Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-01-05
INTERESTING FIGURES
Showing Foreign Com
merCe For a Year.
HIGHEST EXPORTS OF GOLD.
Big Decrease in Percentage of Imports
and Exports in American Vessels.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-Worthington c.
Ford, chief of the bureau OF statistics, has
made a voluminous report TO the secre
tary Of the treasury on the foreign COM
merce Of the United States for the fiscal
ended June 80, 1898.
The report shows that the total imports
OF merchandise during the year were val
ued at $500, ,4OO, ,922, OF which si2l $50, III
was dutiable and Sii45l4,2ll free The
| imports of merchandise In the fiscal year
| 1892 were valued at Ss37 ,420, ,428, OF which
| SG29, s02 S04 was dutiable and S452, 800, ,6JS
| free.
The imports of gold during 1898 were
valued AZ Ell ,474 ,3sl against $40, 500, 45i in
1872, and OF silver s23, 1913, ,252 in 1898 against
tl9, ,955, ,0s8 In 1899.
The exports OF merchandise in 1893 were
valued at $S47, ,665, 1884, and in 1892 at
q ,030, ,27s, ,l4s. The exports of gold In 1893
were sl0s, $50, ,s44, and OF silver so, 737, ,3l9.
as compared with exports OF $50, l95, 1927
gold and t32, SIC, $50 silver in 1892.
The tonnage during the year was 49,
6sl, $40 tons, and the number of immi-
grants arrived was 502,9l7, falling of
OF 100, ZOO, 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 a higher
figure than ever before attained in sim
gle year since the foundation of the gov
ernment. In 1893, however, the net ex-
ports Of gold were less than the net ex-
ports In 1854. The imports as well az 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 remem bered as
the year Of panic and important monetary
legislation, the exports of silver reached
t39, 75l, $50, point that had never been at
tained in previous years, and has never
been touchei or exceeded in subsequent
years until 1898, when the exports were
80, ,737, ,3l9.
The year 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
1879 per cent, being the lowest point this
feature OF our commercial history has
touched.
Labor and Finances.
The report states that the opening Of
1898 was marked by a number OF serious
and extensive labor difficulties, affecting
production and transportation and ac-
companied by acts OF violence and destruc-
tion OF property. Fortunately these
strikes and consequent disturbances were
localized, and proved TO be of u temporary
nature.
The center Of disturbance was soon
transferred to financial rather than in
dustrial matters; but the effects were long
felt in many % 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-
tion was the shrinkage Of prices, due TO
an excessive production, and the same
general drift of affairs has continued into
1893
The report mentions a number OF cir
cumstances that mbined TO make the
trade Of 1893 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.