Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-06
INTERESTING FIGURES
Showing the Foreign comm.rcs Of the United
States Tor the Year.


Ford, chief of the bureau of statistics. has
made vo;uminous report to the secre
tarv of the treasury on the foreign COM
merce of the United States for the fiscal
ended June 80, 1893.
The report shows that the total imports
of merchandise during the year were val
ued at $780, 400, 92o, of which si2i, $50, I'll
was dutiable and s444,5H,211 free. The
imports of merchandise in the fiscal year
1892 were valued at ss27 400, 426, of which
st;29. 40o. s04 was dutiable and s452, g99, 65S
free.
The imports OF gold during 1898 were
val ed at 81. ,3Sl against $40 500, 454 in
1892. and of silver *23, 1919, 252 in 1898 against
SIS, 955, 0S6 in 1892
The exports of merchandise in 1898 were
valued at ss47 ,655, 1914, and in 1892 at
81 ,O3o, 2Ts, i4s The exports of gold in 1898
were si0S, $50, Si4, and of silver $40, 137 ,3l9,
as compared with exports OF $50. 1882
gold and $50, SIC, $50 silver in 1892
The tonnage during the year was 49,
Isl, SIG tons, and the number of immi-
grants arrived was 502.9l7. a falling off
of 120, 600, compared with 1892.
Mr.. Ford notes that the values of the
imports of merchandise attained the
highest mark in the commercial history
of the country.
Gold Shipments Were Enormous.
The exports of gold reached higher
figure than ever before attained in sin
gle year since the foundation of the gov
eminent In 1898, however, the net ex-
ports of gold were less than the net ex-
ports in 1864 The imports as we'll as the
exports of silver coin and bullion reached
an amount greater than is recorded in
any other year in the history of the coun-
try.
In 1873, which will be remembered as
the year of panic and important monetary
legislation. the exports of silver reached
$50, Isl $50, a point that had never been at
tanned in previous years, and has never
been touched or exceeded in subsequent
years until 1893, when the exports were
$40, 49,, $40
The wear 1893, the report says, also
marked one step down in the relative i'm
portance of the American merchant ma
rine in the foreign carrying trade of the
country There was an actual decrease
from 1892 in the percentage of imports
and exports carried in American vessels
lG.S
feature of our commercial history has
touched.
Labor and Finances.
The report states that the opening OF
1898 was marked by number of serious
and extensive labor difficulties, affecting
production and transportation and ac-
companied by acts OF violence and destruc-
ton of property. Fortunately these
strikes and consequent disturbances were
localized, and proved to be of temporary
nature.
The center of disturbance was soon
transferred TO financial rather than in
dustrial matters but the effects were long
felt in many of the leading lines of pro-
duction and transportation, inducing an
element of uncertainty. always injurious
to undertakings involving large capital.
The one dark feature of the iron situa-
ton was the shrinkage of prices, due TO
an excessive production, and the same
general drift of affairs has continued into
1898.
The report mentions a number of cir
cumstances that combined to make the
trade of 1898 an interesting study in the
general laws governing international com
merce, which include the enormous grain
crops of this country in 1891 and partial
failure of similar European crops.