The evening times., 1900-02-06
STATISTICS OF COMMERCE.
Interesting Facts Concerning I'm
ports aud Exports.
The Trade of the United states, as
Set Forth I'm Government PubIi-
e"tiOn-Enect Of the New Methods
of RAPID Transit ON the De-
mand for Horses in This Country.

There are more things than the dry sta
tistics OF the shipments Of wheat and coal
to be found in the summary Of American
imports and exports for 1899. recently pub
lished by the Bureau of Statistics Exact
figures on the imports Of ladies' millinery
and gloves from Paris are made available.
It is possible to discover that very small
Importation OF Japanese art works has
been sufficient to supply the millions of
dollars worth OF alleged japanese goods
sold in this year. II is shown that despite
the advent Of the bicycle. the electric stree!
railway, and the automobile the country
has imported a large number OF horses
in the year. and so on indefinitely, the list
Of the transactions in great nation 5
trade might be prolonged.
Mr. Austin. the Chief Of the Bureau Ct
Statistics. is almost engulfed in this class
Of figures. His records are filled with
them.
The horse will be an extinct animal In
certain number OF years. unknown. ac-
cording TO the theories OF the rapid tran
sit enthusiasts. The friends Of the horse
will be interested TO learn that America
with more rapid transit than all the re-
mainder of the world combined imported
in 1899 more than 5000 horses. valued at
more than s55O.OOO or nearly $500 each.
The number OF animals imported has fall
len of somewhat since 1897, but the total
value is greater. which seems 10 indicate
that hunters and other finer breeds, for
pleasure purposes largely. are still quite
as much in favor as before the autOmo-
bile fever came.
America was at the same time rather
heavy exporter OF horses, the total mum
ber exported being $4,000, valued at s.. 747. =
O0O- Exports OF horses have increased
slightly in the past two years. II is inter
esting 70 note that this country exported
horses 10 the Philippines for the first time
last year. the number being ], ,454 valued
az $l37. 600.
The trade Of America with Japan pre-
sents several interesting contrasts. Under
the head, art works, % III" imports for that
country, II there we're any. were so small
that they were not enumerated. Japan
sent only SI2500 OF books 10 America. and
only $3C0. COO OF "eaTthen. stone and china
ware" Manufactures Of paper imported
from that country were $3.50. eco. The i'm
1Orts Of carpets were inconsiderable and
japanese toys are not mentioned. a triae
more than half a million dollars was there
fore spent on these goods sold in the ia
panese stores" On the other hand S32 GOO
worth Of coal was imported from that
country and s.. 900 worth Of oranges. which
the consumer probably believed were home
productions.
In the matter Of teas and silks Japan
lives up 10 her reputation better. The to-
tai imports OF tea by this country in the
year were s., coo. 600 pounds valued at S1I
600 o0e. or this amount Japan furnished
$4,000 0Oo pounds valued az $500 600. II
viii be seen that the cost was about l. -
cents a pound. a figure that il is interest
ing TO compare with the price paid by the
consumer.
The imports Of raw silk from Japan in
the year were 5000. 900 pounds. valued al
81 100000. about half the total imports Il
the country from all sources. The imports
OF silk manufactures from japan were So
OOO Geo.
The craze for Paris gloves has not vet
attained alarming proportions. or IL IL has
IL Is satisfied largely with the imitation
article. The total imports Of gloves from
France in the year we're only s.. 900 600.
which would hardly give two pairs ea-h b
20 the women OF Greater New York and
Boston. The glove importations from Ger
many were larger BY $500. zoo than those
from France
The Bureau OF Statistics does not go into
detail on the question Of imported miIlin-
cry, but Il IS stated that the total imports
OF hats. bonneJs. and hoods from all
countries was only $65s Jas. Il will be seen
that this amount does not allow OF many
$50 Paris creations for the year
The tobacco statistics furnished by Mr..
Austin tend 10 create suspicion. OF the
a rfrr 1-s,H
millions in year in America. The total
or cigars and cigarettes imported from al
countries IN 1899 was only 50 300. .0O0 II
there are 10 600 900 smokers in the country
their average consumption OF HavIn1s vas
one each four mOl;hs during the year. The
Importation of Cuban tobacco leaf was
larger, l1,000. 0e0 pounds valued at 81, 900.-
600 in fact. but even this amount seems
to be far from enough to account for the
cigars labelled all Havana" II is a
most encouraging fact. however. that last
years imp0rtatiOns were far in excess OF
those in the two years before. In 1897
only $3.50. 600 OF Cuban tobacco was
bought. and in 1S9S the amount was but
81 500, ,00O
Consumers of foreign" champagnes will
be interested 10 learn that the total i'm
portation of champagnes and other spark
ling wines for an entire year was only
277421 dozens, valued at "a GOO. 600.
Another of the anomalies of America 5
foreign trade is in the fact that the great
est grain producer and exporter in the
world should be also an importer Of wheat.
flour, oats. and ether breadstufs. The
exports Of wheat in the past year were
le9 600 bushels, valued at SSl. .450. 600.
but despite this fact ass, go bushels OF
wheat we're imported from some foreign
country for some purpose not easily un-