New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-18
TRADE OF PORTO RICO.
WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT OF IFS
FOREIGN COMMERCE. IN 1896
A GAIN N THAT YEAR OF OVER $4,000 o"--C"M
u..rc1.I, VALUE OF THE SPANISH roS

A GAIN N THAT YEAR OF OVER $4,000 COCOON
MnRc1AL VALUE OF THE SPANISH ToS
SESSION TO RE ATTACKED NEN'.
Oasb,nrton July l7-In view Of ihe present war
,,o,s a commemorative statistical report on the
trade OF Porto Rico. just prepared under inc uireO
zion o, Frank H. Hitchcock. chief Of the foreign
markets section OF the Agricultural Department.
ard approved by secretary wilson. Is o. uhusu"
Interest 1t shows for tho first time the figures OF
the commerce for 1896 OF SPANS easterhmost west
India island.
During the calendar year 1896 the foreign trade
q, Porto Rico according to the officials returns a.
,airnd a total value Of s35.G2ii.O exceeding all
pre,lons records and being a gain In the year o.
more than So O0G In 1892 96 the total imports ana
exports had annual value OF sSSso'S' as against
60, e OF in ISL Imports into Porto Rico gen
orally have someW hat exceeded exports OUT III i'''
FOR the frs; time in over a decade the Na'ue VI
the merchandise shipped to foreign markets was
slightly greater shan HAT OF the imported wares
Tn. exports 70. 1885, had a value OF NASh4'' ue-
c;ccJlv the largest record, while the imports i'
the same wear SiS2S2j'O we're surpassed only III
1894 when the foreign goods received amounted 10
va nSG 22c The foreign trade OF Porto Rico Is con-
ouctoI chiefly With Spain. the United states Cuoa'
Germany the United Kingdom and france ha''"s
an average annual value OF %.S%o'i' when was
$3.50 per cent OF the total valuation placed uPo" ''e
islands commerce rhe United States ranked sec
ond. the value o, the goods exchanged averaged
.ssi5o52 year or 1901 per cent Of the total Cupa
trade with Porto Rico amounted TO l34l per cent
o. the totai. having an average yearly Na'ue o.
$1,000 NJ,
In 1896 the attest year covered by the Porto Kioan
statistics. which Mr. Hitchcock succeeded IN 90
tanning N advance indirectly from the colonial
administration Of the island. there were pSlues
the six countries cited. nine other countries WIN
which the island had trade exceeding siVO.'''
They follow British possessions. other than East
az 10. I'll 18th "a G.
ssss 800. Hungary s55siSs Belgium, s2so':
Argentina s2jlSn: Uruguay. $223,793; Netherlands
sl705ss and Denmark. sl3Y9
SPANS TRADE WITH THE ISLAND.
SPANS trade with Porto Rico. according to Span
ish returns increased in value from As2s''' IN
1857 10 sl?644e55 in 1896 The chief gain was maze
IN exports from Spain 10 the island, the Nalue lor
1926 amounting s7:sS.a9s against only 24n2le
FOR 1857. During the same year imports from Porto
Rico advanced from s2.5ls555 TO S5276i5'
The islands exports consist almost entirely OF
agricultural products ~ imports. manufactures
articles do not greatly exceed the agricultural
Agricultural imports IN 1895 valued at F,l'l@52
made NJ chiefly Of rice wheat -four and hog prod
ucts Non.agricultrsl imports we're valued at
$3.50 lOl the CHIEF goods being cotton fabrics. whose
imports reached sco705s, in sa5 FISH. wood leather
and tobacco elso were extensively imported; Most
Inoies. Germany and Spain. Conee ana SUGAR. the
factors n Porto Ricos expor, trade. comprising
IN value fully e. per cent ~ all the merchandise
SEM 10 foreign markets. The quantity or cohee
shipped IN 1885 vas in2+5s9G pounds. and its value
So .s5 while % Porto Ri,an sugar lS2li'2'.
mounds with value az S.ef5.'il. Wee marketed
abroad In addition 10 the sugar. S2e91 worth ot
rnoassas was shipped 81 leaf tobacco 3es"oSl
rounds worth 1913 81. shipped in 1915 Cattle
shipments Tor i@5 numbered 35,i head. valued AZ
ssl'sis other agricultural products exported quite
ex,Ansively maize. hides. fruits. nuts and as
TILED spirits.
healthy COFFEE TRADE
Coffee shipments increased notably during the
decade lseS reports being the largest Of the ten
wears treated by Mr.. Hitchcock. M,'soc" pounds
valued at sl3S7aen The average annual shipment
1925 was s1os72oco against A.s45oo in 1871.
on the other hand. sugar. moasses and tobacco
showed marked declines.
The coffee exported goes most extensively TO
Spain and Cuba. these two getting over half Most
OF the sugar and moasses is destined for The united
states with Spain second customer. spain ana
the United States not being large. Spans imports
Of coffee from Porto Rico steadily rose during the
decade i3S7e11O pounds. value s32ssl IN sse belns
a record breaker Sugar exports to Spain increased
less rapidly. and. though the size or imports m
creased their value, owing - a decline or prices
actually declined. SPANS non agricultural imports
from Porto Rico principally bags and SACKS
susno and tobacco manufactures OF her exports;
cotton fabrics constituted about N per cent OF
sandals hats and caps paper and its manufactures
and candles came next In manufactures prooucts
while agricultural exports comprised rice olive OIL
wines pulse and canned goods