The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-25


Trade With All Other Countries
Increased - balance Normally
Three to One ia Favor of the
United statcs-Agricultur Pro-
duets the Bulk of Exports.
WASHINGTON, April 24.-Following
the bulletin Issued by the agricultural
denartment last week on the general
trade relations of Spain with the rest
Of the world from 1886 to 1895, the de-
partment now issues another by the
same author, Frank H. Hitchcock, chief
of the foreign market division, or our
trade relations with Spain from 1883 to
1897.
According to the first of these bulle-
tins our trade with Spain during the
fiscal year 1897 fell off over $l,OOO,OOO
though in the same period 1t largely
increased with all other European
countries.
Our trade with Spain although sub
ject to minor fluctuations, appears to
have been gradually shrinking for
about fifteen years. 1t attained its
maximum development in 1888, when
the combined imports and exports
reached value OF $24, 1852, or more
than $40, 900 900 in excess of the present
figures. The returns for 1897 with the
single exception of those for 1895, which
fell to $14,501, 1885, were the lowest re-
corded since 1873, twenty years ago.
The average value per annum for the
last five years, 1S93-1S97, amounted to
SIG, 240, 5SS. as against $lS,305, 404 for the
five years Immediately preceding.
Trade Balance.
Our trade balance with Spain has
been normally to l in favor of the
United States, in 1897 this balance
amounting to s7,2SO,772. The falling off
In trade seems to have affected exports
and imports equally, so the ratio re-
mains unchanged.
The bulk of our exports to Spain are
agricultural products, and these have
increased from rs per cent to over Sc
per cent in the last decade.
Our Spanish imports are also chiefly
agricultural but these have steadily
decreased from 65 81 per cent in 1882
to $3.50 per cent in 1S93-97. AS regards
our exports to Spain, the falling off in
the agricultural commodities was not
so great as that in the non-agricultural.
The average annual value of the agri-
cultural exports, which came to $10,-
1851 in 1SSS-1S92, was nearly as large
in 1S93-1S97, amounting to $40, 1866 992,
whereas that of the non agricultural
exports declined from 50 299, 1897 in the
former period to 81, 593, ITO in the latter.
Fruits, nuts and wine form IS per
cent of our Spanish imports, the other
items of Importance being, in order of
their value, argol, hides and vegetable
oils.
Ourimportations of Spanish fruits and
nuts have declined quite rapidly during
the last ten years. The average value
per annum of these importations for
lSsS-lSs1 amounted to only 81, 705727, as
compared with S2,569,665 for 1SSS-1S92
our imports for 1897, valued at 81. 441.-
PSI, were the smallest of the decade ex-
cept those for 1895, which had a valu-
alton of only $1,326, 1898.
The amount a. spanish wines DUR
chased by the United states ha. for
several years been Stt ad'ly decreasing.
The receipts during 1897, valued at
$523,4l6 were the smallest of the dec
ade. The average yearly value of the
imports, which amounted to S770, O52 in
1852, fell off to 1894, 555 in 1S92-1S97.
The importaicns consist chiefly of still
wines in the cask.
Algol, o. crude tartar, is one of our
leading imports from Spain. The i'm
portation of this product has assumed
Importance only within the last five
years. Prior to 1890 no imports what
ever were recorded in our official trade
returns. and from that year to 1892, in
cluslYe,th total receip's were less than
100000 pounds. In 1888, however, the
quantity imported rose to 2244 SO7
pounds, valued at $218, 167, and although
there has since been a considerable de-
cline the receipts are still above l.
Oo0.O00 pounds a year. During 1893
1887, the imports averaged 1883, 726
pounds, valued at $150,012, per annum,
as against III ,399 pounds, valued at
$l7,32S during 1S8S-1S92.
The most important kinds of mer-
chandise included in cur non-agricut-
turalimpor,s from Spain are: Cork wood
or bark and its manufactures, chemi-
Gals, drugs and dyes, iron ore, lead and
lead manufactures, pain leaf manufac-
lures and wood and its manufactures.
The several commodities mentioned
constitute in value about 20 per cent of
the total imports of on-agricultural
merchandise. Cork in it's crude and
manufactured forms is the most valu-
able of these imports. Our purchases
during the last five years have amount
ed to nearly $500,000 per annum
In chemicals drugs and dyes the
most important article imported into
the Unied States from Spain Is give
crime The imports of this commodity
have greatly increased in the ten years
just ended. During 1S93-1S97 they ay-
eraged 1,622,S27 pounds a year. Licorice
root is another article of this grour
that is imported quite extensively from
Spain. During 1SSS-1S92 the yearly inn
portationS averaged as high as 4. 400 33I
pounds, worth $117.27O, but in 1S93-1S9I
they fell to 3,262,023 pounds, with 2
value of $99,771
Iron ore is one of our leading non.
agricultural imports from Spain. The