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| »Issue 12, Volume 07 www.scarbrough-intl.com » December 2007 | |||
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COVER STORY International Trade in the Old Testament When we think of the Bible we usually envision sitting in church or Sunday school listening to someone give a moral objective lesson with emphasis on eternal consequences. The purpose of this article is to give insight into the biblical world of trade among people who existed without the advanced technological expertise we have today. You may find they were not much different than those of us who currently work in the field of international trade and transportation. The Bible, especially the Old Testament, gives us a glimpse of the everyday lives on those who were living in ancient times. The major focus of the Old Testament is the Israelites and their relationships to their God, to themselves, and also to the cultures around them. The main focus of this paper is to show the interconnected world of trade among Israel and the surrounding nations. One of the most important trading partners of the Israelites was Tyre. Tyre was the main city of a people we now call the Phoenicians. They were the first recorded sea-faring traders that we know of in the Mediterranean world. Phoenicia (present day Lebanon) did not have a lot of farmland, but was endowed with good harbors and plentiful cedar trees for ship building. Due to this situation, the populace was forced to go to the sea for their livelihood. At first this involved fishing, but being the entrepreneurs they were it extended into cargo ship making. In time they not only became transportation providers, but also the buying and selling agents of trade goods all across the Mediterranean world and beyond. We have records that support the fact that the Phoenicians traveled extensively to trade and profit. Their ships were very big for those times. They were the first people to build ships that were later called Biremes. These ships had two decks of oars used to row. There was also a very large mast and sail to help catch the wind for added speed. The ships were between 75 and 90 feet long which is very small considering today we have container ships almost ten times that length. Needless to say, we have come a long way in ship design. Tyre is still located on the coast of Southern Lebanon just as it was in ancient times. The main part of the city was built on an island 3.5 miles from the mainland. This was the citadel the populace used to withstand attacks from land based powers such as the Assyrians. In times of war the people would get in the ships and cross over to this island and be safe behind 150 foot high walls. Since they depended on the sea for their livelihood, they were not in danger of going through famines due to siege as other cities like Jerusalem in Judah. Tyre had an extensive harbor which allowed their ships access to the whole Mediterranean World in search of Gold and precious stones. In fact Zechariah 9:3 states that there was enough silver and gold to be counted as dust and mire in the streets. This brings us to the main passage of scripture that relates to Tyre and its “trading partners”. Ezekiel Chapter 27 is a lamentation for Tyre that the Lord tells Ezekiel to write down and proclaim. In this chapter we get a very accurate rendition of the extent of trade that was carried out in those times. The list of cultures and the wares they traded in is extensive. There were Linen textiles from Egypt which at that time was the center of flax cultivation. From Tarshish, which some scholars say was in Spain and others point to Ancient Briton, originated such goods as silver, iron, tin and lead. The iron was used for tools and the tin and lead were employed in the manufacture of brass. The silver was used to finance their economic “engine”. The Bible states that Javan, Tubal, and Meshach were the merchants of Tyre. They came to Tyre and set up shop to sell brass and slaves. They were also accompanied by horse traders from Togarmah; who were known to be breeders of horses and mules. We would think of them today as car and tractor dealerships. These are the people who resided in what is today modern Turkey. The Phoenicians had extensive trade networks all over the known world at that time. They traveled far and wide to not only trade with the above mentioned nations, but also with Syria, Mesopotamia, Judah and the Arabia Peninsula. Phoenicians also made long ocean voyages to regions that the Bible and Egyptian sources call Punt and Ophir. These are thought to be East Africa and the modern state of India. Tyre was a city bustling with commerce that dealt with commodities as diverse as textiles to spices. Anyone who wanted to set up shop in an ancient “international business enterprise” was lured to this prime real estate on the.... -- Robert Whitley, CHB Customer Service Representative |
