The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-09-04

Our Chief mpetitor-England De-
ponds on America for Staple Supplies.
report on the agricultural imports
of Great Britain for 1S96-l900, inclusive,
with a significant review of the trade
conditions and possibilities between the
United States and the united kingdom,
has been compiled by Frank II. Hitch
cock, chief of the division of foreign
markets, Department of Agriculture.
The united kingdom is the principal
market for the surplus agricultural pro-
duce of exporting countries. The re-
port says that the products of agrtcul-
ture sent to that market from all
sources in 1900 reached the enormous
value of $1,57S,OOO,O00, forming 81 per
cent of the entire import trade of Great
Britain and Ireland.
During the five years mentioned tie
annual average value Of the imports In
to the united kingdom was $2,3GS, ia, AL,
of which 81, 45S, 81, 716, or 63 per cent
and $S49, 252, 665, or 81 per cent non-agri-
cultural.
To this extraordinary import trade in
agricultural produce the United States
was the principal contributor furnish
ing about SO per cent, or nearly one
third OF the supply. About 40 per cent
came from foreign countries other than
the United States. The several pos
sessions and independeucies of the unit
ed kingdom throughout the world to-
gether contributed about "a per cent.
Continuing the report says:
1.-The value of the agricultural pro-
duce received from the United States
amounted to $5l3,000,000, leaving over
$1,000, 600 600 worth of such produce to
be supplied from other sources.
while the United States already pos
esses a market of exceeding import
ance in the United Kingdom, selling to
that country more than half of the sur
plus production of American farms, the
possibilities of further trade extensions
there, in competition with other export
countries, are well worth consideration.
Among the agricultural imports into
the British market during 1900 there
were comparatively few products in
which the United States controlled the
larger portion of trade. Taking such
items as had a value exceeding $lC,-
100000 of which there were thirty-four
in the year under consideration, only
nine of them came more extensively
from the United States than from the
various other sources. These nine items,
with the percentage of the total supply
received in each case from the United
States, We're as follows Lard, SO per
cent; hams. 80 per cent; tobacco, 81 per
cent; wheat flour, SO per cent; fresh
beef "A per cent; raw cotton, "A per
cent; cattle, 72 per cent; Indian corn, 10
per cent, and bacon, Ga per cent. While
other countries are the chief contribu-
tors of food luXuries, the United States
is the source from which the British
people procure in large measure those
staple food products that the absolutely
necessary to the maintenance of life.
This causes the peculiar dependence of
the united kingdom on American
sources of supply.
During 1900 less than per cent of the
butter imported was furnished by the
United States. For the imports receiv-
ed from other sources the united king
dom paid over 49,, 600, 900. The eggs i'm
ported cost 26,000,000 Only about 8
per cent went into the pockets of Anne
rican exporters. Adult SIS OO0, 900 was
spent by the British people for i'm
ported wines, less IMAM l per cent of
which came from the United States.
About $l2,OO0,000 worth of oleomarga-
rine was imported of which the United
States supplied less than 1 per cent.
Nearly $ll, OOO,O 600 was spent for import
ed potatoes Practically the entire
trade went to other countries than the
United States.
Numerous other agricultural products
suggest possibilities in the way OF
larger sale in the British market. Mr..
Hitchcock predicts that the greatest flu
ture development of American trade in
the British market may be expected in
perishable products, expectation of
which is made possible by modern
transportation methods. France is the
chief competitor of this country in sup
plying farm produce to the united
kingdom, the agricultural products
from France aggregating $l03, 900, 900 in
value in 1900.