# 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/United Kingdom/Trade

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​ Commerce.—British commerce received an enormous development after the first quarter of the 19th century. In 1826 the aggregate value of the imports into and exports from the United Kingdom amounted to no more than £88,758,678; while the total rose to £110,559,538 in 1836 and to £205,625,831 in 1846. In 1856 the aggregate of imports and exports had risen to £311,764,507, in 1866 to £534,195,956 and in 1876 to £631,931,305. Thus the commercial transactions of the United Kingdom with foreign states and British colonies increased more than sevenfold in the course of fifty years.
An important fact in connexion with the foreign commerce of the United Kingdom is that there has been a steady increase in imports, but there has been no corresponding steady increase in exports of British produce and manufactures. Many industries, which formerly were mainly in British hands, have been developed on the continent of Europe, in America, and to some extent in the East. The movement began in 1872. Up to that time the exports of British home produce had kept on increasing with the imports, although at a lesser rate, and far inferior in aggregate value; but a change took place in the latter year. While the imports continued their upward course, gradually rising from £354,693,624 in 1872 to £375,154,703 in 1876, the exports of British produce fell from £256,257,347 in 1872 to £200,639,204 in 1876. The decline in exports, regular and steady throughout the period, and with a tendency to become more pronounced every year, affected all the principal articles of British home produce just enumerated. The value of the cotton manuctures exported sank from £80,164,155 in 1872 to £67,641,268 in 1876; woollen fabrics from £38,493,411 to £23,020,719; iron and steel from £35,996,167 to £20,737,410; coals from £10,442,321 to £8,904,463; machinery from £8,201,112 to £7,210,426; and linen manufactures from £10,956,761 to £7,070,149. The decline during the four years, it will be seen, was greatest in all textile manufactures, and least in coal and machinery. ​
| Country. | Country. | Country. | 1890. | 1890. | 1895. | 1895. | 1900. | 1905. | 1905. | 1909. |
| I.—British Possessions— | I.—British Possessions— | I.—British Possessions— | £ | | £ | | £ | £ | | £ |
| India and Ceylon... | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 37,856,598 | | 31,076,761 | | 32,861,217 | 40,540,341 | | 40,995,633 |
| India and Ceylon... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 38,254,769 | | 27,519,909 | | 32,885,147 | 45,796,432 | | 46,617,909 |
| Straits Settlements, Malaysia | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 6,412,865 | | 5,404,887 | | 8,092,057 | 7,222,215 | | 8,948,582 |
| and Hong Kong... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 5,766,059 | | 4,077,436 | | 6,162,526 | 7,162,908 | | 7,455,726 |
| Africa ....... | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 11,290,022 | | 12,522,366 | | 9,703,086 | 14,755,353 | | 13,130,724 |
| Africa ....... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 10,774,904 | | 13,325,089 | | 16,725,092 | 21,338,292 | | 20,181,408 |
| Canada and Newfoundland . | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 12,444,489 | | 13,400,570 | | 22,240,325 | 26,204,205 | | 27,674,340 |
| Canada and Newfoundland . | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 8,272,743 | | 6,594,903 | | 9,659,138 | 14,267,967 | | 18,750,970 |
| West Indies, Bermudas, Hon- | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 2,992,472 | | 2,831,343 | | 2,483,648 | 2,717,318 | | 2,969,772 |
| duras and Guiana ... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 4,262,669 | | 3,230,189 | | 2,954,477 | 3,324,665 | | 3,777,244 |
| Australia ...... | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 20,992,185 | | 24,954,779 | | 23,800,820 | 26,968,977 | | 32,655,709 |
| Australia ...... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 21,750,705 | | 15,867,979 | | 23,545,565 | 19,476,463 | | 27,207,430 |
| New Zealand ..... | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 8,347,430 | | 8,383,058 | | 11,615,881 | 13,391,222 | | 17,730,556 |
| New Zealand ..... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 3,705,428 | | 3,443,688 | | 5,899,292 | 6,994,806 | | 8,081,422 |
