The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-19
0. H. BERRY 6 co.
Main and Tenth Streets.
THIS COUNTRYS COMMERCE.
The Exports Twice as Great as the
Imports.

Imports.
WASHINGTON. July Is Specialize
record Of this NOSE remarkable year In
the commerce OF the United states which
has just been completed by the Bureau
of Statistics. becomes especially interest
ing when compared with that OF preced-
ing years.
Not only does the years record surpass
that of any previous year In tho total
expectations and the exports OF manu-
featured articles. but for tho first time
I'm tho history OF the country the exports
are twice as great as the imports. and
the exports Of manufactures syceed the
imports OF manufactures. The value or
the expectations for the fiscal year lsss
Is more than seven times that or 1865, four
times as mucn as I'm 1868. twice as much
as in 1871, sixty per cent more than IN
1884, twenty per cent. In excess OF tho
great commercial year OF 1892 and iS0-
OOo. 600 dollars moro than the greatest eyar
of our export trade, 1897.
The balance or arade I'm our favor Is
more than doubmle that OF any preVons
year and nearly equal 10 that OF the past
five years combined. The net importa-
tons of gold exceed those OF any pre-
ceding year I'm the history OF tho country.
the iDiAl ENlu lUlDhIAH III NN''|' VI ~
ports ports being for the fun year. $780,
qS5 279 including coin, bullion. and ore,
whtic no preceding year ever reached the
100 600 COO lin, net imports OF gold.
when TO this IS added the fact that the
imports OF merchandise or the year are
less than in year since 1860. and with this
single exception. less than In any year
since 1879, It becomes apparent that the
record of the fiscal year 1895 is an alto
gother unusual one.
The balance OF trade in our favor I'm the
year under consideration Is S6l5.25902i
against S2S6 26}. iil in 1897: 1854. SOL. 666 In
1879: 500 7l2.7 ms I'm ISL; t25l Sl4.23t In 1873;
S237 1i5, $50 In 1894. and S202.Sl5,6& In 1892.
while no other year, except these men,
toned. ever reached the 2W,0o,OD line IN
its balance Of trade. or excess OF exports
over imports" as It Is termed by the OFF,
cial reports or the Bureau OF Statistics.
Indeed il is only since 1919 that the bal
ance Of trade has been as "A rule In our
favor.
From 1891 10 1876 there were but six
teen occasions in which the exports OF
| tho year exceeded the imports since
| that time however the balance OF trade
has been almost constantly In our FAVOR
| only three years, 1873. 1883 and 1893 show
ing an excess OF imports OF merchandise
| over our exports. The excess or importe
over exports i'm the eghty-fve years prior
10 1876 was s22l5, 40i,6l0. while the excess
of exports over imports since that time
has been So 1871. 26S.3OO.
Thus the Centennial year seems TO have
been a turning point in our commercial
relations with other parts OF the world.
In the eighty-ive years prior to that date
the balance of trade was almost constant
w against US. but since that time has
been almost constantly In our favor. the
excess Of imports over exports In tho
eighty-fve years prior TO 1876 having
been 81. 2l5. 40i. 60. and the excess OF exports
over imports in the twenty-three years
since the beginning OF that year having
been s. l9l, 2Gs 300.
Agricultural productions, OF course,
| form Il large proportion OF the exporta-
| tions OF this greatest year In the history
OF our commerce. vet they do not form
as large a proportion as In many preced-
| ing years. Only seventy-one per cent. OF
| the exportations of the year 1898 are pro-
rlIcts OF agriculture, while i'm 1894 they
were over seyenty-two per cent or our
total exports. IN 1898. over seventy-four
per cent. I'm 1892. over seventy-eight per
| cent. in ISL. more than eighty-two per
| cent and in 1850. more than eiBhty-hree
per cent OF the total exports. In spite
| of the fact that the manufacturers OF the
/ country had an unusual demand upon
them from the home markets during me
mast year by reason OF tho unusually
| small importations OF manufactures, they
have not only supplied the home market.
but Increased their exports over those OF
| any preceding year. so that the total eS-
portations Of manufactured goods In the
| wear Just ended reaches nearly tSoo,oovV.
| while in no year prior 70 the centennial
| did they reach as much as SlO,0Oo~o.
A comparison Of the exports OF 1888
with those OF 1855 shows an increase OF
practically 100 per cent. IN that period.
| The total for 1858 being $3.50. 95d5W against
| 81 23f. I'll S6S in 1895. This extension OF our
| export trade has been In all parts or the
world but especially with the distant
| points and with those countries and con-
| tinents which but a decade ago purchased
| but little OF our productions
To Africa. which IN 1883 bought but ht-
| tie over three million dollars worth, or
| our productions we have during the past
| wear sold seventeen million dollars
! worth. TO Japan, which took but little
| over four million dollars worth in lsss,
| our sales in the year just ended were val
ned al twenty-one million dollars; TO
| china. which took but four and one
| half million dollars worth in lsSS. wa sold
| I'm lsgS ten million dollars worth. 10 Aus
: tria-Hungary which took less than
| million dollars worth in lSS. our sales
were over FIVE million dollars In value:
| belgium. which took less than ten mill
lion dollars worth In 1855 took forty-seven
| million dollars worth In 1885; Denmark
increased from three millions in 1888 20
over twelve millions in 1855; Netherlands
from sixteen millions in lSSS 70 about SIX
! tv-five millions In 1855. France from less
| than forty millions in ISIS 10 nearly one
| hundred millions in 1888; Germany rom
nfty-six and one half million dollars
worth in 1883 20 over one hundred ana
| fifty million dollars worth in lsSs; British
North America from thirty-eieht millions
I'm iSSS 10 about eighty-five millions In iSis,
| the Tinted Kingdom from three hundred