The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-07

OUR COLONIAL COMMERCE.
Special Correspondence of The Tribune.

| Special Correspondence of The Tribune.
| Washington, July 6.
I~OMMERCE between the United
States and it's newly acquired ter
~ ritory is growing with remarkable
| rapidity. In 1897, the year preced-
| ing that in which Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines came under the American
fag-the shipments to those islands were,
according to the figure of the treasury
bureau of statistics, sG,773,56O. In 1901 they
were over OOO and in the fiscal year
| just ended they will be, according to the
best figures that the bureau OF statistics
can obtain, fully $50 100000 To this may
be added the estimate of S15.000000 Of
shipments to Alaska in the last year. This
would bring the total sales OF American
goods in the non-Contiguous territory Of
| the United States up to about $4,000, 0OO
| In the last fiscal year against about $eO,-
900 in that same territory in 1897.
Considering the figures in detail, the
| bureau OF statistics finds that the exports
| from the United States to Porto Rico,
| which were. in 1897. s1.9Ss.SSS, were, in 1900.
$4,64O,44 in 1901. $6,S619l7, and as they
were $9,65 900 in the eleven months ending
| with May, it Is safe to assume that the
| figures for the fiscal year will show q
total Of over s1O9OO,00O of shipments to
Porto Rico for the year ending June 20,
1902. To Hawaii, the exports in the fiscal
reached 1896, 47O; in 1890. s13, 5O9 las. Suisse
quent to that time the statistics of ship
ments to Hawaii are based upon estimates
supplied by collectors of customs at San
Francisco and Honolulu and are put at
SIC. .OO0, 900 as a conservative figure. To the
Philippines the exports in 1897 were $94, ,597:
in 1899 they were $4O4 193 in 1900, s., $40, ,449;
in 1901. $E027,O64, and in the full fiscal year
1902 will be fully $5,00O.0OO. To Alaska the
shipments In 1894 were. according to the
best figures that the bureau of statistics
have been able to obtain, Sc, ,3.4, ,O0O and
for the calendar year 1901, $13, SOC, 900. and
for the fiscal year just ended will prob
ably be $1,000, 00,0OO-bringing the total ship
ments from the United States to it's nom
contiguous territory up to $50, 100000.
On the import side 1t may be said that
the non-contiguous territory of the United
States now supplies $50 900 worth (per
annum) of its products for use in the
United States. In 1897 the imports from
Porto Rico were S2.1S1,Oo4; those from
Hawaii. sl3,6S7,7 799; and from the Philip
pines. $4.3SS,740. BY 1900 the imports from
Porto Rico had grown to $3,O;S,64s. from
Hawaii. $50, 903, and from the Philip
pines. s5971,20S. In the fiscal year just
ended the merchandise received from
Porto Rico will he in round terms 81 OOO,-
900; from the Hawaiian islands, $4,000 900;
from the Philippines. $7,OOO,OOO, and from
Alaska about $I,000,0OO in fish, furs and
other products of this character and an
equal amount In gold and silver thus
bringing the total contributions of the
non-contiguous territory considerably
above $50,O0O,0O0.
During the same time commerce with
Asia and Oceania has also Increased with
very great rapidity. especially the exports
in 1897 exports to Asia and Oceania were
s6l'927'67s; In 1890. $lOs.SO4,Oso, and in the
fiscal year 1902. the total, including ship
ments to Hawaiian islands, will amount
to about $120, 900, 900.