EXCHANGE 
 
UNITED STATES 
 COMMERCIAL COMMISSION 
 CHINA. 
 
 RA 
 
 OP THE 
 
 SUN: 
 
 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 COMMERCIAL MUSEUM. 
 
PROSPECTUS 
 
 United States Commercial 
 Commission to China. 
 
 UNDER THE DIRECTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 * 
 
 COMMERCIAL MUSEUM. 
 

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THE 
 
 PHILADELPHIA MUSEUMS, 
 
 Established by Ordinance of City Councils, 1894, 
 
 233 South Fourth Street. 
 
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
 
 Ex-Offlcio. 
 
 HON. DANIEL H. HASTINGS, 
 Governor of Pennsylvania. 
 
 HON. CHARLES P. WARWICK 
 Mayor of the City of Philadelphia 
 
 JAMES L. MILES, 
 i President of Select Council. 
 
 WENCEL HARTMAN, 
 President of Common Council. 
 
 SAMUEL B. HUEY, 
 1-i-esident of the Board of Public Education. 
 
 DR. EDWARD BROOKS, 
 Superintendent of Public Schools. 
 
 NAT/HAN C. SCHAEFFER, 
 
 State Superintendent of Public Schools. 
 
 J. T. ROTHROCK, B.S., M.D., 
 State Forestry Commissioner. 
 
 Permanent Trustees. 
 
 DANIEL BAUGH, THOMAS MEEHAN, 
 
 CHARLES H. CRAMP, WILLIAM PEPPER, M.D., LL.D., 
 
 THOMAS DOLAN, MRS. CORNELIUS STEVENSON, Sc.D. 
 
 GEORGE F. EDMUNDS, FRANK THOMSON, * 
 
 WILLIAM L. ELKINS, JOHN WANAMAKER, 
 
 W. W. FOULKROD, P. A. B. WIDENER, 
 
 SIMON GRATZ, SYDNEY L. WRIGHT. 
 
 382233 
 
OFFICERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
 
 WM. PEPP.ER, M.D., LL.D., 
 
 President. 
 
 CHARLES H. CRAMP, 
 Vice-President. 
 
 SYDNEY L. WRIGHT, 
 Treasurer. 
 
 WILLIAM M. WATTS, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE MUSEUM. 
 
 WM. P. WILSON, Sc.D., 
 Director. 
 
 WILLIAM HARPER, 
 
 Chief of the Bureau of Information. 
 
 C. A. GREEN, 
 Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Information. 
 
 WILFRED H. SCHOFF, 
 Foreign Secretary of the Bureau of Information. 
 
 GUSTAVE NIEDERLEIN, 
 Chief of the Scientific Department. 
 
 WM. B. MARSHALL, 
 Curator of Natural Products. 
 
 LOUIS J. MATO3. 
 Chief of Laboratories. 
 
United States Commercial Commission 
 to China, 
 
 IT has been decided by the Board of Trustees of the 
 Philadelphia Museums to send, early in May of this year, 
 
 a Commercial Commission to China. 
 
 The idea of sending such a Commission to China has 
 been under thoughtful consideration by the officers of the 
 Museums for many months. 
 
 Mr. William Harper, the Chief of the Bureau of Informa- 
 tion of the Museums, upon his return from a recent journey 
 around the world, unhesitatingly reported that the conditions 
 for the reception in China of a United States Commission in 
 the interests of extension of trade were extremely opportune. 
 
 As a proof of China's desire to strengthen her trade rela- 
 tions with this country, it may be well to state that, in the 
 autumn of 1897, the Tsung-Li Yamen (i. <?., the Imperial 
 Bureau of Foreign Affairs), in reply to a note addressed by 
 our Minister at Peking, in which was extended an invitation 
 to China from the Philadelphia Museums to appoint delegates 
 to attend the International Commercial Congress to be held in 
 Philadelphia in 1899, stated that the Chinese Government 
 would send delegates to this Congress, and to this end has in- 
 structed the Ministers-Superintendent of Northern and South- 
 ern Trade, as well as the Viceroys and Governors of the 
 various provinces, to co-operate in the selection of these dele- 
 gates. The Tsung-Li Yamen, in this note, also states that the 
 representative of the Philadelphia Museums, Mr. Harper, be 
 requested to discuss matters connected witn the Museums and 
 its work with the officials and merchants of the various ports. 
 It will be the object of this Commission to pursue these mat- 
 ters from the favorable point to which Mr. Harper has brought 
 them. 
 
The fact that China, now awakened to her state of help- 
 lessness through lack of development by modern methods, 
 evincing a desire to extend her commerce with this country has 
 encouraged the Philadelphia Museums to seize this opportu- 
 nity for urging upon her attention not only the pre-emi- 
 nence of American appliances, but also the advisability, espe- 
 cially in view of our well-known policy of non- territorial 
 acquisition, of the employment of American capital and brains 
 for the development of her industries. 
 
 These special considerations, aside from those which al- 
 ways prevail in the interests of trade extension, have influ- 
 enced the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museums in 
 their decision to send to China a Commercial Commission at 
 this time. 
 
