289 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

Ceylon). It is chiefly concerned with coconut growing and the
products thereof. To a less extent it also concerns itself with the
roducts of cinnamon, citronella, paddy, and spices. The Low
Country Products Association endeavors to do for the Sinhalese
what the Planters’ Association does for the European planting community.
 It does not concern itself with or attempt to regulate export
conditions. The individual members are free to use their own initiative
 and compete with one another in foreign markets.
Combinations of manufacturers exporting to Ceylon—Regarding
the combinations of manufacturers foreign to Ceylon which export
to this British possession, I must acknowledge I am unable to give
concrete, definite information. : Any information which might be
obtained in Ceylon would, I fear, be unreliable as compared with the
information obtainable by the consular officer in the home country
of the combination. For instance, Sweden exp safety matches to
Ceylon, but whether Jonképings-Téndsticksfabrik is a member of
some Swedish exporting trust I am unable to learn from local importers.
 In fact, I have reason to believe they do not know.
British domination of Ceylon import trade.—A study of the trade
statistics of Ceylon shows that the imports to this island are largely
from the United Kingdom and colonies. In 1914 only 15} per cent
of the imports came from elsewhere than the British Empire, while
in 1913 and 1912 the percentages were 153 and 15, respectively.
Thus it is noted that about 85 per cent of Ceylon’s import trade is
British.
No combinations of American goods buyers—I am satisfied that
no combinations of buyers exist for the purpose of importing goods.
Importing is done-by jobbing houses, commission merchants, and
sther dealers independent of each other.
Other competitive conditions in Ceylon.—The statement that there
are at present no foreign investments in Ceylon is practically true.
Before the war the only foreign investments of any consequence
were German. These are at present under British control.

AFRICA.

SOUTH AFRICA.

Special report of Consul General George E. Murphy, Cape Town, South Africa,
December 3, 1915.
Although the Union of South Africa is a country large in area,
its civilized popuistion does not exceed 2,000,000. Moreover, it is
not yet a manufacturing country, the principal industries being mining,
 stock raising, and farming. The large bulk of exports are raw
products, while the imports are overwhelmingly from Great Britain.
Before the outbreak of the present war to, about equaled
the United States in the amount of its exportations to South Africa,
but apparently it was a larger buyer. This was due to the fact that
it maintained direct lines of freight communication with this country,
 while the United States bought and received largely indirectly,
via England.
There is very little exportation of manufactured articles from
here, nor is there any large or important combination of manufacturers
 which controls trade in the home market. As 1s well