No. 42.
Mr. Moran to Mr. Evarts.
Lisbon, December 6, 1877. (Received December 26.)
Sir: I have given jour dispatch of the 7th of August, marked “Separate,” my careful attention; and, as bearing upon the subject of the commerce between Portugal and the United States, of the development of which that dispatch treats, I forward herewith two copies of the reports of the consuls of Portugal concerning commerce in general for 1875, just published by the government, and a copy of the “General statistics of the commerce of Portugal with its colonies and with foreign countries during the civil year 1874.”
I think the trade between the United States and Portugal could be increased. Wheat, tobacco, petroleum, hemp, lumber, and staves, imported from the United States, now sell to our advantage, and these imports are on the increase. I am also of opinion that there is a profitable market in Portugal for cheap American cotton printing-cloths, in 1870, cloths, bleached and unbleached, for printing, to the value of £624,660 and £131,330 of prints were imported from Great Britain; and this trade is said to be on the increase. These cloths are printed here, with designs to suit the national taste, and are worn in Portugal and her colonial possessions, to which they are exported in considerable quantities. I am informed that there is an attempt being made to establish a manufactory of such cloths near Lisbon, as it is believed that they can be produced so as to compete with those imported. I cannot give prices, but it is safe to say that if Great Britain can send cotton printing-cloths here at a profit, we can do the same.
The following tables show the importation of British manufactured goods into Portugal in the years 1870 and 1874, that for 1874 being the last which has been published. It will be seen by these that there was a decrease in the value of the importations in 1874, but that may be owing to some fluctuations in trade.
| Imported from England. | 1870. | 1874. | |
| Milreis. | |||
| Silk | £47,540 | 185,549 | £41,222 |
| Linens | 85,610 | 310,000 | 68,800 |
| Woolen and hair | 174,460 | 810,416 | 180,000 |
| Cottons | *889,794 | 3,606,000 | 800,000 |
| Total | 1,197,404 | 4,911,965 | 1,090,022 |
I am likewise of opinion that the demand can be created here for American agricultural implements and labor-saving machinery, although [Page 132] the introduction of such articles may be attended with opposition at first, on account of the prejudices of the people.
American sewing-machines are largely sold, and English agricultural implements, such as steam-plows and reaping-machines, are being successfully introduced, though not on a large scale. American mill-machinery for grinding grain might find a limited market. But I will report more in detail in a future communication on this subject.
At the moment I am not prepared to specify Portuguese products and manufactures the exportation of which to the United States might be increased, but I am safe in naming port and Bucellas wines, oranges, and lemons; and also the native jewelry of the country, which is remarkably fine, some of it being of exquisite workmanship and design.
As pertinent to the subject, I beg to add the following facts in regard to the wine-supply of 1877. The Douro vintage this year has been made; but the quantity is inferior, although a little better than that of 1876, which is the worst there has been since 1869. The wines of 1877, particularly the lowest qualities, have been selling at very high prices, not only as regards the usual prices every year, but also as regards quality. Taking the quality into account, the prices are exorbitant. This is owing to the great scarcity of production in other provinces, which the Douro district is supplying; a very large exportation to Brazil; and, lastly, the great increase in the home consumption. The inevitable consequence is the great rise in the price of brandy, which is £12 per pipe dearer than in 1871, and it is believed it will still rise £9 or £10 more per pipe during the course of the year. This will necessarily have an effect upon prices of young wines, treated with the proper brandy, and it will tell upon the cheapest wines rather severely.
I have, &c.,
-
The cotton imports, subdivided, are as follows:
↩Unbleached £449,000 Bleached 175,560 Printed 131,330 Handkerchiefs 51,550 Thread 27,110 Muslin 8,440 Unenumerated 46,704 Total 889,794