Boston (U.S,) Daily Advertiser, from which the following interesting article is extracted :— The first beginnings of trade between America and Australia date back nearly to the time when the continent began to assume importance as a prosperous British colony. The discovery of gold in Australia in 1851 marks the beginning of the colony’s career as a commercial mart lor the world, Ana, after the flood of immigration iritb the colony had fairly set in, enterprising American merchants were attracted to it, in common with those from other countries, as a new field for international barter. But it is only within comparatively recent years that the trade between the United States and the Australasian colonies has reached a magnL tude entitling it to be ranked with our trade with the older commercial countries of the globe, Within this comparatively brief period the remarkable development of the young island empire of the East, under the fostering care and government of Great Britain, has been accompanied by a corresponding development of our commerce with the country, until at the present day it is contributing materially to the wealth of the two great ports—New York and Bostonengaged in it. In 1881 eight million five hundred thousand tons of shipping entered and cleared from Australian ports, and each year now witnesses great strides in its commerce. Scarcely fifty years have elapsed since Australia could be said to have a commerce, while now it promises ere long to rival the Old World, and to beeome the Great Britain of the southern hemisphere. The participation of the United States in this commerce is relatively quite small, but it has been increasing for the last 10 or 12 years at a rate which is significant of the great possibilities of our Australasian trade, could it but be carried on on equal terms weth those enjoyed by the British merchants. In 1870 we imported but $278,964 from Auetralasia; for the year ending June 30, 1883, the imports were $7,159,480. In 1870 we exported $3,419,973, and in 1883 the amount had swelled to $9,803,056. The exact increase of our trade for the past five years is shown by the following figures, which were obtained from the Treasury department at Washington. For the fiscal years ending June 30, the following are the exports and imports :— exports. ' ' ’

The goods sent from this country to Australasia are exceedingly varied in their character, but thus far our imports are. confined to a few articles. Our export trade is of great importance to the people of New England, from the fact that the cargoes consist of such • a variety of productions, especially of home manufactures, such as furniture, machinery, carriages, wagons, carts, organs, slate, lumber, all kinds of

building materials, hardware, fish, prtserved meats, tobacco, kerosene, agricultural implements, and, in fact, almost all kinds of articles needed in a new and proas porous colony, advancing with rapid strides in development. Certain article# Ol American manufacture enjoy a great popularity in the Colonies, as compared with similar products from other countries. In New Zealand the trade in American hardware and ironmongery has shown a remarkable ratio of increase within the past few years. The great demand for many of our products in this line has awakened the keenest competition on the part of British and German manti: facturers, who seem never to weary of imitating American product#; The imitations, however, are by no means equal to the originals in quality and serviceableness, though they are advertised as being much stronger and more durable. The trade in wire fencing has reached large proportions, from fi,ooo to 7,000 tons being imported into New Zealand every year. About one-sixth of this fencing material is composed of barbed wire, which is exclusively an American producti These examples, among many which might be given, suggest the vast field for Yankee enterprise which the colonies afford by offering a market for the many product# of Amcreean skill And ingenuity; which the artisans of other nations have not yet learned to imitate successfully, The small extent of our import, as compared with our export trade is due largely, no doubt, to the tariff conditions imposed our government, and how far it is for our interest that these conditions shall be modified is a problem deserving the most careful deliveration of our national legislators. The chief staples of our merchandise imports are crude tin and gums, which are free of duty, and opium and wool; which are dutiable. Boston alone gives; some years, immense sums of money for a portion of the Australian wool-clip, which is a favorite quality with many of our dealers. The only steam communication between this country and the colonies at present existing is by the Pacific Mail line, which is subsidised by the United States for carrying the mails, and great quantities of freight arc transported by this line. Quite recently, the shipment of gold front Australia to California has come into great prominence as a feature of our commercial relatione with that country* This traffics seems at first sight like carrying coils tb Newcastle, and suggests possibilities not very remote of the future course of exchange, The Australian Insurance and Banking Record; commenting on the matter, says that it illustrates the familiar principle of commerce, that all commodities tend to find their way to the point of consumption by the most direct route. The colonial bankers, apparently, find that with the new condition of exchange between the United States and Great Britain their bullion can be profitably converted in the United States into London exchange, and that under these circumstances the American route for their remittances is the least expensive. But the only United States ports from which lines of strictly trading vessels run to the colonies are New York and Boston. New York had a few years ago a great and controlling interest in the Australian business, despatching annually to the colonies, perhaps, twice or thrice as many vessels as were sent out from Boston. While New York claims to have advantages over Boston for the purchase and shipment of some articles, as, for instance, petroleum, it has been proved Within the last few years that Boston also has some superior facilities, especially in the shipment of New England and Canadian manufactures and products, Boston being, geographically; the natural shipping port of New England, which is the centre of the manufacturing interests of the country* One great advantage which Boston offers to shippers is the admirable Wharf facilities. By the system of covered piers now in use by the house of Henry W. Peabody & Co., carload freight from all parts of the United States and Canada is delivered directly from the cars to the vessels, without the danger of exposure during handling, an advantage which ship; per# will appreciate. The rates to shipper# from Boston are always as cheap—ana in some cases cheaper—-than the New York rates. A growing recognition of these advin; tagesj due in a great measure to the enter; prise, energy, and watchfulness of BostOri interests, has led to a very great increase in the trade from this port, The only Australian line of packets from Boston is that of Peabody & Co., already mentioned, but this single firm in the year 1882 despatched to the Australian Colonies 38 vessels, while the total sent out by all other parties was but 69. That is, of all the trading vessels sent to th# Colonies from this country during thit yeir; this single Boston line sent out mor# than one-half. . .