| Other ....... | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 1,720,583 | | 1,952,431 | | 2,287,537 | 3,731,132 | | 2,800,939 |
| Other ....... | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 3,826,012 | | 3,095,184 | | 4,252,072 | 4,351,367 | | 4,246,362 |
| II.—Foreign Countries— | II.—Foreign Countries— | II.—Foreign Countries— | | | | | | | | |
| France | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 44,828,148 | | 47,470,583 | | 53,618,656 | 53,072,900 | | 50,690,785 |
| France | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 24,710,803 | | 20,324,998 | | 25,877,453 | 23,232,663 | | 31,515,320 |
| Germany | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 26,073,331 | | 26,992,559 | | 31,181,667 | 35,799,758 | | 40,115,450 |
| Germany | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 30,516,281 | | 32,736,651 | | 38,542,790 | 42,742,300 | | 47,168,852 |
| Belgium | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 17,383,776 | | 17,545,169 | | 23,502,603 | 27,751,288 | | 29,217,560 |
| Belgium | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 13,594,966 | | 11,934,653 | | 14,846,307 | 14,818,923 | | 19,284,791 |
| Holland | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 25,900,924 | | 28,419,944 | | 31,381,023 | 35,481,059 | | 37,371,702 |
| Holland | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 16,445,992 | | 11,272,258 | | 14,931,090 | 14,516,887 | | 16,303,884 |
| Denmark, Faeroe, Iceland, | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 7,753,389 | | 9,799,328 | | 13,187,757 | 15,606,991 | | 19,427,483 |
| Greenland | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 2,928,006 | | 3,135,122 | | 4,724,121 | 4,609,671 | | 5,705,415 |
| Norway | ${\Big \$ | Imports | — | | 3,831,727 | | 5,756,018 | 5,954,870 | | 6,574,319 |
| Norway | ${\Big \$ | Exports | — | | 2,532,050 | | 3,910,982 | 3,712,532 | | 3,835,436 |
| Sweden | ${\Big \$ | Imports | — | | 8,784,256 | | 10,635,060 | 9,827,993 | | 9,245,303 |
| Sweden | ${\Big \$ | Exports | — | | 4,036,729 | | 6,495,223 | 6,016,332 | | 7,114,071 |
| Austra-Hungary | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 1,728,337 | | 1,221,783 | | 1,375,245 | 1,488,604 | | 1,208,499 |
| Austra-Hungary | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 1,694,318 | | 2,149,552 | | 3,157,716 | 2,603,223 | | 4,333,269 |
| Rumania | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 4,447,159 | | 2,118,505 | | 1,396,639 | 1,689,513 | | 3,395,474 |
| Rumania | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 1,350,497 | | 944,034 | | 616,287 | 1,305,658 | | 1,749,996 |
| Greece | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 1,962,798 | | 1,241,406 | | 2,227,212 | 1,328,234 | | 1,613,174 |
| Greece | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 1,235,126 | | 860,193 | | 1,104,196 | 1,251,642 | | 1,513,744 |
| Italy | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 3,093,918 | | 3,132,720 | | 3,417,790 | 3,324,595 | | 3,634,073 |
| Italy | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 8,523,209 | | 6,211,337 | | 9,444,498 | 9,787,306 | | 13,274,764 |
| Spain | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 12,508,533 | | 11,314,518 | | 15,882,346 | 13,858,631 | | 13,362,959 |
| Spain | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 5,702,804 | | 4,052,806 | | 6,333,857 | 4,841,774 | | 5,352,017 |
| Portugal | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 2,942,194 | | 2,491,926 | | 3,241,367 | 2,929,634 | | 2,912,994 |
| Portugal | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 2,612,638 | | 1,865,973 | | 2,529,305 | 2,826,257 | | 2,777,201 |
| Russian Empire | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 23,750,868 | | 24,736,919 | | 21,983,952 | 33,366,234 | | 36,897,746 |
| Russian Empire | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 8,846,054 | | 10,686,333 | | 16,360,475 | 14,884,050 | | 18,325,844 |
| Turkey | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 8,368,851 | ¹ | 5,630,240 | | 5,657,627 | 5,491,443 | | 5,085,435 |
| Turkey | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 7,340,868 | ¹ | 5,566,187 | | 5,372,956 | 6,979,147 | | 7,789,432 |
| Japan | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 1,024,993 | | 1,143,382 | | 1,540,526 | 1,860,313 | | 4,232,716 |