 Moreover, if our merchants and manufacturers are to 
 secure the rightful quota of trade that might ensue from the 
 vantage ground that is now theirs to maintain, the time is at 
 hand for the Museums to undertake to lay before the mer- 
 chants and manufacturers of this country the results of a com- 
 prehensive study of the internal resources of China, illustrated 
 by samples of raw materials and products, and of existing trade 
 conditions and methods of doing business. 
 
 The general object of the Philadelphia Museums will be 
 the chief guide to the Commission and its work in China. 
 These object are set forth by the Museums as follows : 
 
 1 . To gather from all parts of the world and to make im- 
 mediately available to business men full and specific informa- 
 tion concerning trade conditions and connections. 
 
 2. To place on exhibition manufactured products from 
 other countries, in order that our manufacturers may be prop- 
 erly informed concerning the requirements of markets which it 
 may be possible for them to enter. 
 
 3. To bring before the manufacturers, dealers and con- 
 sumers of the United States, samples of the varied products of 
 the world, that they may know and choose such as are useful 
 to them. 
 
 4. To make complete examinations, analyses and tests of 
 these products, and to publish such information concerning them 
 as may lead to a general understanding of their usefulness. 
 
ENDORSEMENT BY GOVERNMENT. 
 
 The object of this Commission and scope of the work to 
 be accomplished have been duly brought to the attention of 
 the Department of State, with the result that the Department 
 of State will send a circular letter to our Consuls in China, in- 
 structing them to aid the Commission in its work, to use their 
 good offices in bringing about intercourse with Viceroys, Tao- 
 tais and other Chinese officials, and also to give introductions 
 to the Chairmen of the various Foreign Chambers of Com- 
 merce, Commissioners of Custom, etc. 
 
 The United States Minister at Peking has also been in- 
 structed to procure from the Tsung-14 Yamen, upon application 
 for same, passports for the members of the Commission, and 
 the issue of instructions from the Yameii to the Provincial 
 authorities along the route of the Commission to extend official 
 courtesies to the members of the Commission, and to aid the 
 Commission in its work of procuring samples of raw materials 
 and products and such other collections and data as the Com- 
 mission may see fit to collect to illustrate the present com- 
 mercial conditions existing in China. 
 
 ROUTE OF COMMISSION. 
 
 The ground to be covered by the Commission, besides the 
 treaty ports, would be the Yangtze River Valley and the 
 provinces to the north of the Yangtze River. From Shanghai 
 the Commission would proceed up the Yangtze River to the 
 city of Chungking, which place marks the limit of navigation 
 of this great waterway. It would then proceed to Changtu-fi, 
 the capital of the rich province of Szechuan, and from thence 
 go to Han-Chung, which place marks the head of navigation 
 of the Han River. From Han-Chung the next move of the 
 Commission would be down the Han River to Hankow. After 
 making special reports of this inland journey and forwarding 
 the collections obtained of raw materials and products, the 
 Commission would proceed north over the route of the railway 
 now under construction between Hankow au,d Peking. A 
 considerable stay would be made at Peking, Tientsin, Chefoo 
 and Newchwang in order that the conditions of trade at these 
 centres and throughout the provinces of Chihli, Shantung and 
 of Manchuria might be carefully analyzed. 
 
GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE 
 COMMISSION. 
 
 In addition to the collection of raw materials and products 
 made at the treaty ports and throughout this journey, samples 
 of manufactured articles imported from other countries would 
 be sought and forwarded to the Museums, accompamed by 
 statements giving prices, ocean and inland freights, showing 
 method of packing, etc. 
 
 As Shanghai is the central point of commercial activity 
 for the Yangtze Valley and northern China trade, Shanghai 
 being the principal point of distribution of foreign imports, as 
 well as the point of accumulation of native goods intended for 
 export to foreign countries, the Commission would give unusual 
 attention to this port. 
 
 In order that the merchants and manufacturers might have 
 a more exact understanding of the extent and nature of com- 
 merce at this central treaty port, special reports would be 
 prepared upon such subjects as the following : 
 
 1. The duties of the United States Consul General as 
 Consul and as United States Judge. 
 
 2. Native banking methods of China. 
 
 3. Foreign banking methods as practiced by the Hong 
 Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Chartered Bank 
 of India, Australia and China. 
 
 4. Custom House, wharfage, lighterage and tonnage dues. 
 
 5. Ocean and local freight charges. 
 
 6. Ocean and river coastwise routes. 
 
 7. Monetary questions importations of silver and of the 
 Mexican dollar, the value of the tael, and of copper cash. 
 
 8. The Compradore system. 
 
 9. The extent of foreign demand for foreign goods; com- 
 parative table of imports. 
 
 10. The extent of native demand for foreign goods; com- 
 parative table. 
 
 1 1 . The extent of native exports. 
 
 12. Is the consumption of American goods increasing or 
 
decreasing as compared with the consumption of goods from 
 other countries ? 
 
