54 BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA work, obtained a surprising amount of business. We are told they made such a success of the export trade by going into the country, and purchasing in advance the crops and products of the natives. This may have been the case to some extent in Hankow and North China, but no such opportunities exist of working upon this method in Hongkong and South China. Their "success" in Hongkong consisted in speculations, and price-cutting to such an extent, that the bulk of their transactions were distinctly unprofitable. In one or two instances the fact that some possessed sufficient knowledge of chemistry to enable them to conduct their own testing must have been of help to them. We could possibly improve our own position in this respect, and our experts in Chinese produce should certainly devote more study to this important science, and make a liberal use
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of their knowledge. It would be helpful not only as a protection against the ingenious methods of adulteration so dear to John Chinaman, but also in providing more efficient means of preserving many articles which at present can only be ex- ported from China with considerable risk of deterioration on the voyage.
In conducting insurance business Ger- man methods were characterised by the same desire to grab all business in sight irrespective of its quality, and this must have led to the most disappointing results to their home offices. No special care seems to have been taken in selecting their risks. But in this branch of business they had little chance to compete successfully against the more influential British com- panies which have branches and agencies in all the important towns and cities of China. In addition, the local British Insur-