The morning call., 1892-01-02
OUR FOREIGN TRADE IN 1891.

The tables of the foreign trade OF the port
for the year 1891 will lee an agreeable sur
prise to those who in former years have
noted with regret the nOn-progressive char
acter OF that trade. The Custom-house
tables will not be closed for day or two,
but they cannot lead 10 results varying
much from the present estimates; these
show that, for the first time in its history
the foreign trade of San Francisco footed
up, in 1891. round hundred and five mil
lions of dollars. We sent abroad So, 701,-
2S2 worth of produce, and we received from
abroad 2561 e0G worth Of merchandise.
In this calculation it is assumed that the
movement OF December will foot up the
same as that of December 1890; il can hardly
vary much. The annual movement shows
an Improvement Of nearly $4,000, 900 over
1890; the increase il exports being Sl2.-
507,977 and in imports ST. 357. 30. THIS is
exc .usive of the movement of produce md
merchandise overland by rail-.
The increase in our imports IS distributed
among all the countries whose goods we
consume, the largest increase being from
Japan. $. 900, coo, and from China, s., 800 900.
These two countries alone contributed S19,-
800. eco of our total imports-over one-third
Of the whole. But it VIII be borne in mind
that this sum chiefly represents tea, which
comes here in transit for the East. 1t is
net consumed here and we do not
have t. pay for it. Taking this out
Of the table our foreign trade, which,
on the face of the table, appears an even
exchange, would show a balance in our
favor Of about S20O00.00O. The large fig
ures to which the tea movement has swelled
demonstrate first, That we are gradually
diverting Asatic trade from the Suez Canal
to the route via San Francisco. and sec
ondly, that the competition Of the Canadian
Pacific is not being felt Next to Japan
and China our largest imports come from
the islapds, which send US about S12 000.000
worth Of sugar and rice every year. Last
year the amount footed up 81, 1854, 12L
From the three great commercial nations Of
Europe-Great Britain, France and Ger
many-we took less than $1,000 900 worth Of
merchandise pretty nearly all manufac-
tured goods.
Turning to our export trade we find that
the large increase of Sl2.000.000 is mainly
in our exports to France, Belgium, Central
and South America. Our shipments of
produce to Great Britain show falling off
equal to $4,000, 600, or 16 per cent. This is
probably accidental. But France took from
US last year $40, 934, 265 worth of produce, as
against 81. 326, $50 in 1890. This was all
wheat and -four. The Increased eonsump-
ton of California wheat and flour in France
was due primarily to the crop failure In
! that country; but the superior quality of
! cur foodstuff had something to do with the
result. 1t will be noted that these heavy
| shipments were made in the face of
! French tariff which was intended to be pro-
! hibitory, aud the inference will follow
that the French people declined to be
deprived OF the bread to which they are ac-
customeG to oblige their Bheat-growing
compatriots. The same remarks will apply
to Belgium, which increased its imports
from San Francisco from S62l. 900 to 81. $685.
600. The operatives in the manufacturing
towns of that fiourishing kingdom will have
California four whatever it costs. 1t is
agreeable to observe an increase of $780, 900
in our exports to Central America, and
100000 in those to South America. The
mere talk of a Pan-American ZOlverein
appears t. have stimulated our neighbOrs to
increase their purchases in this market.
The prospects Of foreign trade in 1892 are
very good indeed. The wheat crop of 1891,
added to the surplus carried over from $780,
and to the receipts from other States on the
Slope, cannot loot up much less than l $780,
900 tons. OF this we have exported. and
consumed OF used for seed, go, OOO tons,
leaving 100000 tons On hand We shall
consume and use for seed about 10000 tons
Of this, leaving 100000 tons available for
export, which ought to net the State some
thing like S20OOO000. Freights are down
and likely to stay down. The California
wheatgrower viii not this year have the
unpleasant consciousness that the British
ship-owner is taking the lions share of the
fruits of his toll. Other articles Of produce
chiefly reach their market by rail- In 1891
the shipments from all points in the State
by rail to the East amounted to 81 900
tons, or 30, 100 carloads, as against 2SS, 900
tons or $500 carloads in 1890. Included in
this were 81. 600 tons of dried fruits, includ-
ing citrus fruits. OF raisins alone the ship
ments were 35,S00.00O pounds, as against
| 25,5O0,000 pounds in 1890. Altogether, the
prospect is pretty bright for good year.