The times., 1898-08-08
TRADE STATISTICS.
Figures Showing the Relative Inn
portance of American Ports.

the lItdSuty department Juol Sciii-
piled regarding the import and export
trade of the various ports of the coun-
try and comparing the years business
with that of preceding years.
The rivalry between the coast cities for
the honor and profit of handling a sat
isfactory proportion of the foreign COM
merce has been unusually sharp in the
last year or two.
The rapid growth of the carrying trade
along the chain of great lakes and thence
by canal or rail to the coast. the sharp
competition and reduced rates by rail
from the great grain fields of the West
to the South Atlantic ports and the in
creased rail and water facilities of trans
portation between the upper Mississippi
Valley and the Gulf ports, together with
improved harbor facilities at various
in the drift of the great bulk of the
grain and provision product Of the coun-
try which goes 10 Europe, while our in
creased commerce with Asia and Ocean
lea has materially and advantageously
affected the business of the ports on the
Pacific coast. These facts, together with
the claims that certain ports enjoy spe-
clal advantages in railway rates and ter
minal facilities have made the interest in
the comparative business of the various
ports unusually great
A comparison of the figures covering
The exports and imports OF the various
ports during the fiscal year with those
Oh preceding years presents some inter
estlng and suggestive facts bearing on
this subject. They snow that the Allan
tic ports. considered as an entire group.
retained, when compared with the pre-
ceuing year, their normal proportion of
the exports of the year, but lost slightly
IN imports, the total increase in expor-
tation in these ports being 17.6l per cent.
while the total increase In expectation
from the entire country was I7.3 per cent
Inc total fmportations of the Atlantic
ports, however, fell 2l4 per cent, while
the total importationS into the country
decreased but 1873 per cent The gulf
ports did not as whole maintain the
rate of increase which the country at
large made in exports. their percentage
of gain being but Sc per cent. against an
average of lT.3 for the total; while their
loss in imports was still greater being
Z9S per cent, against an average of 1913
per cent for the entire country. The Pa
ciiic ports made the most satisfactory
record of any group, their gain in exports
( being 25.7 per cent while they actually
gained in imports 16.3 per cent, while the
total imports of the country were
being decreased 1873 per cent The
Northern border ports made the largest
percentage of gain in expectations their
total for the year being 27.3 greater than
that OF the preceding year, while in i'm
portations they lost 2L1 per cent.
Taking up the ports individually, how
of the total commerce during a longer
term of years, the contrasts and com
parsons increase in interest.
Beginning with the port of New York, it
is found that she handled only 45.9 per
cent of the foreign commerce of the
country. against 525 in 1899, 52.2 in 1899,
5l.4 in 1896 and IS per cent in 1897 The
loss is altogether in expectations, having
been in 1898 but 36.l per cent of the total
expectations of the country. against 37.2
in 1887, 40.1 in 1896 and 4lS in 1891; while
her importations in 1898 were 6j.3 per cent
of the total imports Of the country,
against 6lI pee cent in 1896 and 63.4 per
cent in 1894.
Boston did not make a satisfactory rec
ord either in her imports or exports dur
ing the year just ended. Her importa-
tions we're only S.3 per cent of the total
imports of the country, against lis per
cent III 1897 l01 per cent In 1895, 81 per
cent in 1895 81 per cent in 1893, and S.i per
cent in 1891. Her expectations were in
1898 only % per cent of the total, against
10S per cent in 1896. 10.5 per cent in 1885
and 1908 per cent in 1893. Taking the to-
tai imports and exports of the country
Boston had in 1898 but 81 per cent of the
total, against 1913 per cent in 1896 and 1897,
SO per cent In 1888. and sc per cent in
1898
PhlladeIphia's percentage of the total
foreign commerce of the year was not
altogether satisfactory when compared
with that of preceding years. Her i'm
portations were 81 per cent Of the total
/ imports into the country while in 1897
they were 6.2 per cent, in 1895 6.6 per cent,
in 1894 So per cent and in 1898 T.6 per cent.
! Her expectations were 4.5 per cent,
/ against As per cent in 1897, A per cent in
| 1896, As per cent in 1895. 5.S per cent in 1893
! and Sc per cent In 1882, her percentage of
! the total imports and exports being in
/ 1882 ~ per cent in 1897 So per cent, in 1896
SCI per cent, in 1895 "a per cent, in 1894
! 600 per cent, in 1893 GA per cent and in
! 1892 6.3S
! Baltimore made material gains in her
exports, though in imports there was
slight loss in her percentage of the total
| importations into the country. Her per
centage of the total exports of the coun-
try was in 1898 SO per cent, in 1897 81 per
! cent, in 1896 rs per cent, in 1895. 7.6 per
cent, in 1894 81 per cent and in 1890 81 per
| cent Her importations in 1898 were IL
! per cent of the total imports into the
! country in 1897 Ia per cent. in 1896 1t. per
| cent, in 1895 16 per cent, in 1893 and in
1891 is per cent, and in 1891 "a per cent.
Her share of the total foreign commerce
of the country was in 1898 So per cent, in
1897 5.3 per cent, in 1885 and 1896 As per
cent. in 1891 5S per cent and in 1890 81 per
cent.
Newport News shows a rapid gain in
her exports wnich in 1898 Were "a per cent
of the total of the country, against 2.1 per
cent in 1897, 1.6 per cent in 1894, 1895 and
1896. and a little less than per cent in
1893. Her imports have also increased
materially, being in 1898 more than three
times those of 1894, the total, however,
forming less than ! per cent of the total
imports into the country. while her share
of the total imports and exports of the
country was in 1898 IL per cent. in 1897 12
per cent, while prior to that time they
formed less than l per cent of the total.
The gulf ports increased their exporta-
tions materially, especially in wheat and
wheat -four though in corn there was
a heavy decrease. Galveston increased
her expor.s over those of last year 17.6
per cent while of those New Orleans
| increased II per cent over those of last
year. In imports Galveston made a mark
ed increase, those of 1898 being 49.7 per
cent greater than those of 1897 while
New Orleans lost materially in her i'm
ports, which in 1898 were 41-9 per cent
less than in 1897. The imports at New
Orleans in 1893 amounted to -1.57 per cent
of the total imports into the country.
against I'll per cent in 1897; &c per cent
in 1894 and 241 per cent in 1891. while the