Continuous and Single-Entry Bonds: What You Need to Know As an Import customer of Scarbrough International, Ltd., there are a number of criteria you should know regarding Customs bonds. If you’re importing merchandise into the United States, in most cases a bond must be posted to ensure all duties, taxes and fees owed to the federal government will be paid. If your company uses a Customhouse Broker (such as Scarbrough) to clear goods through US Customs, the broker’s bond may be used to secure your transaction. Otherwise, there are two types of bonds that can be obtained: Continuous Bonds and Single Entry Bonds (SEB). The type of bond obtained ultimately depends on how often your company imports and the dutiable value of each shipment. Customs bonds are usually acquired through a Surety Company (Roanoke Trade) licensed by the Treasury Department. If you only import on occasion, SEB’s are usually the recommended choice. However, if you import frequently and through various US ports of entry, a Continuous Bond is beneficial and economically the better choice. SEB’s are used on a single shipment and cover only the entry or transaction for which it was written. SEB amounts are usually determined by the local Port Director who accepts the bond. The bond amount of a SEB is generally not less than the total entered value plus all duties, taxes, and fees. If the merchandise is subject to other federal agency requirements or qualifies as restricted merchandise, the bond amount set is not less than three times the total entered value of the merchandise. The minimum amount for a SEB is $100. To do business with Customs using a SEB, you may have to apply for permission. The person must file a bond application usually in the form of a letter. The application should identify the value and nature of the merchandise involved in the transaction to be secured. When the SEB is filed with the Customs Entry, or when the Entry Summary is filed at the time of entry, an application may not be required. A Continuous Bond is normally obtained by companies that import at least eight times annually and/or import... -- Ryan Flickinger, CHB Customer Service Representative |
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BUSINESS NEWS
Declining Dollar Makes US-produced Goods More Appealing Despite all the negative implications associated with the continued decline of the US dollar, there exists a silver lining: US goods are quickly becoming more price-competitive in the international marketplace. With most major currencies gaining ground against the dollar over the past several months, an otherwise dour situation is affording windfall to US companies already established as sellers in foreign markets, or willing to expand sales to overseas buyers. Many savvy businesses have already begun diverting resources and attention to attracting overseas buyers, putting a higher emphasis on stimulating foreign interest in US-produced goods. The decline in dollar value can be problematic from an import perspective as currency fluctuations cut into a company’s bottom line, but it creates new market opportunities as our major trading partners find themselves with more purchasing power here in the States, in turn raising personal incomes for many US workers while narrowing the trade...
-- Nathan Eilers, Branch Manager Milwaukee
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SCARBROUGH NEWS Good News for Exports Would you believe that the manufacturing sector has had some level of expansion for ten straight months? It has, and the recent expansion is courteous of the export sector. Analysts are concerned about the ability of manufacturing to expand much in early 2008. However, what may boost the manufacturing sector could be influenced by the value of the US dollar. The deprecation of the dollar has helped boost U.S. exports to an all-time high. The positive impact has not yet reached its full potential as the benefits are not only confined to the manufacturing sector. Other industries are also experiencing similar growth. In the U.S. agriculture markets, apple growers in Washington have noticed products are now more price-competitive abroad. The dollar decline should allow U.S. exporters to establish themselves in foreign markets. Once the value of the dollar begins to increase, the exporters may have the ability to remain connected with their market share intact. It seems the weaker U.S. dollar... -- Michelle Roth, Accounting |
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BUSINESS MONITOR Italian Trucker Strikes hurts International Shipping A protest by Italian truckers blocked motorways, grounded flights, damaged national and international supply chains that rely heavily on the ability to replenish in a timely fashion. "From 10 a.m. (December 11, 2007) more than 60 percent of gas stations' stocks had run out. By this evening gas stations on motorways and in towns will be more or less dry," said Fegica Cisl, a union group which represents some of Italy's independent fuel retailers. Car maker Fiat shut down all of its Fiat Auto car plants for lack of spare parts and left 17,000 workers at home, a company source said. Fiat shares were down 2.41 percent by 1539 GMT on profit-taking after recent gains, traders said. In Rome, people were lining up to buy gas but some stations had put up signs saying they had already run out of fuel. Thousands of trucks blocked highways in various parts of the country, including to the north of the capital Rome and near the border with France. The truckers want the government to cut the price of diesel and impose better conditions in their sector, such as ensuring they are paid more promptly... -- Scott Woods, Sales/Marketing |
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Congratulations Alyson and Brook Schroer. Congratulations Tia and Todd Tenbrink. Scarbrough employee's, Alyson and Tia, recently added to the Scarbrough Family. Alyson and Brook are the proud parents of Lillian Noel Schroer (7lbs, 14.5 oz, 20"). Tia and Todd Tenbrink added their second child, Cole Andrew Tenbrink (6lbs, 14oz, 20"). -- Scott Woods, Sales/Marketing |
'For to us a child is born |
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" 'Simply the Best', both personally and professionally is the cornerstone of our culture." |
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