The Washington times., 1903-07-08
GROWING COMMERCE
OF THE PHILIPPINES
Gratifying Increase in Exports From
and Imports to Islands


The official returns showing CONNER
cial conditions in the Philippines during
the month OF January. 1863. have been
prepared for publication by the Insular
Bureau Of the War Department. and fur
niah data for the following comparative
statement:
Exclusive Of government supplies and
gold and silver. the lmportations for
January OF the present year aggregated
$2,553.074. as compared with 81. 753. 167 for
the corresponding month Of 1902. a fall
ing of OF little more than s2o0 600.
principally under foodstuns and textile
fabrics This decrease had been antici-
Pated. owing to the stress in certain dis
trtcts occasiOned by the loss Of draft an
imals through the ravages Of rinderpest,
thereby compelling planters to restrict
. their purchases. Importations for seven
months ended January 81. 1903. amounted
ID Sl9,35s.Tf5. and for the corresponding
seven months ended January 81. 1902.
SlS,259,5l4, an increase Of 81. Oo0. POI.
Exports Of merchandise increased from
l,439, 1s6 in January. 1902. TO s2.i4I .95S
in January, 1903 This large increase
was embraced almost wholly in the two
Items OF hemp and copra. both OF which
are cultivated and prepared for market
with but little aid on the part OF draft
animals. The expectation OF hemp in
creased more than half a million dollars.
and Of copra over two hundred thousand
dollars. The demand for both these
products is very strong. and their pro-
dUction is rapidly increasing. For the
seven months ended January 81. 1903. ex-
ports Of merchandise amounted 10 s19.-
O5s, 919, as compared with s1S.s11. s22 for
the corresponding preceding seven
months. gain Of nearly FIVE and a half
million dollars. From present indica-
ticns the exports Of the islands VIII soon
exceed the imports in value.
Trade With United States.
United States trade with the archi-
Pelago is steadily increasing. and now
amounts to more than million and
half dollars per month. Philippine i'm
ports from the United States in January.
1902. amounted to $3.50. f95. and in 1903
u 1891 SIS. For the seven months ended
January 81. 1903. the aggregate was
50 453. 423. as against 1920 ,301 for the
corresponding seven months of the pre-
vious year. Exports from the islands in
January. 1903. were 1908. 2e3, and in
January, 1902, s445119. an increase Of
nearly 139 per cent. This large increase
consists mostly CT hemp. which is shipped
directly TO the United States in greater
quantities than formerly when more Of
il was shipped TO this country via Lon
don.
It is believed that the demand for
binder Irvine IN the United States viii
hereafter be more easily supplied. as
large tracts Of land in the Philippines.
formerly uncultivated. have been plant
ed in hemp in the last two or three years.
and the increased production is already
perceptible. Exports from the Philip
pine Islands TO the United States for
seven months ended January 81, 1903, ag
gregated 81. go. SOS. as compared with
S. $50. 2s6 for seven corresponding months
ended January 81, 1902, a gain Of 81, i02,-
$40, or 113 per cent
Importations Of silver into the islands
during January. 1903. were S35S.512. and
expectations S415.361. No transactions in
gold we're reported