The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-19
HAWAIIAN COMMERCE.
Interesting Circular Issued By the
Department of Agriculture.

Department of Agriculture.
Washington, July 1S.-Hawaiia n
commerce during the last ten years is
the subject of a circular just issued
by the department of agriculture. The
paper was prepared by F. h Hucher,
chief of the division of foreign mar
kets, under the direction of Secretary
Wilson. The facts set forth bear di-
rectly upon the current decision of the
annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to
the United States, and are as follows:
The comparison of statistics show
that the United States controls 80 per
cent Of the entire trade of the islands.
The total value Of exports and imports
of Hawaii for 1896 was S21. SIS, 7SS, of
which about two-thirds, SIS, 515. 230, was
the value Of goods exported. The aver
age of exports of the ten years, 1887
to 1887, was s11 052, l4l, and of imports
S5,422, 459. leaving an average balance
of S5,629,6S1 in favor of exports.
OF this traffic 91.20 per cent was with
the United States. during the first five
years of the decade, and in the second
five years the lead of this country or
the other countries was increased to
1892 per cent. Another impression Of
the situation may be gained from the
statement that our trade with the is
lands in 1896, according to Hawaiian
statistics. reached $40, s24. 800, the larg-
est amount ever recorded, while the
highest figures previously were for 1880,
when a total of SIS. 1892, so was re-
ported.
The United States, however, does not
yet hold so high position in furnish
ing goods for Hawaii as in the taking
of the products of the islands. OF the
average of the exports for the ten
years. nearly ZOO, 900 a year, the
United States has bought practically
all. Only one-half of l per cent has
been sold to other countries. OF the
goods purchased by Hawaii. on the
other hand, the United States furnishes
only about three-fourths.
However, it is chiefly in our sales to
the islands that trade is growing. The
annual average of these sales for the
five years-1SS7 to 1S91-was "a, 376, 312,
but for 1891 to 1896, 81, 1862 while the
exports TO Hawaii for the last year
amounted to s., 464 ,20S, nearly 81, 000 900
more than for any previous year.
The goods coming from Hawaii to
the United States are mainly agricul-
tural products while the shipments in
the other direction, except breadstuffs,
a~e chiefly manufactured. Our imports
of sugar make the largest item in the
trade. While our imports OF rice cOlfe
next Next in order are our exports
&c ',--~ad-+uffs. cotton goods, fertilizers,
machinery, lumber, tobacco, wire and
chemicals. 1t is noticeable that ship
aents of American live stock, meats,
apples and corn amount to very little.
Prior to 1876, when the first reciprocity
treaty was made between the United
States and Hawaii. their total COM
merce average was only 81 $50. 496. Since
that date a comparative growth has
brought the total to more tan five
times that amount.
Figures are furnished for the first ten
months of the fiscal year 1897. as COM
pared with the same period of 1896.
They show large increases in the i'm
port items of trade. The other coun-
tries whose trade with Hawaii appears
to be growing are China and Japan,
taken together and Canada.