Enter into a contract with a transportation company or reliable forwarding agent for the cost of transportation from point of origin to point of destination, furnish an itemized invoice as described above, and issue the invoice in triplicate. Send one along with the shipment; mail two to consignee for him to supply the customs officials should the shipment arrive minus the invoice which accompanied the same. GUIDE FOR SHIPPERS. FORM OF MEMORANDUM THAT MEETS REQUIREMENTS. A number of letters have been received at the Bureau of Manufactures commending the work of the consuls and special agents in calling attention to careless and insufficient packing of goods exported and the failure of many of our business men to strictly follow instructions sent with orders. A large exporting house in New York City, in commenting upon the report of Special Agent Pepper, giving specific instances of delinquencies in complying with orders, writes as follows: The difficulties complained of in this report are so common that it is not possible to think all the parties are guilty of knowingly and willfully failing to carry out instructions. I have personally had hundreds of just such cases to deal with, and when investigating them have found that it has been due to the ignorance of the packers and shippers at the factories. The forms that have been provided by such parties as these friends in Mexico are not understood by the shippers and packers in the American factories, and realizing the necessity of having some simple form which will be understood by the men who are in the packing rooms and in charge of the shipments has been a matter of a good deal of study, and it seems to me that it might be well for the Department, and of interest to the manufacturers, that you show by a design a form which has been found to meet al! these requirements as fully as it is possible to provide anything. As a suggestion of the type of form for declaration which I have found by experience is the best adapted, I inclose you herewith a copy of the form we have been using for the last ten years. It is not copyrighted, and you have our consent to use it if you wish to, omitting our name, EXPLANATION OF THE FORM. The form referred to, and which follows this article, is accompanied by a short explanation. The writer says: 1. We usually make three or four copies, one for office file, two for the buyer, and one for the bank. 2. It has no relation to the invoice other than describing the packages and determining in which package a certain article noted on the invoice can be found. In many cases foreign buyers order deliveries from customs or warehouses in unbroken packages, and the object is to enable them to do so, using the number and mark given on the form. 3. The form is of importance in the foreign customs-house, as it gives in detail contents and character of materials contained in each package, net and gross weight, which forms the basis upon which duty is paid, when duty is assessed on weight. The total net value is given, as importers do not like to file invoices showing details of cost unless necessary, and where duty is based on weight this is not as a rule 4. When goods are sent to countries using the metric system, weights are reduced to kilos and give kilos in place of pounds. Mark: J. D. Co. 6 packages for John Doe Co. on S. S. Colorado. From James Jones Mfg. Co. 1/22/1906. Consigned to (insert THE CHINESE MARKET. COTTON GOODS. GROWING POPULARITY OF AMERICAN MILLS. COMPETITION IN PIECE GOODS-GRADES AND STYLES IN VOGUE-PRICES AND PREFERENCES-CONDITIONS FULLY DESCRIBED. A series of interesting, comprehensive, and valuable reports were received this month from Special Agents Crist and Burrill, describing the cotton trade in China. Every feature of this trade is clearly set forth and can not fail to prove highly profitable to those engaged in the cotton-goods trade with the Orient. These reports were accompanied with samples of a majority of the goods described, which are at the disposal of American manufacturers. The box in which the samples were received is also a sample. It was constructed by direction of the Bureau of Manufactures after the plan adopted and successfully used by European and many American exporters. This package was received in excellent condition. The contents were of a miscellaneous character, including a small mirror, all of which were found in the same condition as when packed. The box is constructed of 4-inch stuff, tin lined, strongly reinforced at both ends and bound with metal straps. The samples of piece goods, ribbons, braids, etc., have been labeled aud classified, and will be forwarded to manufacturers who apply for them, with the understanding that they are subject to orders of the Bureau, and that they may be transferred from place to place upon application of interested parties. Mr. Crist's first letter, which is devoted to piece goods, follows: Cotton-piece goods constitute the principal article of American imports in Tientsin. It may be safely stated that the piece-goods trade makes up the bulk of the imports of all northern China. The portion of this supplied by American mills is relatively large. The preferential use of these goods is a decidedly favorable commentary on the superior quality of the American output and the ability of Ameri can goods to successfully compete in the world's markets. The satisfaction which is afforded by this aspect of the case is modified when one considers what American business shrewdness and acumen might actually have accomplished if some of the energy put into cotton goods had been expended in a study of the needs and requirements of this market. British and German merchants have done what American merchants might and should have done. In the past Americans accepted the channels opened by others to oriental markets. No American merchant would transact business with his best patron at home through a disinterested third person when a little time and money expended would secure a personal knowledge and greatly enhance the value of his trade. This, however, is what is being done. right along in the Chinese market by Americans in every line of business. With China as