The Democratic advocate., 1877-09-08
American Breadatufs.


averages at present 1894 ,000, 900 bushels.
OF this Russia furnishes 100000, 900
bushels, Germany 742, 500, 900 bushels,
and Austria 450,O00,OO0. DR.. Edward
Young, Chief of the Bureau of Statistics
Washington, estimates the product of
cereals of these United States at about
100000 900 bushels. At this present
writing the United States is the greatest
grain-producing and gFain-exporting coun-
try in the world. Since 1867 we have
been rapidly driving our chief competitor,
Russia from British and European mar
kets. In 1867 we supplied England with
but IA per cent. of her total imports of
wheat, as against A per cent. in 1873.
Meantime, Russia supplied her with A
per cent. in 1867, as against 81 per cent.
in 1873.
With undiminished resources of land for
the production of wheat and corn, there
would seem to be no conceivable limit to
our production and export Of both. Our
machinery, railroad system, and elevators
enable us to place grain on shipboard iif-
teen per cent. less than can be done in the
ports Of Russia. For over twenty five
years past the millions Of Europe have
looked confidently to this country for
cheap food when short of breadstuffs.
From present appearances it would seem
that the United States can henceforth
control to large extent the grain mar
kets Of Europe, Russia and Turkey have
heretofore furnished 226 per cent. of the
supplies required by England. The gigan-
tic war in which those nations are engaged
must naturally cause an increased demand
for American breadstufs. In India "a
mnie prevails this year. Egypt, subject
to the suzerainty Of the Porte, will be
affected by the Russo Turkish war, and
whether the war be confined to the present
combatants, or whether it draws into it
other European powers, it is evident that
the demand for American breadstuffs will
be increased in the neighborhood of twen-
ty-fve per cent in the case of the cutting
off Of the Russian and Turkish supplies
from market, and the war at present does
not promise TO be Of short duration. Italy
draws large supplies from Russian and
Turkish grain centres on the Black sea
the failure Of those supplies will create au
active demand for our breadstuffs in Ital-
ian, French, and other Mediterranean
ports.
For the last four years we have export
ed wheat, -four and Indian corn to the
average value of more than one hundred
million dollars per annum. Though our
exports of raw cotton-the great American
by nearly two.thirds in
value the combined exports of wheat, -four
and Indian corn, the ratio of increase is
enormously in favor of the latter articles.
If we look at the natural per centage of
increase, estimating the value Of exported
cereals at S100,000,000, roughly stated,
as against sl6l 900, 900 of co tton for the
year ending September /, 1876, we find
that, as compared with the previous year,
the increased exports Of wheat, -four and
corn added last year S1S,334 ,449 to the
wealth of the country, while the increased
exports of raw cotton only realized 81
02O,037. The exports of wheat from all
United States ports to all foreign countries
increased from IA, ,597, ,5s5 bushels in 1868
to 1851 1893 bushels in 1876. Duri nc
the five years ending June 80, 1876, the
total grain exports have increased from
56, l43, ,l66 to 125 ,959,6O1 bushels. On
an average of 44,741 ,37l, the total corn
crop of the United States in 1875 was | :
320, ,069, 900 bushels, while, on an average
Of 26, ,39l ,55S, the total wheat crop reached
292, 1860 bushels.
In order, however, to appreciate the
advantage Of the United States as grain
growing country, its population should be
taken into account-40, ,000, 900 Of people
producing forty bushels per head. Europe,
with population of not quite 300 600.
900, produces only sixteen bushels per
head; Russia twenty-six bushels per head.
and Great Britain only four bushels per
head. As the average quantity Of grain
per head : fifteen bushels, we
produce nearly three times as much as we
requirei Russia scarcely twice its wants;
Europe, on an average, all needed, but
Great Britain not much over one-fourth.
It will be seen that the general production
Tar surpasses the consumption, but this
excess is absorbed by breweries and dis
tilleries all over the world, which do more
TO keep the price of breadstuffs at high
figure than anything else.
The demand for foreign food is con-
stantly increasing in England. Some
valuable statistics recently submitted to
the Manchester Statistical Society by Mr.
Stephen Bourne, of her Majestys Gus.
toms, shows that each member of the
now consumes to the value of !
two and half times as much foreign food |
rs he did twenty years back, aud that the
total cost of such food in the past twenty |
years has been over $4,000, 600, 900 |
$4,000, ,OO0,0O0.) The true index to |
what this means is found in the auanti.
ties, rather than the values, because prices
are to some extent deceptive, being liable |
10 imitation or depression, as the case NAV |
be-. Of the f3l9, 100000 worth of i'm |
ports imported into Great Britain last
year, one-half represented food supplies
ihus, fl59,000,000 were for food, eI19-
DOO, 900 for raw materials, and Cal .OO0,- |
DOC for manufactured and miscellaneous
articles. During the past ten years the
growth Of imports has been most rapid in
articles for food. OF the SO, ,39O.524
,wts, of wheat imported into the United
Kingdom from Sept. 1, 1875, to Aug. 81. |
1876, 2O,SS2, ,ll5 went from this country
The imports Of maize into the United
Kingdom in 1876 were $4,000. 900 bush |
bis, comprising about 10000, 600 from the |
United States and 20, 900, 900 bushels from
southeastern Europe, including France.
Anticipating the future course and fur
Iher rapid growth of this trade, British |
capitalists are now building six Of the |
largest sized iron vessels for the transpor- |
tation Of breadstufs from our shores on
English account. We should not only
strain every nerve to meet the increased
demands of Europe for breadstuffs, but we
should also supply ships TO carry them.
A. x..t- a ~