New-York tribune., 1883-03-16
TRADE WITH MEYICO.

Fresh information in regard to the foreign
trade of Mexico is furnished in the Blue-Book
IN the mercial relations Of the United
States recently issued by the state Department
THIS trade is carried on mainly with three
countries, the United States, Great Britain and
France. the aggregate for the year 1850 being
S3G416,OOO. For a country having popula-
tion of over 10, OOO, 900 and an area of 1,oOO
square miles, with wide range of climate and
productions, this seems meagre result. Yet 1t
marks decided advance from the statistics OF
previous years, the aggregate Tor 1871 Oelng
sos, 1000. This rapid increase Is to be at
tributed mainly TO American enterprise. Dur
ing the four years preceding 1881 there was
slight decrease of French exports to Mexico and
a British increase of % per cent. wbiie the ex-
ports of produce and manufactures from the
United States increased more than 100 per
cent. The imports into the United States
from Mexico during the same period have
increased 60 per cent, and those into
France AZ per cent, while those into
Great Britain have shown decrease OF
% per cent. The relative condition OF the
trade of the four countries may be comprehen-
siyely stated In q single sentence. Mexico Is to-
day consuming more American goods than Eng
lisb and French combined, and is exporting to
the United States twice as much OF Its own prod
uce as it Is sending across the sea.
These figures show that the Americans are
already proiiting by the revival of national in
dustries in Mexico and preparing to Cutstrip
their competitors In what is virtually new
market opened by railway enterprise. To sta
tistics English testimony is added. writer in
The Fortnightly RerieW states that the very an
ticipation of the coming railways has created
new life and activity; that every steamer
from the United States brings in farming
implements and other machinery; that
sewing machines have come into use !;
that the price of land has risen, new
mills are building, more than one town is
lighted by electricity, and signs of progress are
seen on every side. He predicts rapid growth
of the coffee trade and the opening of wheat
producing tract of 3000O,0O0 acres in the
northwest, and lays stress upon rich supply OF
coal in Coahuila and NueyO Leon as fact of
supreme Importance in connection with the
successful operation OF the new railways and
the development of the iron mines in Northern
Mexico. Tie result. according to this writer, so
far as the Americans are concerned IS "ths
same as If England should suddenly lnd Ja-
@pan or India on her border and separated only
"by the Tweed and an invisible frontier line"
Mexico has become an American grocery
store" promising traffic unequaled in vari-
ETY. and extent in any other part of the conti-
nent." AS soon as the direct highways are COM
pleted, great market for American manufac-
tures Will be opened and kitchen-garden of
tropical produce will be added to tho Yankee
paradise.
The practical conclusion TO be drawn from
the statistics compiled by the consular agents
of the State Department and the reflections of
this English traveller is that Mexico promises to
be a most profitable field for American CONNER
cial enterprise. An inert population naturally
responds slowly and family to the quickening
impulses of civilization. Great changes ip Mex.