The evening times., 1899-03-31
AMERICAN COMMERCE.
Figures Presented by the Bureau
of Statistics.

of Statistics.
The phenomenal growth of the foreign
commerce Of the United States. when COM
pared with that of other countries, es-
pecially as to its exports. is shown by some
figures presented in report of the chief
of the Bureau of Statistics, which has re-
Gently been made public. The tables cover
the exports of the principal countries of
the world during the decade 1SSS-1S9', the
data from foreign countries for 1898 being
as yet insufficient to make it practicable
to present a general comparison with the
figures of that year. The table shows that
decade ago France, Germany, and the
United Kingdom exceeded the United
States in their exports, those of the Unit
ed Kingdom being more than double our
own. In 1897 those of the United States
were greater than those of France or Ger
many, and but 26 per cent less than those
of Great Britain, while now our exports of
domestic merchandise exceed those of
Great Britain. A detailed study of the
commerce Of the great nations from 1883
to 1897 shows that none has made such
rapid progress in exports as the United
States, but that in most cases they have
increased their imports much more rapid
ly than we have. From 1888 to 1897 our
exports increased 81 per cent, while those
of the United Kingdom fell off IA per cent;
France showed an increase of but 1913 per
cent; Netherlands. 1876 per cent;
British Australasia, SO per cent;
Belgium, less than l per cent. and
Russia decrease of 81 per cent. Germany
showed gain of 1875 per cent from 1891
| to 1897, the figures for earlier years not
being in form to permit an accurate and
| just comparison.
In imports, the United States showed an
| increase of but SO per cent from 1888 to
| 1897, while the United Kingdom showed
| 16.3 per cent from 1891 to 1897; France,
| Belgium, and British Australasia showed a
i slight decrease in their importations from
1888 to 1897. China increased her imports
1874 per cent from 1888 to 1896, and Japan
increased hers 1919 per cent. while in ex-
ports China increased 1871 per cent and ia
| pan 631 per cent. No other
| country shows SO large an in
| crease in exports and so small
| an increase of imports meantime as does
the United States, while no other is able
| to present record such as that which ours
has made in the fiscal year ls9S-of exports
double the amount of the imports
The statement is accompanied by series
of tables showing the imports and exports
OF the United States, United Kingdom
Germany, France, Russia, Netherlands
Belgium, British India and Straits Settle
ments. British Australasia. China. and ia
pan in each year from 1888 to 1897. These
indicate that nearly all of the countries il
question show larger percentage OF in
crease in imports than the United States
while none of them, with the single excep
tion of Japan, shows so large a percentag,
of increase in exports.
The following statistics show the imports
| Of aanh Of the countries in uIpGfiOn IN
1888 and in 1897. with percentage of in
crease or decrease:
United States, imports, 1855, s123, 957, ia; 1897
Si64. 780 4l2 increase, Sc per cent; exports lsss
1886. .a54 5O1 1897. 81 ,050 993. $50: increase. 81
per cent. United Kingdom, imports, 1883. 81 ,s8s,
429Si3; 1897, 81. 1914 a32. .52i; increase. 1873 pc
cent exports, 1888, 81 453, ,027, ,60$; 1897, 81 +Sl
sos 3i5 decrease. IL. Germany. imports, 1sss
ta) 81. ll2 ls9,9l0; 1897, 81 23l. 80. s62 increase
los per cent; exports 1883. ta) 1851, Pa, 40
1897, S977 Az 1855; increase. 1873 per cent France
imports, 1883, 81 009, 80 352 1897, S9g ,537 800
decrease, is per cent; exports, 1888, SS5 6S1 6l2
1897, s926, ,S9s 800 decrease l0.S per cent; Russi
(including Finland) imports. 1888. s2l1, s9i ,4'3
1897, (b) s320, ,629 353; increase, 54.l; exports
1883, S.899, 74,663; 1857 (b) $500, I0S, ,306; de
crease, 81 per cent. Netherlands, imports. 1855
S5Il 8g7 s75 1897. $685. $50, i23; increase, "a pc
cent exports. 1855, $4i4 s5l .GSl; 1897, 1894 6l7,
0i9; increase. 1876 per cent Belgium. imports
1885, 5000 964 0s5; 1897, sja5. $50. .l5j; decrease
OF per cent; exports, issS, Sji5, ,052 S61; lsJ1
sA7 ,5a3, 475: increase. o. per cent. British In
dis and Straits Settlements, imports. lsso, s'02,
465, 1872 1897, (b) s26s 7S2, ,073; decrease Ill pc
cent: exports lsss, Ss72 06s 57O; 1897. tb) sS53,
26s.6l2; decrease. 5.3 per cent. British Austral
asia, imports, lsss s3Oi iH, 40s; 1881, (bl s21.,
sl3,092; decrease. IS per cent; exports lsse
1886 e99 4s9; 1897 tb) $3.50 1s6,o03; increase. 9.
per cent. China, imports, 1888, sli4,9I7 ,9Ol
1897. OBJ Sill cal. 455 increase Is per cent; cN
ports. 1883. Sl0I. .6S S2; 1897, 90 sl2I, ,53l SO
increase, Isl per- cent! Japan, imports lsss
$40 IFS 9s2: 1897 slOa l39 457; increase, 1918 pc
cent; exports lsss si9, ~ 6I5; 1897 $50, 400 5S7
increase, 63.1 per cent
/ 1901: 10, 1896.