Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-31
YEARS COMMERCE.
Larger Total Than Ever Before
Indicated
1927, 7l8,420 the Value for Eleven
Months.
But the Iron and Steel Trade Did Not
Revive.

w aSnlnStOn, DOC oU-DetallS OF eleven
months commerce of the year 1903 are
just made public by the Department of
Commerce and Labor through its bureau
OF statistics. They show an increase in
practically all of the great groups into
which the Bureau of Statistics divides the
exports and in all of the groups into
which 1t divides the imports. Agricultural
products as a whole show an increase of
SI4,WUV0: products of the forests, $10,-
go; products of the mines, $1,000, 600;
manufactures, $50O0,Go0, and mlscellane-
Gus articles. s., 000,0eO In the single group,
fisheries, is shown q slight decrease of Il
little more than $1,0000OO.
The figures for the month of November
show a marked growth in exports Of
manufactures. the total for the month be
ing $3i,G936 $50. against $50, 513,5 12 in No
vember of last year. Agricultural prod
month, the figures for November 1906
being $114,l1o,255 against SS3, 035S50 in the
same month of last year The increase in
agricultural exports occurs chiefly in
exports is unusually high.
The increase in exports of manufactures
IS distributed through many articles, but
does not occur. aus had been expected, in
iron and steel. Discussions IN trade cir
cles and in the press during the past
few weeks have predicted revival in the
export trade of iron and steel manufac-
lures, but the November figures of ex-
ports of this class of merchandise do not
justify this prediction. The total value
Of iron and steel manufactures exported
in November, 1868, was $7,9s84l5. against
$S,ll3,924 in November of 1902. $3.50, 1893 III
November, 1901, and $10,1l272l in Novem-
Der, 1900. For the eleven months ending
with November the total exports OF iron
and steel manufactures are $50, 201 in
value, against $50, .124 in the correspond
two SI,r- ,v,l y
corresponding months of 1901. Notwth
standing the slight decrease in exports
of iron and steel. the total of all manu-
features exported during the eleven
1852, 76S l27, against $317 49, $40 in the cor
responding months of last year.
Imports for the month show Il decrease
of over $8.00O,G0O compared with November
of the proceeding year. This decrease is
div:d. d between manufacturers materials,
foo0stuffS, and the group designated as
articles of voluntary use, luXurieS etc.
The largest decrease occurs in the group
articles, wholly or partially manufac-
tured for use in manufacturing. the re-
duction in this class being about $3,000O0
rs compared with the corresponding
month of the proceeding year. This re-
Of which the impOrtatons for the month
are less than half those of the correspond
ing month Of last year: the figures for
November. 1903. being 5000 o33, against
Si,779,G93 in November, 1902. For the
eleven months ending with November ar
ticles wholly or partially manufactured
FOR use in manufacturing show an in
crease of 81, 900 over the corresponding
months of last year. while articles in a
crude condition for use in manufacturing
show an increase of $l1 600 in 1869, as
compared with the corresponding months
of 1902
Summarizing the story told by the fig
ures fer the month of November and the
eleven months ending with November, it
may be said that they indicate growth
in exports of manufactures, but that the
expected increase i'll exports of iron and
steel manufactures has not developed.
Imports of iron and steel manufactures,
however show q decrease in November,
1903 rs compared with November 1902,
though for the entire eleven months the
figures of iron and steel imports are
slightly in excess of those of last year.
lmportations of other manufacturers ma
terials also show a slight decrease in No
vember as compared with November of
last year, but a marked increase when
the eleven months ending, with NoveIn-
Der are considered in comparison with
the corresponding months of last year
These figures of the commerce of the
eleven months would seem to indicate
that the total commerce OF the Unlte1
States during the year about to end will
be greater than in any preceding year
but that the total exports will fall few
millions below those of 1900 and be about
equal to those OF 100 I1o but , mattF ira IN
imports will exceed those of any proceed
ing year and combined with the exports
make the grand total of commerce more
than in any earlier year; also, that the
eyDorts of manufactures will exceed those
of 1902 by several millions. but be some
what below those of the record year, 1900
and perhaps 1901.
The tables which follow present the Blu
reau of Statistics standardization of the
commerce of the month of November and
of the eleven months ending with Novem-
Der compared with the corresponding
periods of last year:
IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES.
Month of November. 1902, 1903.
Articles of food
and animals -. $1s,059,697 SIT, $50
Articles in crude