What the extent of out odnlhierciai relations with the Australasian Colonies is to be in the future will depend very largely on the attitude our Government shall assume on the tariff question, With the reduction in the tariff which it is thought will soon b(J made by Congress, Australia can find oppor: tunities of increasing the value and variety of commodities sent to this cotinty; Of duf Australasian imports for the year landing June 00; 1888, 2,184,593 dOl. was fret of duty; and 8,188,083 dol; in specie; leaving but 1,886,800 in dutiable merchandise, that mainly consisted oi bituminous coal, opium, and raW wool. The new tariff, going into effect July 1, 1883, left the duty on coal 73 cents per ton. unchanged, but the tariff commission, made up of exports on both sides, but with a decided leaning toward a high tariff, reported to Congress favorably to re; duoing this tax to 50 cents per ton; and tHi# reduction is among those contemplated idr this winter; The wools imported front Australasia are classified by dur tariff in the first Class; made up of wools like to merino. They are unwashed, and are put into the list of wools valued at less than 80 cents per pound. Under the old tariff they were subject to a duty of 10 cents per pound, and 10 per cent, additional, equivalent to an ad valorem duty of 55’74 per cent. In the n#w schedule they pay but X 0 cents, per pound; equal to 44.74 per cent, ad tatoreiH. Th# wool-producers of this country have prdtested against this large reduction; but it is not likely to be changed. With this decrease of 20 per cent, in the duty there is no reason why the wool-growers of Australasia should not very largely increase their export to the United States, The duty on opium has always been high. The new tariff leaves the rate in raw opium, which forms the staple of an importation from Australasia, at $1 per pound. Opium prepared for smoking is raised from $6 to $lO per pound, while the aqueous tincture for medicinal purposes, formerly at 40 per cent, ad valorem, u put up to $6 per pound. From these facts it is seen that the woollen trade is now made capable of being largely increased, while that in coal will soon be similarly made more profitable.

1880 .. 1881 ,. 1*82 .. 1883 Domestic merchandise. Dols.4.687,238 0,838,1.30 8,082 874 0,638,047 Foreign m«rohandlse. Dois. 81.867 04,085 128.916 164,869 IMPORTS. Domestic Coin and merchandise. bullion. 1880 .. 2,020,812 608 1881 .. 2,088.802 116,679 1882 .. 3.080,424 4.881.856 1883 .. 4,021,308 8,188,088