The herald., 1898-06-28
Large Export Trade Totals

Every month that passes merely goes to
swell the total of an already phenomenal
export trade. The May and eleven months
returns have been sufficient to throw COM
pletely in the shade all previous yearly rec
ords, and there is still one month to be added
before the tale is complete. The increase in
exports for the present year, in fact, seems
likely, says Bradstreets, to exceed the
most sanguine estimates, and make new
mark for future years to measure up to.
The total exports of merchandise in May,
swelled by heavier shipments of breadstuffs.
cotton and provisions, aggregated $1l0, ,239,-
2Of-i2 per cent larger than those of May a
year ago and 66 per cent heavier than those
of May, 1896 Contributing to this heavy
gain were, Of course, primarily the immense
shipments of breadstuffs for the month,
amounting to S3S, $50 900. or nearly three
times those of May year ago and almost
four times those of May, 1896. Cotton and
provision shipments, as already noted. were
also heavier, the former increasing &c per
cent over a year ago and the latter showing
a gain of 45 per cent. Notwithstanding the
smaller shipments of mineral oils and cat
tie, the favorable position which the agr-
cultural community occupies was shown
by the reported shipment during the month
of May of $72. .66S. .697 worth of leading prod
ucts, all but a trifling amount of which had
their origin on the farm, and showing an
cent. Imports on the other hand, were
slightly smaller than those of Aprifs re-
duced totals, 80 per cent smaller than in
May year ago and per cent smaller than
in May, 1896, month of normal imports. A
consequent heavy balance in favor of our
export trade is Indicated amounting, in
fact, to sum larger than our total imports
for the month, and this heavy excess finds
partial reflection in an excess of gold i'm
ports over exports of more than $4,000, 900.
whereas one year ago our exports exceeded
imports by nearly $9000,000.
For the eleven months period It IS to be
said that our exports are already $S5, 900 900
in excess of all previous records for the
complete fiscal year, amounting to 81, ,135,-
,6lS, against total for the complete fiscal
year of 1897 of 81 051 900 ,O0O and showing an
excess over the last fiscal year for that por
tion already elapsed of $157 ,6S5 096. 1t does
not seem natural to expect that the June to-
tai of exports will quite equal that of May,
but it is interesting to note that total for
the month equal only to that of June year
ago will result In total of exports for the
fiscal year of 81 213 900 0O0 $162 900 900 larger
than last years total, whereas if a gain over
last years June total of exports is shown
equal to that reported in May total export
for the fiscal year Is indicated of 81 ,23S ,O00-
600, an amount Is per cent in excess of last
years record total. Imports, on the other
hand, show no tendency toward improve
ment aggregating for the eleven months
elapsed only s563, $780, ISL, and pointing to an
excess of exports over imports of $571 $780,
037. If anything like the excess in exports
over imports shown for May appears like
wise in June it will be seen that the pros
poets of our exports exceeding our imports
by $500, 900 900 for the present fiscal year are
very bright With such an immense bal
ance of trade in our favor it is. of course,
proper to look for heavy total of gold i'm
ports. And here again we are not dlsap-
pointed. as the imports of gold this fiscal
year already amount to nearly SIP 900 ,000
against exports of less than $1,000 ,00O an
excess of gold imports of nearly $S7, 900 ,O00
which latter total seems likely to be in
creased rather than diminished by the
movement during the current month. Com
parsons with last years figures also prove
that our gold imports for the eleven months
elapsed are slightly more than double those
of a year ago. and already equal the i'm
ports for the fiscal year 1881 the greatest
gold import year in the countrys history.