The San Francisco call., 1903-01-20
COMMERCIAL INDIA.
w HlLE the attention OF the curious is d-
wv rected to India by reason of the splendid
W W at he

HlLE the attention OF the curious is dl-
wv rected to India by reason of the splendid
pageantry at the coronation durbar at
Delhi, the minds OF business men are drawn in the
same direction by reports OF the advancing industrial
and commercial activity OF the Indian people 1t ap-
pears that despite the bghting droughts OF recent
years and the consequent iamines and plaques India
mas had larger measure OF trade than ever before,
and 1t is therefore reasonable infer that her peo-
pie mass, outside the stricken provinces, have
had corresponding degree OF prosperity.
From the Treasury Bureau OF Statistics there has
just been issued monograph on Commercial In
dia which will be read with interest 1t shows that
the commerce OF India for 1902 was larger than that
OF any preceding in its history and that the e-
ports OF the country which in 1850 amounted in value
TO S7oooo,ooo, reached during the year ending
March 81, 1902, value of $500, 900 900, giving to
India the rank OF the sixth largest exporting country
in the world.
The large value OF the exports leaves to the country
handsome trade balance in its favor The report
says India is one OF the comparatively few coun-
tries Of the world whose exports exceed imports
the exports OF India in 1902 exceeding the value OF
its imports by $I27,oooooo, which is larger excess
of exports than that OF any other country except
the United States. The value of the imports in the
fiscal year 1902 was $264, ,ooo,ooo OF which 65 per
cent, practically two-thirds, was drawn from the
United Kingdom, and 81 per cent from all Europe
vi the exports Is per cent to the United King
dom and so per cent to all Europe. OF its exports
S47ooo,ooo or II per cent, was sent to the United
States, and OF its imports 500 ooo or per cent
drawn from the United States"
The principal exports OF the country are food
stufs, material for manufactures consisting
OF rice hides skins, jute cotton tea opium and oil
seeds in the order named The value OF the exported
rice upward OF $4oooo,oco. Cotton and lutte
exports amounted to about S35ooo.ooo. OF the i'm
ports cotton manufactures amount to about onethrd
OF the whole There are also, however. large i'm
ports OF metals hardware sugar, oils and wooden
goods.
The showing OF commercial activity and increase
is proof of the general excellence OF the British
administration OF the country; nor is that the only
evidence on the subject British administration in
its present form dates from 1888 and of some OF its
results in the Improvement OF the country the report
says The railroads in operation in India in 1857
were 275 miles in length, and in 1902 $4,000,
the exact figure for 1901 being 25o35 miles In 1857
the number OF postofces in operation was 1000, and
in 1000 3o645, handling annually 52I6o4746 letters
newspapers and packages. The number OF miles of
telegraph in operation in 1857 was about 1000, and
in 1000 $4,000, with ISo,666 miles OF wire"
AS the advancement OF India is still going on.
and as there is no sign Of any check to the move
ment the country will become in the near future an
even important market than present and it
will be worth while for our merchants and manu-
facturers' to study its increasing possibilities as a
market for American goods.