The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-18
SPANS FOREIGN TRADE
INTERESTING STATEMENT PRE-
PARED BIZ SECRETARY WILSON.
Comparatively ittIe Commerce with
Vessels Under the Spanish Flag.

WASHINGTON, April 17.-Secretary Will
son. of the Agricultural Department. has
authorized the publication of a bulletin on
the subject of Spains foreign trade from
1891 to 1885, inclusive, prepared by Frank H.
Hitchcock the chief of the section of for
eign markets The facts brought out are
of particular interest at the present time
Two general matters are treated in detail
in the publication, namely Spanish COM
merce proper and shipping and navigation
1t is shown that of the total tonnage trans
sported to and from Spanish ports during
the years 1891 to 1885, inclusive, 57.75 per
cent. was carried by merchantmen entered
and cleared in the trade with the United
Kingdom. France ranked second, with 1897
per cent. of the total, and the Netherlands
with $50 per cent, stood third. The United
States, with a record of 3.91 per cent. was
the fourth country in importers. Belgium
fifth with 235 per cent, and Cuba next,
with 2.34 per cent OF the merchandise
carried by vessels entered at Spanish ports
during the years 1891 and 1895, inclusive sc. "a
per cent came from the United Kingdom.
France furnished 9.43 per cent, Russia $50
per cent and the United States 56S per
cent OF the goods carried by vessels
cleared during 1875 the United Kingdom
Il
received 144S per. cent, the Netherlands IL. 33
per cent, the United States 3.lo per cent.
and Cuba 2.62 per cent
SPANS commercial transactions with the
rest of the world amount annually to more
than $500, 900 900. In 1895 the merchandise i'm
ports amounted to $751; 1929, SIG, and the ex-
ports $155, 1855, 759. The average value for
1926 was 1915 or, 440. as compared with
1911, 956123 for the preceding five years.
Spain's foreign trade is largely maritime.
OF the merchandise imported and exported
during 1875 only 1873 per cent was tran
sported by land, while &.1 per cent. was
carried in seagoing vessels. During the
earlier years of the decade 1SS6-1S95 more
than one-half of Spanish maritime cora
merce was carried by foreign vessels, but
since 1891 there has been a change, and the
national shipping now is in the ascendency.
The imports and exports made under the
| Spanish flag during 1895 amounted to $146
| 965, $685. and those under flags of other ma
| tons to only $115 1856. OF the foreign COM
| merce of Spain during 1s91-1S95 about 20
| per cent was transacted with four coun-
| tries, namely France, Bill per cent; the
United Kingdom, 2205 per cent; Cuba, 1920
| per cent, and the United States, 6.2 per
cent. The total value of the merchandise
annually exchanged between Spain and
| Cuba, Porto Rico the Philippines, the Cana
ries and her various minor possessions ex-
| coed 000 The United States ranked
trade during 1S91-1S95, furnishing 1924 per
cent. of the value of such imports. Cuba
came came next; with 4 46 per cent while Porto
chandise exported from Spain during the
same: time 3441 per Get. went to France,
1882 per cent. to the United Kingdom, 1888
per cent. to Cuba and 3.47 per cent. to Porto
Rico, while the United States came eighth
| in the list of countries to winch Spanish
70. Y1Gi1E nod
The average yearly value of the goods
transported by Spain to and from France
from Cuba in Spanish ships $S2, 064, 5SG; the
United Kingdom. $27, 069 104; Porto Rice &c.
499, 149 and the United States, 80, 302 1928 OF
the a,, merchandise shipped 81 y from Spain in
Cuba, ESQ per cent. to France, I72 per
cent. to Porto. Rico. Coal. which consu
SPANS nonagricnltural imports is procured
chiefly from the United Kingdom, the re-
cFipts from the United States amounting to
less than per cent. of the total.
During the calendar year 1895 there were
entered and cleared at Spanish ports $3.50
carried the flag of Spain and 1887 vessels
| the flags Of other nations. The yearly aver
age tonnage for the five years 1S91-1S95 was
years was only 22,499590. This increase was
due to the growth in the tonnage of the
Spanish mercha ntmeu.
On Dec. 81. 1895. the latest date for which
there are available statistics. the merchant
marine of Spain comprised 1888 vessels, hav-
| ing an aggregate tonnage of 719 572 Com
pared with the statistics for 1886 the fig
ures of 1895 show a slight increase in the
size OF the fleet and a rather marked one
III it's tonnage. The steam vessels increased
from 431 in 1886 to 523 in 1895. 1t is shown
mat for the five years from 1891 to 1895, in
elusive, the Spanish shipping was conducted
somewhat more extensively from the Gus
toms district along the Atlantic than from
those on the Mediterranean sea. The ships
entered and cleared on the Atlantic
amounted annually to 1901 as against Is 73S
along the Mediterranean