New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-17
BRITISH TRADE FIGURES
4 BLUE BOOK ISSUED.
Ercess of Imports Explained
Com Dqris0n 7cith america.

London Scot 16-CIosely following MT. Balfours
exposition OF his personal views Of the fiscal prob
lem. contained in the pamphlet or insular free
trade advance sheets Of which were issued last
night came the long promised and much demanded
government statistics dealing with that subject
They were issued this morning by the Board OF
Trade in the shape OF blue book of nearly five
hundred pages of tables ot figures showing the
various aspects os British and foreign trade ana
the Industrial conditions. The publication teens
with interesting notes upon what are regarded az
points OF fact The references to foreign trade are
chiefly confred to France. Germany and the United
States.
One Of the most important phases dealt with In
the Blue Book imports and exports. The tables
show that exports from the United Kingdom TO TIE
United states declined from s145.00.000 in 1920 to
,o- no ooo in 1852 while the imports from
sAs 600 900 TO Oco. The total exports TO all
foreign countries declined in the same period $780,
600 COO though. when the colonies are included. the
decline only amounts to 100000.
The proportion OF the United Kingdom exports TO
rotected and unprotected countries in the markets
OF the world has been reversed since 1850 Then 1t
was IS per cent to the protected countries and "a
ner cent 10 the others In 1902 the proportion was
~ per cent TO the protected countries anu 90 -
cent the others
An explanation Is given Of the much quoted eA-
cess of imports exports, which has 50 ol'en
been held to be a sign Of British trade oecIhe-
The Blue Book says that. while the excess yeaIIy
averages about sS0oO0O.NA the income recelNaDle
from foreign investments. calculated at SSlZSVVVo'
added to the earnings Of the British merchant ne'
engaged in foreign trade. calculated at $45oVOuV0
rs probab bly, more than sufficient 20 account lot
the average excess Of Imports Su'h es'lii''0S
have never before Leen included
Americans have made large investments IN the
Tinted Kingdom in recent years and American re-
purchases Of railroad and other securities are al,
mitted 10 have to some extent affected the hscal
figures but they are not likely to form serious
factor
Much attention is devoted to the tnplate indus
fry and the effect Of the Dingley and Mckinney
tariffs The figures show that the total exports or
tin from the United Kingdom have declined only
a little over $4,000 since 1897. with marked in
crease in the quantity produced and in the Nalue
OF a number of mills since 1895
Dealing exhaustively with the tarins OF all ma
tions the Blue Book says the American system OF
drawbacks necessarily results in inequality OF
treatment and may yield an export bounty TO the
best equipped manufacturers while others sustain
a loss"
7, a table showing the ad valorem equivalent to
,n,nort duties levied by foreign countries on the
rrircpal articles of British export. Russia comes
first with I3I per cent; the United states next
With q per cent and Austria follows. with IS per
cent Though Germany comes sixth. it Is pointed
ont that her existing tariff is effective as TO be
more highly protective against Great Britain imam
the percentage shows
BEFORE the trade of the United Kingdom and any
OF the colonies could be reserved to British yes
sells the Board of Trade states that the existing
treaties with Austria Greece and other countries
would have to be denounced.
The tables show that the United Kingdom is most
dependent imported wheat the United states
being wholly independent.
The question Of wages and the cost Of living
especially the price of food, which has figured so
largely in the recent Chamberlain agitation, takes
rp pages and is summed up as follows:
The average level wages in the United States are
one and one-twelfth times greater than in the
United Kingdom. while in Germany wages are only
age prevailias in the United Kingdom.
The percentage Of family incomes taking New
York as the capital of the United States. is esti-
mated ION the basis of 100 per cent for the United
Kingdom) for the United States l23 per cent, for
France So per cent and for Germany IS per cent.
The mean weekly rate Of wages in skilled trades
in the United States is estimated at 17s per cent
and in the United Kingdom at 100 per cent.
Members Of Alfred Moseley's former commission
SUNNY series of conflicting to questions
regarding the feeding and payment Of American
workers The majority incline TO the belief that
allowing the conditions. there is little difference
in the United States from the United Kingdom.
Dealing with the iron and steel trade, the board
reports that employment has fallen of in the
United Kingdom since the introduction Of the Amer
:can tariffs but that very few works have actually
been closed 1t points out mat imports from the
United States have decreased since 1900.
The trusts OF all countries IN for minute
discussion. Pages hed with extracts from the
report O. the American Industrial Commission,
though the boerd frankly the precise value OF
Information ernanating from. officers Of corpora
tions (which are well aware OF the suspicion. II
not the positive aversion. with which they are re-
Earded b. a large section Of the United States, IS
/ not easy to appraise The report also SAYS.
The available evidence goes to show that the
Trrfred states for some tine past. for the most
part has been able TO absorb great proportion OF
me total and during this period OF excep-
! tiorally good trade I'm the American home market
Ire iuauCement the part OF the American trusts
10 DUNN their surplus goods At low prices on for
, eiEu markets has been size II. as compared with
f what might be manifested AZ tine Of Industrial
I 6euression in the United States.
! Dealing with the proportion of American goods
which have been thrown on the foreign markets the
! report saws
This export trade could hardly have been carried
Z unless the for si-ners were granted lower prices
/ than prevailed IN the United States