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52 BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA
In regard to Aniline Dyes, we have to admit that in this branch the Germans ob- tained considerable success. By reason of the excellent co-operation between manu- facturers and merchants, they were able to do a huge trade in China in conjunction with their practical monopoly of this trade in other parts of the world. By dint of great perseverance, and extensive propa- ganda in up-country districts, they managed to convince the Chinaman that it was to his advantage to buy synthetic Indigo in preference to cultivating the native arti le. This provided them with a background for a good and profitable business in all sorts of dyes and other chemicals. one grudges them this success, and the various reasons why our manufacturers were unable to compete have been freely discussed in England. This is probably an instance where we had better admit at
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BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA 53
once that we have been fairly beaten in a fair fight. It may, however, be remarked that the energy and organisation employed in order to bring about their success has not been more extensive or thorough than the trade campaigns conducted by the British American Tobacco Co., and certain British Oil and Milk Companies. In these cases an equal measure of success has been attained.
In the matter of the export of Chinese produce such as Ginger, Hides, Cassia, etc., the Germans obtained control of the trade to quite a remarkable extent. The Tea business is still mainly in British and Russian hands, but we had been frozen out of a great deal of trade in the other products. Although practically the whole of the business was financed through Lon- don bankers, the Germans, by cutting prices, and, to give them due credit, by a certain amount of diligent application to the
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