Page 190 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

176.
Consequent to the growth of American trade from Manila

to Canton, an American trade between Manila and the United

States appeared. Although the majority of American vessels which
1
anchored at Manila in 1830 s went to Canton, a large number

sailed directly back to the United States with cargoes of hemp,
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sugar and indigo. Also the Manila market provided an alter­

native to the Canton market. If American merchants at Canton

could not fill a cargo profitably, or only partially, they

could despatch the vessel to Manila. At the same time the

export trade at Manila was increasing, the Philippines be-

came a market for American manufactures, especially textiles.

American merchants began selling cotton cloths, known as
1
domestics, in the e3rly 1830 s. Unbleached domestics, a

brownish color and a rather coarse texture, were the most

popular. By 1835 the major market for American domestics

was Canton, where they successfully competed with British­

manufactured cotton cloths. The Chinese even preferred Amer­

ican domestics to their own nankins. Introduced simultaneously
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at Manila, the domestics proved very successful there also.

1
Overall American trade at Manila throughout the 1830 s
1
and 1840 s remained an export trade which, furthermore, was

an integral part of the China trade. An overwhelming majority

branch continued doing well. Before 1844 the only other Ameri­
can house at Manila was Peele, Hubbell & Co. connected primarily
with Salem merchants.
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Consular Despatches: Manila, A.H.P. Edwards, Jan. 27, 1833
46 1 . . · 1
h ·
In 1is annua report on American commerce at Mani a,
Consul Edwards estimated the annual consumption of unbleached
domestics at two million pieces. Consular Despatches: Manila,
A.H.P. Edwards, Dec. 31, 1834.