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The following are the main factors to which I would attribute the German success in securing business in Hongkong:-
Imorative Agencies such as dyes, watehou, ootton thread etc. etc, when the goods were consignad free and no risk was incurred, These Agencies formed the basis of the business, and contributed handsomely to the general expenses of the House.
The sranting of credit facilities to Buyers which they were able to carry out owing to the generous facilities accorded by the Banks and Finance Houses, the goods being handed over against signature of the latters of lion, the stipulations of which were never adhered to.
Closer 06-0peration with the Chinese staff. The native staffs of the German Firma appear to have been better paid
than those of the British Houses, and they were given a
small percentage on their turnover, The Germans realised that in order to secure the best services from Chinese, they must be allowed a pecuniary interest,
Great industry and close application to detail.
Germana were not especially clever, nor did they employ
exceptional methods, but they were great workers, took
the greatest paina over details, and nothing was too
Ball for their attention, As a Chinese, who had been in
their employ once said to me:- "They were always hungry
for business", No matter how small the business was, they
were always prepared to countersample, work out charges
and prices, and spared no efforts to work up a trade. In
this, they were well - supported by the Merchants and
Manufacturers in Germany, whose general attitude is far
lesa rigid than that of the average British Supplier,
who
ao often deelines to take up a new line unless he sees
an immediate return for his expenditure of labor and
capital. The Germana were brought up in the hard school
of having to fight for business against strong vested