Excerpt: The following circular is compiled from British and French official sources, and also from the late reports of Mr. Jernigan, the United States consul at Shanghai, China, to the State Department, for the purpose of showing the possibilities of an increased trade between those countries and the United States, and the present keen and intense competition manifested for securing it by European nations. It is published as a matter of grave commercial importance at this time to our agricultural and industrial interests in the practicable future exploitation of our trade with the Eastern Asiatic countries. The commercial clauses are appended.