The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-25
OUR TRADE WITH SPAIN
GRADUALLY FALLING OFF DURING
THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS.
The Balance Is Normally Three to
One in Our Favor, Our Mainstays
Being Cotton and Tobacco.

from 1886 to 1885, the department now issues
another by the same author, Frank Fl.
Hitchcock chief of the foreign market di-
vision, on our trade relations with Spain
from 1883 to 1897. According to the first of
these bulletins, our trade with Spain during
the fiscal year 1897 fell off over 100000,
though in the same period it largely in
creased with all other European countries.
Our trade with Spain, although subject to
minor fluctuations, appears u have been
gradually shrinking for about fifteen years.
1t attained its maximum development in
1888. when the combined imports ana ex-
ports reached a value of $24.725,G32. or more
than $1o,oO0,0O0 in excess of the present hg
ures. The returns for 1897, with the single
exception of those for 1895. which fell to
$14,501195, We're the lowest recorded since
1873 twenty years ago. Our trade balance
with Spain has been, normally, three TO one
in favor of the United States; in 1891 this
balance amounted to $7,cS0,77 2. The falling
off in trade SENS to have affected exports
and imports equally, so the ratio remains
unchanged. The bulk Of our exports to
Spain are agricultural produces, and these
have increased from rs per cent. to over Sc
per cent. in the past decade. Our Spanish
imports are also chiefly agricultural. but
these have steadily decreased from 65.91 per
cent. in 1882 to 62,69 per cent. in 1887.
AS regards our exports to Spain, the fall
ing off in the agricultural commodities was
not so great as that in the nonagricultural.
Fruits, nuts and wine form So per cent of
our Spanish imports, the other items of i'm
portance being argol, hides, vegetables and
vegetable oils in order of their value
Our importations of Spanish fruits and
nuts have declined quite rapidly during the
last ten years. The average value per an
mum of these importations from 1s9S-97
amounted to only S1,7O3,772 as compared
with $2,569,665 for 1882. Our imports for
1897, valued at $1,441,251, were the smallest of
the decade, except those for 1895, which had
valuation of only $1,326.69S. The amount
of Spanish wines purchased by the United
States has for several years been steadily
decreasing. The receipts during 1897, VAL
Ted at $523,416, were the smallest Of the dec
ade. The average yearly value of the i'm
ports, which amounted to $770O52 in 1882,
fell off to $594,555 in 1S9S-97. The importa-
tons consist chiefly OF still wines in the
cask. s.s..c
Argol or crude tartar is one of our lead
ing imports from Spain. The importations
of this produce have assumed Importance
only within the last five years. Prior to
1889 no imports whatever were recorded in
our official trade returns and from that
year to 1892, inclusive, the total receipts
were less than 100000 pounds. In 1898, how
ever, the quantity imported rose to 2244 S07
pounds, valued at $2lS 1877, and although there
has since been a considerable decline the
receipts are still above 100000 pounds a
year: During 1S93-97 the imports averaged
1883, 126 pounds, valued at $15G,012 per annum,
as against 1889 pounds, valued at $17,32S
during 1882.
The most important classes of merchan-
disc included in our nonagricultural imports
CORK IS
manufactures; chemicals. drugs and
dyes; iron ore; lead and lead manufactures;
palm leaf manufactures, wood and its
manufactures. The several commodities
mentioned constitute in value about 20 per
cent: OF the total imports of nonagricultural
Cork in its crude and manufactured forms
is the most valuable of these imports. Our
purchases during the last five years have
amounted to nearly $500,000 per annum.
In chemicals, drugs and dyes the most
important article imported into the United
ports of this commodity have greatly in
creased in the ten years just ended. During
Licorce root is another article of this group
that is imported quite extensively from
Spain. During 1882 the yearly importa-
worth $117,270. but in lS93-97 they fell to
3,262,O23 pounds with a value of s9S771.
Iron one is one of our leading nonagri-
now imported, however, is much smaller
than formerly. the last few years showing
marked falling of.
Cotton and tobacco form more than 90
per cent. of all the agricultural produce we
send to the Spanish market. The only
other agricultural exports of any consider
able Importance are wheat wheat flour and
corn among the breadstuffs; lard and tai
low among the meat products and sausage
skins. ~-i e'iA'<- ~
Cotton is the mainstay of our export trade
with Spain. Measured in value it consti
exports to that country and about 70 per
cent. of all the merchandise we market
there During the past twenty years the
shipments have more than doubled in size
and much of this growth has occurred with
in decade. The average quantity exported
per annum during the five years 1887
amounted to III, $50 ,032 pounds, as compared
with 93,249 7S3 pounds during 1SS8-92
After cotton our most important agricul-
tural export to Span is leaf tobacco. The
annual shipments average about, 10000, 900
pounds and their value about million dol
Our exports of rbreadstuffs to- Spain vary
greatly from years to year. The largest
shipments of the. decade were made in 1893,
amounting in value to 81 ,941, POS, while the
smallest-those for 1S95-were valued at only
$4432. The average yearly value for 1882
amounted to $315,S55, and that for 1S93-97 to
$67S 453.
The shipments of wheat which is the
leading item in this group, have been ex-
tremey spasm19osdIie9 In 1888 they aggregated
there appears to have been no shipments
whatever.
Of the various meats products shipped
from the United States to Spain, lard is the
only item of any considerable Importance.
In 1880 there was an exceptionally heavy
shipment, aggregating over a million
pounds The average shipments per annum
fell from 456.14 pounds, worth $34,l19, in
1SSS-92 to lSl,91S pounds, worth $l3,9S9, III
Another meat product in our export trade
with Spain that shows a decided falling off
is tallow..
Meat products other than lard and tallow
are exported to the extent of only q few
thousand dollars per annum.
OF the various nonagricultural commodt-
ties shipped from the United States to
Spain the most conspicuous are WOOD anG
sum we receive for these two items consti
tutes more tnan IS per cent. of the entire
amount the Spanish pay for our nonagricul-
tural exports. The only other items of any
considerable Importance among this class of
exports are bttuminouS coal, chemicals
drugs, dyes and medicines, merchandise in
| cluded under iron and steel and their manu-
features and rosin.
While the expectation of mineral oil from
| the United States to Spain has declined
| that of bituminouS coal has increased In
1885, the first year Of the decade, the amount
| shipped was only 600 tons, with total value
| Of $3.50. a comparison of the t1Ve-year Pc
| riod--1SSS-g2 and 1S93-9T-showS an increase
| in the average annual exports from 3,742
| tons, worth $l7600, for the former period, to
| 5619 tons, worth $37,513, for the latter.
| NEWS In SUNDAYS JOURNAL.
Resume OF Items ChronicIed I'm the