The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-12-28
CENTURY'S
PROGRESS
Growth ofUnited States
Commerce.
A NOTABLE COMPILATION
The Frequency Shown Of a Favorable
Balance of Trade for
America.

A statistical abstract OF the world
which will show the imports and ex-
ports of every country in the world
having statistical reports is the ambi-
ton of the bureau of statistics of the
Treasury Department. To present in
commerce not only of today but extend
! ing back over long term of years, and
to show thar commerce in detail as to
principal articles, country by country
with quantities and values stated in
/ United States currency and measures
! of quantity, is a work of no small mag
nitude, but of such great Importance to
the commercial interests of the country
that It is being resolutely undertaken
by the bureau of statistics. The details
Of this work. which will be carried on
under the personal supervision of ire
chief of the bureau. have been entrust-
ed to Mr.. Benjamin T. Welch. whose
long service in the bureau especially
fits him for this duty.
The opening chapter of the proposed
volume has already been completed. 1t
shows the total imports and exports of
tistical records. from the earliest date
for which the figures are attainable
down to the present time. In the case
OF the United Kingdom the report be-
gins with the year 1900 and shows the
total imports. total exports and excess
OF imports or exports in each year
from that date to the present time
In the case of Austria Hungary the
. rr-fth Ho Del
gium, fss1: France. 1881 Germany
1872: Italy. 1861; Netherlands. 1860
Russia. 1916; Spain. 1860: Norway. 1860
: Sweden. 1860: Canada, 1851: Mexico
1873: Argentina. 1870: Chile. 1860: China
: 1868; Japan. 1874; India. 1851: Australia
1881; Egypt. 1874, and Cape of Goot
: Hope and Natal 1851, in each case tn,
figures covering the entire period from
Z the earliest date named to the presen
' time
: The subsequent chapters will give tn
r details Of the commerce Of each OF thes
: countries, the principal articles import
! ed and exported during term of Year
: down to the latest attainable date. an,
= the principal countries from which 1t
= imports are obtained and to which it
r exports are distributed.
The figures on the total commerce
s country by country, which have alread
been completed. afford material 10
o some interesting comparisons with ou
: own growth meantime. The import
n for home consumption Of the Unite
( Kingdom. for instance which in tn
t year 1900 amounted to sS1 .310, ,00
IL amounted in 1899 to s2043, 1896. 450. an in
J. crease Of 2400 per cent. while in tn
r, case of the United States the import
IS for home consumption in 1900 wer
q s52 121 so1 and in 1899 $685. Az. .S92. an II
n crease o. 1,215 rer cent. Taking the e,
Is port side. the contrast is much MOI
clearly in favor of the United State
II The exports OF articles of home pr,
g. duction from the. United Kingdom
IS 1880 were s111, ,107 900, and in 1890 1,2s7
IA 151 .345. an increase of LOSE per cent,
10 the case of the United States the {,
10 ports of home products In 1900 we
n SCI. $40 903, and in 1899 S1,203, ,931, ,222, 4
increase of 1851 per cent.
w In the case of France the comparisC
- is equally interesting. The imports f
consumption into France in 1881 we