New-York tribune., 1900-12-25
-, - BRITISH FOREIGN TRADE.

One of the last works of the late Michael G.
Mulhall was the preparation of a careful and
detailed analysis of the conditions, tendencies
and prospects of British foreign trade II pre-
sented most impressive view of the magnitude
of that trade, together with some particularly
significant considerations alike for those who
think Great Britain's industrial and commercial
supremacy is doomed and for those who think
that supremacy is secure for unmeasured future
time.
Imports of merchandise into Great Britain.
including both food for domestic consumption
and material for manufacturing and re-exporta-
ton, are steadily increasing at great rate.
The increase has been fivefold in the last forty
years, or 1919 per cent q year. At the present
time imported merchandise averages more than
a ton year for each inhabitant of the United
Kingdom. This includes something more than
half of the food supply of the United Kingdom,
the cost of such imports amounting to about f5,
or S24 33, a year for each inhabitant. The cost
of imported food is, however, decreasing, having
fallen 20 per cent in the last twenty years and
being f12 los. $50 49, ton. Most of
this food, Mr.. Mulhall reckoned could be pro-
duced in the United Kingdom, but at much
greater cost and therefore to the detriment of
the working classes
Imports of raw material for manufactures are
also increasing. The consumption Of fibres, in
Guiding WOOL cotton, linen, silk and jute in
British mills has increased 100 per cent in the
last thirty years. and at the present time is
greater than that of France and Germany put
together. This is the more noteworthy when
we consider that the latter countries make a
speciality of textile manufactures, and that their
united populations more than two and
quarter times that of the United Kingdom. The
volume of textiles exported by Great Britain has
increased 20 per cent in thirty years, but the
value of it, account of the general fall in
prices is actually less than 1t was thirty years
ago. Still more noteworthy have been the move
ments in metals and minerals. Imports of these
have increased LOO per cent in thirty years, or
more than 3612 per cent year. In such lines of
goods, too, prices have fallen; but so great has
been the increase of volume that the total value
of exports of hardware has increased 100 per
cent With all her manufacturing activity how
ever, Great Britain does not supply her own de-
mands for all classes of goods, for the consump-
ton of imported manufactures is steadily in
creasing. Thirty years ago it was only los. or
So 60, while now it is Ais, or SO 9S for each
iphabitant
1t might specifically be thought that the
great fall of prices noted has been detrimental
to British prosperity. In textiles as we have
seen, the United Kingdom sells 20 per cent more
| in volume for less money than thirty years ago:
and in hardware an elevenfold increase of
volume of imports of material has resulted in
only a doubling of receipts from sales. But the
prices of raw materials have fallen still more, so
that instead of a loss there has been a net
gain TO Great Britain of fully f50.0O0,00O or
| S243.325,ooO, year. That indicates a reason
able growth of prosperity and wealth. For the
future Mr.. Mulhai forecast steady increase in
imports of food and a steady increase in exports
| OF hardware. To such future recent and pres
ent tendencies unquestionably point Yet two
other facts, which apparently did not enter into
Mr. Mulhalrs calculation, are seriously TO be
considered One is that the supplies of coal and
metals in the United Kingdom are ominously