| Japan | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 4,187,373 | | 4,772,829 | | 9,933,925 | 9,796,900 | | 8,618,821 |
| China | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 4,830,850 | ² | 3,343,865 | ² | 2,359,821 | 2,340,346 | ³ | 3,725,502 |
| China | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 6,763,221 | ² | 5,363,536 | ² | 5,634,313 | 13,298,828 | ³ | 8,558,275 |
| Netherlands—India | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 1,223,037 | | 874,313 | | 287,454 | 2,129,479 | | 2,436,518 |
| Netherlands—India | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 1,675,054 | | 1,988,479 | | 2,881,601 | 3,558,562 | | 3,768,264 |
| Egypt | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 8,368,851 | | 9,524,507 | | 12,585,578 | 14,976,188 | | 19,872,288 |
| Egypt | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 3,459,991 | | 3,414,556 | | 6,159,468 | 8,069,668 | | 8,142,325 |
| U.S.A. | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 97,283,349 | | 86,548,860 | | 138,789,261 | 115,573,051 | | 118,269,777 |
| U.S.A. | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 46,340,012 | | 44,067,703 | | 37,343,955 | 47,282,088 | | 59,254,166 |
| Mexico and Central American | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 1,863,284 | | 1,443,345 | | 1,144,590 | 2,138,574 | | 2,595,356 |
| States | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 3,050,051 | | 3,035,097 | | 3,149,652 | 3,022,074 | | 3,179,577 |
| Brazil | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 4,350,675 | | 3,614,155 | | 5,946,547 | 8,109,208 | | 11,271,890 |
| Brazil | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 7,795,073 | | 7,643,739 | | 6,156,600 | 6,916,617 | | 8,809,226 |
| Argentina | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 4,129,802 | | 9,084,497 | | 13,080,466 | 25,034,325 | | 32,528,446 |
| Argentina | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 8,530,427 | | 5,480,848 | | 7,438,238 | 13,383,835 | | 19,202,496 |
| Chile | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 3,473,348 | | 3,436,142 | | 4,828,371 | 6,068,031 | | 6,607,415 |
| Chile | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 3,365,824 | | 3,454,332 | | 3,535,736 | 4,782,382 | | 5,054,144 |
| Other countries in Asia | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 376,969 | | 344,895 | | 373,344 | 611,096 | | 1,043,280 |
| Other countries in Asia | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 516,846 | | 720,350 | | 684,440 | 699,556 | | 1,214,041 |
| Africa | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 2,345,843 | | 1,683,319 | | 2,503,823 | 2,901,281 | | 4,538,518 |
| Africa | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 3,262,462 | | 3,052,023 | | 4,686,727 | 6,063,114 | | 7,783,508 |
| South America | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 2,080,466 | | 2,437,294 | | 2,355,801 | 3,897,595 | | 5,657,201 |
| South America | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 5,674,325 | | 4,489,592 | | 4,088,731 | 5,129,351 | | 6,137,748 |
| Other Countries | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 3,206,713 | | 3,447,034 | | 3,190,888 | 6,289,947 | | 4,260,790 |
| Other Countries | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 6,605,220 | | 3,901,551 | | 6,370,943 | 8,352,264 | | 7,440,065 |
| Total for British possessions | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 100,279,852 | | 100,405,592 | | 113,074,557 | 134,530,683 | | 146,908,244 |
| Total for British possessions | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 94,522,469 | | 76,138,896 | | 102,083,109 | 122,712,920 | | 136,318,471 |
| Total for foreign countries | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 324,530,783 | | 321,038,151 | | 413,434,242 | 437,151,191 | | 477,796,713 |
| Total for foreign countries | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 233,729,649 | | 209,693,511 | | 252,290,645 | 284,883,607 | | 333,206,695 |
| Grand total | ${\Big \$ | Imports | 420,691,997 | | 416,689,658 | | 523,075,163 | 565,019,917 | | 624,704,957 |
| Grand total | ${\Big \$ | Exports | 328,252,118 | | 285,832,407 | | 354,373,754 | 407,596,527 | | 469,525,166 |
¹ Including Cyprus in this year.² Including Korea.³ Excluding Wei-hai-wei.
