The Bahama group, of which Nassau with 13,000 population is the capital, exported last year goods valued at $1,300,000, of which amount $850,000 was in sponges and $350,000 in sisal, the United States taking $620,000 worth. The imports in the same period were $2,000,000, of which we supplied $1,400,000.
Bermuda, 20 miles square with 3,000 inhabitants, depends for its existence upon the tourists who visit it and what we purchase from and ship to its shores. Its chief exports are Easter lilies, potatoes and early vegetables, 4,000 out of 12,000 acres being under cultivation, yielding the islands $500,000 yearly. Of its $2,775,000 imports this country supplied $1,600,000, England $750,000 and Canada $350,000.
None of these islands is self-sustaining. They need the necessities of life; flour, foodstuffs, hams, meats, vegetables, butter, lard, candles, oil, shoes, cotton, textiles, drugs, soaps, toilet articles, glassware, machinery and corrugated iron.
The Quebec Steamship Company and the Royal Mail Steamship Company, sailing from New York, stop at the leading cities of the larger islands, an inter-island steamship service being provided for. The Lamport and Holt line touches both at Trinidad and Barbados on their northward trip and the United Fruit Company boats stop at Jamaica. The Hamburg-American Line ships call at many of these islands.
XX
FOREIGN TRADE WITH LATIN AMERICA AND HOW IT DEVELOPED
No military campaign was ever planned with such exactness of detail and precision as that which characterized the preliminary movements of the exporting nations of Europe to acquire control of Latin American markets. When the Franco-Prussian war was over and the Powers of the Old World had settled down to a development of their resources, it soon became apparent that foreign fields must be sought in which to dispose of the excess products of their industry. With that object in view governments, trade associations, manufacturers, shippers, exporters, civic and social societies, colleges, merchants, and individuals united in one harmonious movement to accomplish this purpose. While each nation followed more or less the same general plan, still Germany attacked the problem with the thoroughness so typical of its people that its course in this direction may be taken as an example of what should be done in similar contingencies, and it may be well worth mentioning in detail.
To impress the Latin American people that their trade was courted by the nation as well as the individual producer, government commissions were dispatched from Europe to each of these countries, when possible in a war vessel of the nation sending them. With much pomp and great ceremony visits were exchanged between the members of this body and the authorities ashore and every effort made to develop a national feeling of regard between both parties, very much the same as we did when Commodore Perry opened up Japan to the world. Much time was spent in each country and nothing was overlooked that might be of any aid to accomplish the object in view.
Following these emissaries from the European Power came officials of trade bodies and business organizations, college professors and writers, each one studying the situation from his particular point of view and noting the things most required and the methods under which business was conducted. One of the subjects given the most complete and far reaching attention was the question of banking relations and how to best develop this important field, for it was early seen that this would form the most essential link in the perfected chain of business success. In the meantime the home government had caused to be printed throughout its territory, full and specific facts regarding the countries, the nature of their soils, everything obtainable about the flora and fauna, their mountains and minerals, the various waterways, climatic conditions and what crops could be grown with profit, with complete data concerning business opportunities. Commercial schools were opened wherein the student was taught Spanish and Portuguese, and perfectly drilled in Latin American business methods and etiquette. Realizing that much of their future success in these lands would be dependent upon having colonies throughout them, every effort was made to encourage emigration, the official authorities knowing full well that affection for the Fatherland and a belief in the superiority of its products, would materially help in the dissemination of its goods and keep up a demand for home made articles, until they had through their own merit obtained a foothold among the natives. As a direct result of this plan of colonization, fully one-fourth of the population of Chile are either German or of German descent, and the southern section of this country reminds one more of a portion of Germany in its type of building, the characteristics of the inhabitants, their dress, the nature of their business and their modes of living than of a Latin nation. The same is also true in the southern part of Brazil, where the Germans have many colonies, each provided with public schools in which natives are really taught German before acquiring their mother tongue.
The real ambassador of commerce—the traveling man—courteous, polite, affable, familiar with trade customs, national mannerisms, and speaking both Spanish and Portuguese perfectly was on the scene early, paying particular attention to the demands of the merchant. If a certain style of cloth was too wide, the obliging German made it of the dimensions required. If the color was too subdued for the aboriginal customer of the native merchant, the pattern and pigment were changed to suit the buyer. If plows were required with one handle instead of two, so that the farmer could have the other free for manipulating his cigarette, his wish was cheerfully complied with. The idea that filled the mind of the salesmen from Europe was to give the customer just what he wanted, and this rule was never deviated from. No attempt was made to force the storekeeper to adopt the customs of Europe in anything, but stress was laid on the fact that their only object was to oblige in every way the buyer, and cater to his demands. The suggestion from the storekeeper that he got six months’ time from England’s manufacturers, on this line of goods, was combated with the unanswerable argument that the seller would be pleased to bill the order at eight months if desired.
Samples of native-made articles that sold well were also purchased by the wide-awake representatives and sent home with full and complete data as to price, cost of manufacture, quantities consumed, and any other useful hint that practical observation might suggest, so that those in Germany might have an opportunity to experiment with a view to reducing the cost of the article and thereby obtain commercial control of this particular line. In a word, no stone was left unturned to accomplish the object always in view, namely—the complete capture of these markets.