The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-22
nRIrIslI PROSPERITY IN 1909.
Last Year Was An Exceptionally Fine
One.

The London Economist" In reviewing
the conditions OF trade In 1896, makes the
Following remarks:
The year has been very active and
PROSPEROUS one Tor most branches OF our
manufacturing industries, and the effect
OF the Increased output Is clearly mani
TEST In the expansion of railway earn
ings, the large totals OF bank clarings,
the increase IN exports and imports, and
other statistics. AS regards the railways
the accounts Tor the first hall OF the year
showed an Increase OF gross revenue on
the hfteen principal English railways
amounting to C 1885 900, and the average
dividend distributed by these companies
was nlgher than for any corresponding
haif-year since 1890. The current half
year compares with period In which q
very considerable Improvement In trade
mad already taken place, and will not,
consequently, show such q large increase
as the previous six months. The returns
nevertheless. Indicate that the Industrial
revival Is we'll maintained. since the es-
timated traffic earnings for twenty-four
completed weeks OF ffty-five companies
have amounted TO E41.1031 1863. as COM
pared with G39 .925.36l in the correspond
ing period In 1895, the increase of Gi.l77,-
sos, being equal to per cent.
AS regards our foreign trade. the i'm
ports nave reached large total in the
aggregate. though the movements from
month to month have been somewhat
HlcSu luT Tl lfle export tfaue, the only
unsatisfactory feature is q large falling
off in the shipments to the United States,
due TO the unsettled conditions which
| nave prevailed there for the greater part
| of the year. In spite of that, however.
| the total value of our exports in the
| eleven months for which the returns are
available Is substantially in excess OF
that for the corresponding period of 1885
The exceptionally large Increase in
| ooth imports and exports in February
was due mainly to the s.oppage of navi-
| cation that occurred in that month of
1898, owing to the severe weather. OF
| the aggregate gain of lS4 millions In
the value of the imports. over millions
| consisted of manufactured articles
| mainly silk goods from France iron
manufactures, probably from Belgium
! ana Germany and paper and straw
boards. Food-stuffs, metals. and textile
materials were received In greatly aug
| mented quantities.
THE export summary only shows two
exceptions to this rule. there being de-
| crease I'm raw materials in consequence
| OF the lower price of coal and the smaller
quantity of English wool exported Our
| exports of textile manufa ctures were
valued at G3.7i6.OOO more than in the
eleven months of 1925. the gain being
principally in cotton piece goods which
offset heavy decline I'm wOollen goods
due TO the shrinkage I'm the demand for
United States. The most satisfactory
feature of the export returns Is the large
expansion in iron and steel goods
amounting to no less than G4.73l 900
besides II rise of Gl.G23,0O0 in exports OF
machinery. Largely increased quant!tie
machinery. Largely increased quantities
of railroad material have been sen. &c
Australia, South Africa, and In Tia. VIII Il
general expansion has taken place IN
nearly every class of metal manufac-
lures, except in plates"