Under direction of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, established after the World's Fair in Chicago in 1894 as a public institution of international scope, and officially opened by President McKinley durin, thepan- American Commercial Congress held in June, 1897, under-the same auspices, the U.S. Commercial - Commission to China was sent out, the Philadelphia Commercial Exhibition Association was organised, and the Universal Commercial Congress will take place. The latter will be held in October of this year, while the exhibition will be opened in September. The U.S. Commercial Commission to China was 1897, with the fol-
Department of State, Washington, April 23rd, 1898. Epwix H. Coxorr, Es United States Peking, Chins.
Sm,—At the instance of Dr. William Pepper, President of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museums, I take leasure in herewith introducing Dr.
ustave Niederlein, Chief of the Scientific Department of the Philadelphia Museums, an experienced explorer and traveller in -various parts of the world; Mr. Sheridan -B. Read, recently the Consul of the United States at Tientsin, China, and Mr. 0. A. Green, Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Information of the Philadelphia Com-'Museum, who has had many years' experience in studying and investigating the foreign trade of the United States.
These three gentlemen compose.a Commercial Commission which it has been decided by the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museums to dispatch to China, in furtherance of the recommendations of one of its principal officers, Mr. William Harper, who recently spent some time in China in making investigations as to the possibility of securing closer commercial relation with that country. This Commission will take up systematically the work which Mr. Harper found it impracticable to accomplish unaided.
I doubt not it will be your pleasure to give to the Commission all possible assistance consistent with your official duties for the complete, intelligent, and successful prosecution of its Iabours, which are in the terest of American commerce and closer trade relations. It will be especially glad "to have you procure from the Tsungli Yamn, should application be made therefor, passports for the members of the Commission, as well as instructions to the provincial authorities along the route Eraversed by the Commission directing them to extend all proper official courtesies to the members thereof, and to aid them in materials, products, and such other collections and data as the Commission may see fit to collect for the furtherance of trade.
Very truly yours, Too" Join Saaman.
The Philadelphia Commercial Exposition has the united support of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum and the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia and got recently besides a large national appropriation.
The main objects of the Exposition ara 1.—To show to foreign buyers the goods American manufacturers offer for export, and to establish their superiority.
2.—To show to American manufacturers the character of goods they must compete with in the open markets of the world.
3.—To show how American goods should be packed, labelled, and put up for export trade.
4.—To bring the manufacturers and merchants of the United States in direct personal contact with the principal buyers, merchants, and bankers of foreign countries:
The primary purpose of this Philadel phia Exposition will be to foster and encourage American rt trade. Tt will! be the first of its kind ever held in the United States. In its scope it will be thoroughly national. It will be unique in that its exhibits will be designed to resent the best and most suitable pro-"ducts of the best American factories.
The Director General is Mr. William Harper, among the directors being Messrs. Niederlein and Green, members of the U.S. Commercial Commission to China, Prof. Dr. W. P. Wilson, Founder ard Director of the Philadelphia Museums.
The International Commercial Congress, held in June-July, 1897, under the auspices of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, is still in the public memory. The delogates to that Congress were prominent merchants appointed by the leading commercial organisations of Latin America. Dur ing the meeting in Philadelphia a the subsequent tour to some of the principal industrial centres, the expression most frequently noted on the part of these prise, at the degree of perfection attained delegates was one of amazement and sur-
American industry. In the reports which they have made to their Chambers of Commerce, no fact has been more strongly emphasised than that the products of the United States not sufficiently known abroad, and that itis to the interest of foreign merchant to make a careful examination of the field.
In connection with this it will be of interest to quote a statement of England's greateststatistician, Mr. MichaelE. Mulhall, who in June, 1895, wrote: 'The United States possess almost as much working France collectively, namely 129 milliards ower as Great' Britain, Germany, and
of foot tons daily, while Great Britain onl; has 56, Germany 45 and France 34 milliards of foot tons."
As indicated abore there will be held a second International Commercial Congress at Philadelphia in October, 1899; which will bring together a large number of leading merchants not only from Latin American countries but from all parts of the world who will come to make business connections in the United States and to discuss the best means of extending American trade in their respective countries.
For such merchants the Philadelphia Exposition will be an unusual opportunity to study and examine what they can best buy in the United States. This Exposition will undoubtedly also attract large numbers of buyers from all parts of the world.
As we understand the Chinese foreign Chambers of Commerce have already assured their cooperation and approval. The Tsungli Yamen has decided to send ten representativesongovernmentaccotint. The U. S. Commercial Commission to China has collected considerable material.
7 months'. economic exploration ''of Central America made first, in company with Mr. William Harper, a tour of investigation through France, Germany, Austria, the Balkan States, went through Russia, came and then by way of the Suez Canal, in Juneto Hongkong, wherehespentsometime, visiting also Macao, the Pearl river delta, Canton, Wachou, etc., investigatingthetrade relations of the South of China; thence came to Shanghai, and went up the Yangtze river to the border of Szechuan, studying, the economic and commercial conditions of the Yangtze Valley and making permanent connections with the Superintendents of Trade, Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, in Wuchang, snd Viceroy Liu K'un-yi, in Nanking. In November and part of December he travelled in the North of China and arrang matters with the Tsungli Yamen, Sir bert Hart, and Viceroy Yii Lu, returning recently by way of Chefooand Weihaiwei to begin to write a comprehensive report for which he has'systematically collected exten-e material during seven months of quiet uninterrupted study.
Mr. Sheridan P. Read made. meanwhile a trip to. Shansi and will report on the north of China,.and Mr. Cassius A. Green, coming in. July from Japan, studied for some time the import-goods of the markets of Shanghai and Hongkong, and went then south to Australia, In spring more inland journeys will be made by Messrs, 'Niederlein and Read with ial letters of recommendation already Nieder) 'The general objects of' the by tho'Tsungli Yam6n to Mr.
Philadelphia Museums are.
Ist.—To bring before the manufactur dealers and consumers, all the varied products of the world, that they may make the best selection for their own special interests.
2dd—To publish concerning these products all scientific and useful information which may'aid the manufacturer and consumer in their choice.
3rd—To placeonexhibition manufactured products from foreign countries, in order that manufacturers may be properly: informed concerning all markets which they ought: to enter or control.
4th—To gather from all parts of the world,' and' to make immediately available to business men, full' and specific information concerning trade opportunities.
The Philadelphia Commercial Museum exhibits and: investigates free of charge the resources and other products of the different countries and is opened to everybody in every country.
There, are about 60,000 raw products from about 60 countries brought together and over 70,000 samples of manufactured Products on exhibition. In connection with these collections exists a. scientific department for investigation, testing, and analysis, and a bureau of information.
'The Philadelphia Commercial Museum has a Board of Trustees composed of the Governor of the State' of Pennsylvania, the Mayor of the city of Philadelphia and other high officials, as well as fourteen prominent citizens holding life appointments, and is aided by an international advisory board of leading Chambers of Commerce and commercial organisations in all parts of the world, cooperating with the domestic advisory. board, comprising similar organisations in every part of the United States, and with a diplomatic advisory - board, composed of all Eatin American' Ministers accredited in Washington.
It arranged special concessions for American warehouses as permanent exhibitions of American goods from the Goveraments of Venezuela and other: South American countries which was turned over to the U.S. National Manufacturers' Association. Similar warehouses'will: in all probability also be established in some; treaty ports of China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.