New-York tribune., 1900-12-24
PRICES FOR TWO DECADES.
AsTABULATED STATEMENT SHOWING THE
MARKET VALUE IN LONDON OF
FoRTY-FIvE COMMODITIES

Washington Dec. % (speciaD.-A comparison Of
prices IN 1923 with those Of preceding years in that
great worids market, London. is made by Pro-
Iessor A Sauerbeck in a publication issued by
the Royal Statistical Society of London England
and just received by the Treasury Bureau OF Sta
tistics This comparison. according TO Professor
sauerbecks statement, which precedes IT. shows
the course Of prices Of forty-fve commodities dur
Ing the last twenty years, as compared with the
standard period Of eleven years. lS67-'77" The
statement of values is in the form of Index num-
bers in which the average price during the period
1so' Is taken as 100 and the relative price the
years named. from 1880 1899. is based thereon
The forty-ave articles considered are arranged in
six great groups-vegetable food animal food
sugar. coffee and tea minerals textiles and sundry
materials.
In vegetable food the index number for the year
1850 was ~; for the 1885, 6s for the year 1890
II was 6 in 1896 it its lowest point S. and
in 1899 the average for the year was 60 In animal
food the figure for 1880 was l0l for 1885 81 for 1890
81 in 1885, again the lowest point 73 and in 1899 7a
Sugar tea and coffee stood in 1880 at sS in 1890 at
20. and reached their lowest average 81 in 1898. in
1883 they stood at 53 though for coffee and tea as
shown in the discussion accompanying the tables
the 1899 figures were the lowest recorded in the
tables In minerals the index figure in 1880 was 70;
in 1855. 66 in 1890 SO in 1895 it reached its lowest
point, g, and in 1899 stood g. by far highest
point in the twenty years period, 1SSO-'9s under
consideration. In textiles in0ex figure for 1880
was 81 for 1890 Sc; and il reached the lowest point
in 1897 and 1898. when 1t stood in each year 81
returning in 1889 5S In the list headed 'sundry
materials the index figure for 1880 80; for 1885,
76 for 1890 6s and il reached its lowest point IN
1897 when ii stood g. and in 1899 returned to 65
Taking the grand total of the forty-fve articles
considered in the various classes of vegetable food
animal food, sugar. coffee and tea, minerals
textiles and sundries, the index figure for 1880
S8 for 1885, z; for $780, r. and in 1895 reached its
lowest point, 81, returning in 1899 to 6S
Discussing the tables from which these figures
are taken, Professor Sauerbeck says:
The index number for ali commodities in 1s99was g.
agalnst q IN sss or q per cent below the standard
IslS-S7. but per cent above the average Of the
last ten years. As compared with 1885, the advance
amounted TO points (or 81 per cent, while the
rise in 1896. the lowest year record. much
as points Cor n33 per cent? The rise was smaller
than was probably expected by many observers,
ana fhs 1 explained by the fact that the average
terials, and here principally TO minerals to
tent to sundry materials. Articles of food, the
other hand, Were in the aggregate lower-an ad-
actly on level with 1897, that the advance OBJ
tanned in 1898 again lost.
my tables showed records Of lowest prices. viz,
import price of tea. Articles OF food were little
December. 1895 while the rise for materials from
the lowest point in February 1885, amounted to as
food. on the other hand, were only Sh per cent
above their lowest record point IN ~ g!y & ISo
the world of 1897 GSso6Gcoo quartersj having been
followed in 1898 by the largest crop on record G5s-
0O0o00 QuaTters) and in 1889 by another good crop
(324 900 600 quarters Meat and butter some
what dearer the latter being affected by the drouth
IN August Sugar and the common sorts OF tea
ruled a little higher than in the preceding year,
though both articles still very low basis
the average import price Of all sorts OF tea having
been the lowest record. Brazil coffee, under
the influence Of four large crops in succession was
lower than before, Santos touching 70 shilhngS
a hundredweigat in September, but improving again
TO 80 shtllings toward the end of the year Metals
generally reached their highest points between
July and October, but gave way 10 extent
later on while coal obtained almost famine prices
the end of the year and early in 1900 Iron has
not been high since 1874, but copper and tin
although very dear, were still higher during the
speculation IN 1S87-SS.
Among the textiles nave to record advance
for cotton in view Of a large consumption and
lower estimates Of the crop, but prices dur
ing the last year were still very low, compared
with former periods. Flax touched the lowest price
on record. improved gradually, and realized sharp
advance in December Manila hemp experienced
great fluctuations IN conjunction with the policy OF
opening and again closing the port; the price was
III ton at the end Of 1897. and about f64 at the
record. Merfno wool advanced 60 per cent
and has not been high since 1880. while the bulk
Of coarse woods occupied the lowest level record
greater part Of the year improving TO some
extent toward the end. Silk was considerably
higher.
The last year viii. the whole, be considered a
very prosperous one and the activity Of the manu-
featuring industries in Europe, well as in Amer
lea, was greater than at any time since 1SI1- -73