our best customer of fabrics, American business men are pursuing a most short-sighted policy in permitting others to present the virtues of such of their products as they choose, and to preempt the ground with other products. American products are being sold in this market by foreigners from purely selfish motives and because these goods can not be beaten by other goods. With concerted action along proper lines American commerce can get a strong control in this market. NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT. The present offers advantages for entering the field which the future may not at least for a like amount of energy and expense. The longer such a move is delayed the more difficult it will be to attain success. American manufactures-especially of cotton goods-have a wonderful opportunity in China. The territory for exploitation is practically a limitless one, and will most certainly afford a lucrative market for American gray goods for many years to come. Japan, India, and England, more particularly the two former, will be competitors in the same goods. This fact calls for serious consideration and study. Means should be provided to prevent them from, if not displacing the American commodity, at least causing serious embarrassment by offering an equally satisfactory article at lower prices. The great disparity between the cost of labor in those countries and America, together with their nearness to this market, will readily admit of this. The field of cotton-piece goods is just beginning to be entered by Americans. It is true their sales have grown to comparatively gratifying proportions along certain limited lines and have displaced the output of other countries almost entirely in many instances where these lines could be introduced. All of this growth is due to the fact that the American product has been just what this market wanted in price and quality. The presence of so large a total value of our products, with only two American firms actively engaged in pushing the sale of a general line of American products in this great trade center of North China, is an anomaly which probably can not be found elsewhere in the world. All of the import business here may be said to be in the hands of German and English houses. With the establishment here of more Americans in the foreign trade the use of various cotton goods should increase greatly, and all competition should be overcome. Not only would this be achieved along those lines, but with experts in cotton goods representing American cotton mills there is no reason why their products should be contined to the present limited line of gray goods. AMERICA NEEDS A CLOSER TOUCH. German and English houses are strongly intrenched in this market, and much of their strength lies in the fact that they handle American gray goods. If American mills would also turn out other kinds of cottons in styles, weights, and finish desired by the Chinese, a large market would be built up. If the United States does not furnish the Chinese certain grades of cloth they will be furnished by other people. The price is the only question, and if a certain quality can not be quoted lower a substitute is at once found of cheaper stuff. It is these changing market conditions which mislead the American cotton-goods producers, as they are only given the opportunity to come in on stereotyped lines. There is not the concert of action between the English foreign trader in this market and the American producers that exists between him and the manufacturers in England. Until some such relation can be built up for American manufacturers there can be but a limited acquaintance with the peculiarities of oriental markets. This result is possible, however, in a large degree, through the present channels of German and English importing houses which have branches or agencies in America. American manufacturers should obtain samples from those offices which show styles, qualities, widths, lengths, etc., of the goods used by the Chinese. SAMPLES OF COMPETING GOODS. In order to present to the cotton-goods manufacturers of America a clear view of the requirements of this market, a rather comprehensive line of samples of piece goods used by the natives of the northern provinces of China, and furnished them through the agency of the Tientsin market, has been carefully collected. The samples embrace goods of English, Dutch, Japanese, and American production. The conclusions concerning the different kinds of goods have been arrived at after consultation with Chinese merchants and after seeking advice and assistance from those engaged in the foreign trade. Wherever it has been possible to do so, current c. i. f. Tientsin prices have been obtained, but in many instances this has been impossible inasmuch as some of the samples have been collected directly from à Chinese merchant whose reticence and natural secretiveness could not be overcome sufficiently to obtain from him the name of the concern furnishing the goods. In some cases samples have been obtained to illustrate varieties in the same quality of goods. It will be noted that there is quite a variation in the prices of cloth of the same weights, due to differences in quality of goods and perfection of finish. SAMPLES AND COMPARATIVE PRICES. It has been frequently stated by those who are engaged in the importing trade that samples have little real value in the study of the market, as prices vary from time to time. There is also a frequent variance found in prices quoted on the same date, due to influences independent of the actual market conditions. For example, For example, an excess sive number of orders on hand for early delivery preclude the further acceptance of contracts save at advanced prices. These conditions and others peculiar to the cotton industry should be kept in mind in studying prices and samples. A complete description of the methods of packing the various kind of goods will be given with a statement of the port, freight, and other charges which enter into the calculations of the importer, giving as nearly as possible the charges at every step in the progress of the goods from the port of shipment to the Chinese |