 13. Warehouse charges, rates of fire insurance, etc. 
 
 14. Commissions charged for execution of indents. In 
 this connection pro-forma invoices would be solicited for wool, 
 silk, hides, straw, braids and other important articles of export. 
 
 15. English and European Life, Fire and Marine Insur- 
 ance Companies having agents in Shanghai. List of similar 
 American Companies having agents in Shanghai. 
 
 1 6. Extent of Public Works, and contemplated improve- 
 ments in Shanghai. 
 
 17. Docking facilities. Extent and plant of ship building. 
 
 18. The Commercial Organization of China, such as the 
 Silk and Piece Goods Guilds, European Chambers of Com- 
 merce, etc. 
 
 Other Treaty ports visited would be subjected to similar 
 treatment laying aside such features treated for Shanghai as 
 are common to all. 
 
 ^ After the inland journey has been completed, monographs 
 would be written upon the following topics of general interest : 
 
 1. Habits and characteristics of the people. 
 
 2. The litterati and Mandarin classes. 
 
 .3. The salient traits of Chinese merchants. 
 
 4. The Provincial Governments of China. 
 
 5. The Imperial Government at Peking. Its functions 
 and its scope of control. 
 
 6. The Imperial Maritime Customs, as organized and 
 managed by Sir Robert Hart. 
 
 7. China's New Postal System. 
 
 8. Likin duties and transit passes. 
 
 9. Trade Marks, their protection against counterfeiting. 
 
 10. Water-ways and trade routes of China, cost of travel, 
 transportation of ^merchandise, etc. 
 
11. Extent of Railway development and contemplated 
 extensions. 
 
 12. The advisability of urging upon China the opening of 
 New Treaty ports and the granting of greater trade privileges. 
 
 13. Trade conditions in Peking, and the method of doing 
 business in the capital although not a treaty port. 
 
 14. Missionary work in its relation to commerce. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The Philadelphia Commercial Museum solicits correspond- 
 ence from manufacturers and others interested in Chinese 
 trade as to any special investigations that they may desire 
 prosecuted while this Commission is in China. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 
 
 WASHINGTON, April 23, 1898. 
 
 EDWIN H. CONGER, ESQ., 
 
 United States Minister, 
 Peking, China. 
 
 SIR : At the instance of Dr. William Pepper, President 
 of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museums, I take 
 pleasure in herewith introducing Dr. Gustave Niederlein, Chief 
 of the Scientific Department of the Philadelphia Museums, an 
 experienced explorer and traveler in various parts of the world ; 
 Mr. Sheridan P. Read, recently the Consul of the United States 
 at Tientsin, China, and Mr. C. A. Green, Assistant Chief of 
 the Bureau of Information of the Philadelphia Commercial 
 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 in- 
 vestigations as to the possibility of securing closer commercial 
 
 10 
 
relations with that country. This Commission will take up 
 systematically the work which Mr. Harper found it imprac- 
 ticable to accomplish unaided. 
 
 I doubt not it will be your pleasure to give to the Com- 
 mission all possible assistance consistent with your official 
 duties for the complete, intelligent and successful prosecution 
 of its labors, which are in the interest of American commerce 
 and closer trade relations. It will be especially glad to have 
 you procure from the Tsung-Li Yamen, should application be 
 made therefor, passports for the members of the Commission, 
 as well as instructions to the provincial authorities along 
 the route traversed by the Commission directing them to extend 
 all proper official courtesies to the members thereof, and to aid 
 them in the work of procuring samples of the raw materials, 
 products, and such other collections and data as the Commis- 
 sion may see fit to collect for the furtherance of trade. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 JOHN SHERMAN. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 
 
 WASHINGTON, April 23, 1898. 
 
 To the Diplomatic and Consular Officers of the United States. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : At the instance of Dr. William Pepper, 
 President of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museums, 
 I take pleasure in herewith introducing Dr. Gustave Nieder- 
 lein, Chief of the Scientific Department of the Philadelphia 
 Museums, an experienced explorer and traveler in various 
 parts of the world, Mr. Sheridan P. Read, recently the Consul 
 of the United States at Tientsin, China, and Mr. C. A. Green, 
 Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Information of the Philadel- 
 phia Commercial Museum, who has had many years' experi- 
 ence 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 
 
 11 
 
the recommendations of one of its principal officers, Mr. Wil- 
 liam Harper, who recently spent some time in China making 
 investigations as to the possibility of securing closer com- 
 mercial relations 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 Com- 
 mission all possible assistance consistent with your official 
 duties for the complete, intelligent and successful prosecution 
 of its labors, which are in the interest of American commerce 
 and closer trade relations. I should be especially delighted to 
 have you use your good offices to bring about friendly inter- 
 course with Viceroys, Taotais, and other Chinese officials, as 
 well as to procure, if possible, letters of introduction to the 
 Chairmen of the various Chambers of Commerce, Commis- 
 sioners of Customs and such like officers. 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 JOHN SHERMAN. 
 
PAT. JAM. 21, 1908 
 
 YC 3 
 
 927 
 
 382233 
 
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