The table on p. 602 shows the subsequent movement in value of imports from other countries to the United Kingdom, and of exports to other countries from the United Kingdom, at quinquennial intervals; bullion and specie being excluded.
As regards fluctuations not revealed by the above figures, it may be mentioned that the highest total figures for any one year during the period covered are those for 1907, viz. imports £645,897,942; exports £517,977,167. As to minima within the period, the lowest totals for British possessions were: imports £91,851,534 in 1893, and exports, the figure quoted for 1895; for foreign countries, imports £312,836,644 in 1893, and exports £195,133,239 in 1894; grand totals, imports £404,683,178 in 1893, and exports £273,785,867 in 1894. It may be added that the maximal import figures for France within the period are those of 1906 (£53,871,661), for Germany those of 1909, and for the United States those of 1901 (£141,015,465). For exports to the United States the figures for 1909 were highest, to France those of 1907 (£33,507,544) and to Germany those of 1907 (£56,729,988).
The following table presents the value of the chief groups and articles of importation into the United Kingdom:—
| | 1895. | 1900. | 1905. | 1909. |
| Grain and flour...... | 53,077,981 | 62,992,082 | 70,057,290 | 83,107,421 |
| Meat......... | 33,334,171 | 46,782,579 | 49,431,748 | 47,623,428 |
| Other principal articles of food and drink— | | | | |
| Butter........ | 14,235,230 | 17,450,435 | 21,586,622 | 22,424,962 |
| Sugar........ | 17,684,413 | 19,256,439 | 19,471,811 | 21,691,894 |
| Tea ......... | 10,242,999 | 10,686,910 | 9,302,713 | 11,617,031 |
| Wine......... | 5,448,088 | 5,192,909 | 4,072,199 | 3,746,489 |
| Coffee........ | 3,778,365 | 2,544,726 | 2,578,327 | 2,675,516 |
| Fish (preserved)...... | 2,289,260 | 2,895,330 | 2,493,876 | 2,509,573 |
| Cocoa and chocolate..... | 1,610,483 | 2,398,248 | 2,227,141 | 903,464 |
| Principal fruits— | | | | |
| Apples ........ | 966,273 | 1,224,657 | 2,665,193 | 2,667,911 |
| Oranges....... | 1,925,415 | 2,120,790 | 1,949,496 | 2,522,491 |
| Bananas....... | — | 548,956 | 1,776,256 | 1,752,166 |
| Tobacco........ | 3,253,916 | 4,799,417 | 3,721,920 | 4,986,663 |
| Raw materials— | | | | |
| Cotton........ | 30,522,016 | 41,117,308 | 52,370,878 | 60,295,049 |
| Wool......... | 23,494,249 | 24,073,917 | 26,643,737 | 35,041,766 |
| Oils, &c. ........ | 18,497,573 | 23,564,644 | 23,600,927 | 31,039,883 |
| Wood and timber..... | 16,372,181 | 27,875,913 | 23,274,020 | 23,591,579 |
| Textile materials excluding cotton and wool . | 11,378,608 | 11,553,114 | 14,511,978 | 12,127,707 |
| Caoutchouc ....... | 3,760,178 | 6,986,133 | 9,643,153 | 14,138,204 |
| Hides and skins...... | 7,360,070 | 8,465,660 | 8,084,793 | 11,617,756 |
| Metallic ores excluding iron... | 4,575,929 | 5,575,272 | 7,610,990 | 8,327,193 |
| Iron ore. &c....... | 3,027,196 | 5,750,947 | 5,525,575 | 5,076,131 |
| Manufactured articles— | | | | |
| Yarns and textile fabrics.... | — | — | 39,688,418 | 29,651,658 |
| Metal, excluding iron and steel... | 11,196,315 | 21,844,683 | 21,840,696 | 24,346,328 |
| Leather........ | 11,035,870 | 11,823,132 | 11,037,983 | 11,617,130 |
| Chemicals....... | 8,714,360 | 8,628,279 | 9,624,638 | 10,596,593 |
| Iron and steel (not machinery). | — | 7,314,696 | 8,589,405 | 7,971,594 |
| Paper........ | 2,845,730 | 4,412,440 | 5,256,065 | 5,647,437 |
| Machinery....... | — | 3,475,887 | 4,537,871 | 4,433,326 |
Certain omissions are necessary in this table owing to alterations in classification of the returns.
