Evening star., 1903-08-03
OVER 5 BILLION POUNDS
LARGEST IMPORTATION OF SUGAR
EVER RECORDED.
With Domestic Production It Afforded
a Supply Of 72 Pounds for Each In
habitant of the Country Last Year.

More than 5000, 100000 pounds of sugar.
valued at over s10O,OOO,0C0. were brought
into the United States in the fiscal yeaI
just ended. This is larger importation ol
sugar than at any preceding year in tbs
history Of the country and the value Is
greater than in any preceding year except
the importationS of 1891, 1893 and 1894
These figures include the sugar brought
from Porto Rico and the Hawaiian Islands
and while the figures of the shipments
from Porto Rico and the Hawaiian Islands
are not included in the official statement OF
imports. they are properly included in the
statement to show the quantity of sugal
coming into the United States. The tota
number of pounds of sugar brought into
the United States during the year was. a.
shown by the records of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor through its bureau OF
statistics. SPIT 011 O34. while in no earlier
year In the history of the country has the
importation of sugar ever reached 5,N',opn,
600 pounds.
For Each Inhabitant 72 Pounds.
The largest importation in any earlier
year was that of 1897, when the total was
4,91S8o5,7 pounds. Adding to the cnor
nous importation of 1903 600. 600 900 pounds
as the domestic production. would give a
total sugar supply of 5,s17.OOO pounds fo1
age of u pounds for each individual in the
United States estimating the present pop
ulatfon at SOOOO.OOO.
The record of sugar importations for the
year differs materially in certain aspects
from that Of earlier years. TIE total i'm
portation OF beet sugar during the year
was only S7.N0.O00 pounds. against 255. .0OO.-
coo in the fiscal year 1902 ana 9OS, 600 600
in the fiscal year 1901. Cane sugar Of
course. composed the remainder, and the
cane sugar impOrtatiOns of the fiscal year.
exclusive of that brought from Porto Rico
and the Hawaiian Islands, amounted to
4.O75.cOOHO pounds, against 2 2.iS5. COX. 600 in
the fiscal year 1902. and 2.9.6. 600 900 in 1901
From Porto Rico the total sugar brought
into the United States amounted to 228.
143. sos pounds. valued at 81 46t SO and
from the Hawaiian Islands, ia. .s25. 400
pounds valued at s25,31O6S4: Thus, the
total quantity OF sugar supplied by Porto
Rico and the Hawaiian Islands amounted
TO l.HD.pouO pounds or about one-tifth
of the total brought into this country, its
value being nearly $330OO.0OO.
Lowest Average Price.
Another marked characteristic of the
years production of sugar Is the fact that
the price OF sugar brought from foreign
countries has averaged lower than in any
preceding year. The official statements of
the bureau of statistics have for many
years shown the average cost per pound
In foreign country of the sugar imported.
This average cost was in 1872 and
1873 over cents per pound.
From that period 1t ranged downward.
average four and a fraction cents per
pound. until 1889. when the cost first fell
below cents. being in 1884 SO cents per
pound. From that date forward 1T ranged
downward. in some years falling below 3
cents per pound the figure for 1894 being
90 cents as the years average rate of
cost. BY 1901 the movement was still slow
ly downward, the average rate for 1901 be-
ing 23 cents per pound. while in 1902 the
average cost was 1.s2 cents per pound.
and In the fiscal year just ended the aver
age cost in the country of production Of
the sugar imported from foreign countries
was III cents per pound, which IS lower
than in any preceding year