The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-19
TOTAL IMPORTS UNUSUALLY LARGE Exports of Past Year Showed
 Falling Off IMPORTS REACH BILLION Reduction In Exports is Due to the Very Notable Falling off in
 Exports of Bread
 Stuffs.
IMPORTS REACH BILLION

Washington, December 1S.-(Special.)- The total foreign commerce of the United States in the year about ending seems to exceed that of any preceding year. The total exports will probably fall slightly below those of last year and of the years 1900 and, 1901, but as the total imports will materially exceed those of any preceding caledar year, the grand total of imports and exports combined will probably be the largest in the history of our commerce.
 The statement of the November com merce and of the eleven month ending with November, just issued by the de- pertinent of commerce and labor. through its bureau of statistics, shows imports for the eleven months ending with Mo- vember, 1904, amounting to 939 million dol lars against SIS millions in the eorres- bonding months of 1903, S75 millions in the corresponding period of 1902, 800 millions in the corresponding period of 1901, and 76O millions in the corresponding period of 1900. Thus the imports for the full year seem likely to exceed those of pre- ceding calendar year, and for the first time in the history of calendar years inn ports will exceed one billion dollars in value. The total value of merchandise imported in the calendar year 1903 was 995 million dollars; in 1902, 969 millions; in 1901, SS0 millions; in 1900, S29 millions; in lS99 799 millions, and in 1898. 635 millions.
 While the import record seems likely to exceed that of any earlier calendar year, the total exports for the eleven months ending with November, 1904, is about s5,- 000,00O below the figures for the cores bonding months of 1903 and $23, 100000 be- low those of the corresponding period of l90l This slight reduction In exports Is of course due to the great falling off In exports of breadstuffs, which afnouht- ed in the eleven months ending with No vember, 1904, to only $82 900, 000 again st $l760O0,000 in the corresponding months Of 1903, and $252, 100000 in the corresponding months of 1901.
 The fact that the grand total of ex- ports falls but million dollars below that of the corresponding month of last year, in spite of the loss of 94 million dollars in exports of breadstuffs, indi- cates a very large increase along other lines. The completed figures of the bu- reau of statistics indicate that this in- crease occurs chiefly in raw cotton and manufactures, cotton exports for the eleven months being about f4 million dol lars in excess of the corresponding months of last year. while the ten months figures of manufactures already available show a gain of 64 millions over the exports for the corresponding period of last year.
 The figures of imports and exports for the single month of November also pre- sent an unusual record. The total i'm ports of the month amount to S95000, 0a0 against $77000,0O0 in November. 1908, $S5,- 900. GOO in November, 1902, $72,0O0. GOO in No- vember, 1901, and $65000,00O in November 1900 tho total for November 1904 being thus larger than in any preceding No vember. On the export side the total for November is s157 GOO 900, against 16O000.o00 in November, 1903 s125.0O0.000 Tn Novem- ber 1902. S1360O0,000 In November 1901. and $136, 750, GOO in November 1900, the to- tai for November, 1904 being thus larg- CT than that of any preceding November except that of the year 1903.