The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-16
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The increase of imports over last year is
roughly S44. 900 and of exports S115,
900. The exports are exports of domestic
merchandise and bullion exclusively. To
make the table absolutely accurate, an ex-
port of about Sl2,O00,OO0 of foreign mer-
chandise and foreign bullion should be
added in each year.
The commercial movement is the largest
ever known in our history. In 1881 our ex-
ports of domestic merchandise were very
nearly 5000, 900, 900, but our imports were
only SOP, 600, 000 making the total move
ment 81 542, 600, 900. In 1SS9-9O the total move
ment was 81. 575, 0OO, 900. We sent abroad $685.
&C., 900 less domestic merchandise last year
than in 1881, but we imported SIS, 100000
mere foreign merchandise. After 1851 our
domestic exports began to fall off. They
were only S717 ,057 900 in 1887. They then
began to increase again, and were heavier
last year than in any year save 1SS0-S1. 1t
will be observed that the large movement
of 1SS0-81 was due 10 the 'boom" which then
prevailed throughout the Eastern States.
There was no boom last year; trade moved
quietly on an even keel
1t Is interesting to note the articles of
which the imports and exports of 1SS9-9O
showed an increase over previous years.
Comparing them with the average of the
preceding five years. the chief increase Of
imports was in coffee, silver ores, silk,
sugar, jeNelry and WOODEN manufactures,
while the exports which show the largest
increase were cattle. corn, cereals, except
wheat, raw cotton, iron and steel manufac-
lures. leather manufactures, oil, provisions
and manufactures Of wood. This indicates.
first, general condition of prosperity
W bich enabled the people to increase their
consumption of necessaries and luXuries,
and, secondly, a surplus Of products of the
soil and products of industry which went
abroad to find market. There appears to
be every reason to expect that the extension
of our foreign trade on these lines will con-
tinue. The popular capacity for consump-
ton increases with population, while the
Increased acreage under cultivation and the
DEVELOPMENT of industry must necessarily
lead TO an increased surplus Of products.
Running the eye over the list of countries
which are our chief customers for articles
Of domestic production we find, of course,
that Great Britain occupies the first rank.
Nearly all the cattle we shipped in 1SS990
went to England 20 per cent OF the wheat;
50 per cent of the flour; all the copper; 60
per cent of the raw cotton; Il per cent of
the sole leather; 70 per cent of the canned
and cured beef; about all the fresh beef;
over so per cent Of the bacon and hams, 40
per cent of the lard and so per cent of the
butter. To the countries of continental
Europe which have tried to keep out our
food products by hostile tariffs our exports
of these articles are comparatively insig-
nficant. Germany took nearly 100000
of lard and 81, $4,000 of corn from us in
1SS9-90 but her total imports OF breadstutfS
and beef and pork products, with those ex-
ceptious, did not amount to million.
France took S10,OOO,0O of corn and wheat
and S2,500,000 of lard, but no provisions
worth enumerating. The Spanish con-
sumption Of cur breadstuffs and provisions
was so small that the statistician of the de-
partment did not think it worth segregat-
ing. Either our food exports to these
countries are normally so Insignificant
that we need borrow no trouble about them
or the protective duties lately adopted in
Europe for the exclusion of American
foods have accomplished their purpose.
A glance at the list of our exports to
South America shows how big job it Will
prove to make that branch of our foreign
commerce important. We sent in 1689-90
S3,651, 900 of flour 10 Brazil; 100000 worth
of steam-engines; S1,0O0,000 worth of ker0-
sene OIL as much lard, and smaller quanti-
ties of sundry other articles. What is true
of Brazil is true OF the other South and
Central American countries.