The value of the chief articles and groups of export of home produce are similarly shown:—
| | 1895. | 1900. | 1905. | 1909. |
| Cotton yarn and manufactures. | 63,746,463 | 69,750,279 | 92,010,985 | 93,444,799 |
| Iron and steel and manufactures. | 19,428,383 | 31,623,353 | 31,826,438 | 38,192,142 |
| Woollen yarn and manufactures. | 29,094,568 | 24,259,766 | 29,916,807 | 30,917,807 |
| Coal......... | 14,600,326 | 36,409,614 | 24,859,129 | 37,129,978 |
| Machinery....... | 15,150,522 | 19,619,784 | 23,260,326 | 28,057,643 |
| Chemicals....... | 11,463,304 | 13,154,344 | 14,536,857 | 16,783,019 |
| Textiles (not cotton or wool) .. | 11,986,718 | 12,191,069 | 13,204,899 | 12,441,525 |
| Metal manufactures (not iron). | 5,048,588 | 6,473,197 | 8,920,533 | 8,708,945 |
| Clothing........ | 5,615,594 | 6,499,086 | 6,021,242 | 9,824,125 |
| Leather and leather goods.. | 3,833,980 | 3,875,683 | 5,660,494 | 4,242,356 |
| Ships........ | — | 8,587,710 | 5,431,298 | 5,927,114 |
The proportion of imports and exports per head of population of the United Kingdom was:—
| Year. | Total Imports. | Total Imports. | Total Imports. | Exports of British Produce. | Exports of British Produce. | Exports of British Produce. |
| | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. |
| 1890 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1895 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 4 |
| 1900 | 12 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| 1905 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 7 |
| 1906 | 13 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 0 |
| 1907 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 3 |
| 1908 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 4 |
| 1909 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 1 |
The tables on p. 604 show the value of unregistered imports of gold and silver bullion and specie from British possessions and from foreign countries into the United Kingdom, specifying the most important countries individually.
* ↑ Adapted from the Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom where it is specified that the value of new ships and boats, with their machinery, was not included in exports before 1899.
* ↑ Owing to an alteration in classification these figures are not strictly comparable with those for 1905.
Gold.
| | 1890. | 1895. | 1900. | 1905. | 1909. |
| From British possessions. | 5,368,424 | 17,618,466 | 11,350,591 | 38,567,895 | 40,464,212 |
| South Africa... | 1,876,677 | 8,353,913 | 378,626 | 21,286,374 | 32,912,428 |
| India..... | 443,079 | 1,929,590 | 3,637,978 | 6,850,360 | 2,170,957 |
| Australia.... | 1,398,627 | 5,324,498 | 6,182,718 | 3,440,037 | 2,613,002 |
| Foreign countries. | 18,199,625 | 18,390,863 | 14,840,282 | 4,949,335 | 14,227,617 |
| Total.... | 23,508,049 | 36,009,329 | 20,190,873 | 43,517,230 | 54,691,829 |
Silver.
| | 1890. | 1895. | 1900. | 1905. | 1909. |
| From British possessions.. | 350,094 | 282,269 | 264,676 | 412,756 | 667,619 |
| Foreign countries.. | 10,035,565 | 10,384,063 | 13,057,624 | 12,579,258 | 11,147,270 |
| United States of America | 4,057,709 | 8,032,925 | 11,459,612 | 9,784,828 | 9,971,396 |
| Total.... | 10,385,659 | 10,666,332 | 13,322,300 | 12,992,014 | 11,814,889 |