Looking into the details of the returns, it seems that British textile and cotton manufactures have been the most vigorously attacked by both the German and the American competing houses. The shares respectively for 1909 were as follow:
| Total Value. | |
| Great Britain | $957,172.07 |
| United States | 451,692.72 |
| Germany | 57,376.64 |
In woollen and cotton textile goods there is not any further improvement in the trade of the United States, the 1910 figures being $300,075; but those of Germany stand at $71,080, as against $763,171 for Great Britain. From this it will be observed that in this respect they "who were last may yet become first," a very significant fulfilment of the Biblical prognostication so far as Great Britain is concerned. The chief articles of export of "other countries" to Salvador are iron and hardware, $73,447.96; sacks for coffee, $92,937.38; and various articles, $132,660.04. Germany is represented by an immense number of different articles, but none of them in net value touch very high figures. The most important is hardware, which is represented by a value of $69,092.25, while linen goods stand at $57,376.64, as against the British total of $957,172.07.
A somewhat different kind of trade is done in this class of goods to that most general, for instance, in Guatemala. There the natives demand a cheaper and more flimsy kind of material. In Salvador they would appear to prefer a somewhat higher class of goods and of a rather more sober pattern. The Germans are catering actively for this market, and although, as will be observed, they have a very long headway to make up before they approach to within the region attained by either the British or the American figures, the persistency with which the Teutons are pursuing these Latin-American markets makes their competition a serious factor for the future (see p. 149).
In regard to exports from the port of Acajutla, a few words will suffice to explain the situation. France stands first as the recipient of the Republic's products from this particular port. The figures for the first half of the year (1909) show that France took coffee to the value of $749,946, Germany came next with $667,304, while the United States stood third with $506,064. Great Britain did not figure at all in the trade of Acajutla; but from the port of La Libertad the United Kingdom took goods to the value of $106,043 in coffee, against $127,740 by Germany, $311,093 by France, and $124,700 by the United States.
$874,958.32 represents the total value of the coffee shipped from the port of La Libertad for the six months of that year. This business with England must have been carried on in foreign bottoms, for, as mentioned elsewhere, a British vessel had not been seen in the port of La Libertad for some years, a fact vouched for by the Comandante of the Port, who keeps the records of all ships arriving and departing. The values, it is as well to mention, are given in gold dollars, the equivalent in Salvadorean dollars being $2,186,495.80. In regard to the Republic's trade generally, the countries with which it does its export business stand in the following order of importance: France, Germany, United States, Italy, Austria, Great Britain, Spain, and "other countries."
Reference may be made to the trade done in the article known as balsam, which is a product peculiar to Salvador. Hamburg is the principal market for the article, and its quotations fix the price for the world. Within the last two years the price has fluctuated from 12 to 22 marks per kilogramme—say $2.86 to $5.24 per 2.2 pounds. The price at the beginning of 1909 was 14 marks—say, $3.33 per kilogramme. The method of obtaining the balsam is very curious, and is described at some length in Chapter VII.
Manufacturers of agricultural implements and machinery for the Latin-American markets should remember that it is unnecessary and undesirable to make the articles in such a manner as to last for ever. While durability and substantiality are no doubt excellent features of machinery of all kinds, and in connection with British-made goods have always been much depended upon, it is quite possible to carry the virtue too far. It must be borne in mind that out "in the West" the same ideas do not prevail as at home, and in any case these countries are still in the experimental stage, when new industries are continually superseding the old. The Americans and the Germans both understand this, and consequently they are ousting the British-made heavier goods from the market.
What are required are light ploughs, watering-carts, hay-rakes, seed-sowers, and similar machines, but of a light yet strong character. The question of freight comes in very seriously, since not only is the steamship charge to be considered, but the frequently long overland journey upon mule-back. By the time that the implement or machine has reached its destination, it frequently costs double the invoice price. All easily detachable and duplicated-part machines are very much more in demand than other kinds, and they are but seldom found in Central America of British manufacture. But there is absolutely no reason why they should not be made, and as freely sold, as the American classes, which are to be seen displayed—painted in all the gaudy colours of the rainbow—in practically every hardware store in Latin-America. No small part of the dealers' profits, either, is derived from supplying duplicate parts, due to losses and breakages. The purchasers seldom, if ever, complain of breakdowns, and they prefer discarding their latest purchase for a new, and maybe an untried, invention, which is advertised to do all the wonderful things which the late implement did, in addition to numerous others which it could not do.
Small pamphlets, printed in Spanish, showing, with the aid of drawings, how the machine or implement may be detached, cleaned, repaired, and again put together, are also to be recommended. I would even suggest sending out with each article a brightly-coloured illustration of the machine in operation, since purchasers are very fond of hanging such upon their walls; and in the absence of any other picture I have often seen the flaring advertisement of some totally different machine, such as a plough or a reaper, occupying a conspicuous position upon the house-walls of a farmer's establishment. If he were sufficiently fortunate to possess an actual illustration of his own particular machine, I think that he would gladly endow it with a special frame, and thus advertise it freely for the benefit of the manufacturer. It is, therefore, well worth while for dealers to give such matters their attention. The initial cost is very small, while the corresponding advantages are undoubtedly great. At least our American and German competitors think so, and have the courage of their opinions.