Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-10
IRON AND STEEL EXPORTS.
Increase Over Previous High Record Of
$4,000, 600.

Washington, April 9.-Exports of
iron and steel manufactures from the
United States in the first eight months
OF the present fiscal year exceed those
in the corresponding months of any
earlier wear, being $4,000. 900 in value,
as compared with sS1 500 900. the high
record made in the first eight months
of the fiscal year 1901.
A statement just issued by the De-.
partment of Commerce and Labor
through its Bureau of Statistics COM
rares the imports and exports of iron
and steel manufactures, during the
first eight months of each fiscal year
from 1855 to 1905. In 1885 exports Of iron
and steel manufactures during the first
eight months We're less than half the
value of imports Of iron and steel man.
ufactnres, being Sl1 800, 0O0, as against
$z3,O0G.0O0 of imports. In 1905, during
the same months, the exports Of iron
and steel are about six times as much
as the imports of iron and steel. being
sS5,500,000 as against S14,000,O00 of i'm
ports. Thus the balance of trade in
iron and steel which in 1855 showed a
total Of $4,000, 600 in favor of imports.
shows in 1905 to date a total of 81 .00o,-
0G0 in favor of exports.
The growth in iron and steel exports
from the United States is even more
clearly shown by comparison of the
movement in certain articles. In 1885
there We're but % classes of sufficient
Importance to warrant their preSenta-
ton in the monthly records of export
movements. In 1905 about IS separate
items of iron and steel manufactures
are shown in the Monthly Summary of
Commerce and Finance and the list
steadily grows from year to year. in
response to the request emanating
from those Interested in the iron and
steel industry. while in addition to this
many of the articles are SO presented
as to show their destination by coun-
tries-a distinct improvement upon the
methods pursued twenty years earlier.
Machinery. the leading item of eX-
port in the iron and steel schedule, has
increased from $5,4S7,640 in the first
eight months of 1885 to S39 .066, 052 in the
corresponding months of the present
fiscal year. Under the head of ma
chinery are included locomotives, in
which the growth was from $685. 09e in
1895 to Sl.aiG420 in 1905; printing press
es. from $l16.142 to SS74.139: sewing ma
chimes. from Sl9lS.491 to $3,SO9, 694: and
in addition many other articles which
We're not enumerated in 1885, such as
cash registers. electrical machinery.
laundry working machinery, type
writer's. and other items representing
lines of industry which have only de-
velopeG in recent years. Steel rails
have also increased in exports from
s11111.4G5 in the first eight months Of 1885
to SS.O00649 in 1905 to date. ard over
half of the latter value represents ship
ments to rapidly developing sections of
Canada, while Japan almost equals
Europe as a market for American rails,
being credited with S431, 304 worth as
against s529 S39 for Europe as a whole.
Locks hinges and other builders hard
ware increased from s1,4S7. 313 in 1885 to
s7,lO:: ,S45 in 1905. though the latter sum
is slightly less than the totals for the
corresponding periods of 1903 and 1904,
the comparisons in each case being for
the first eight months of the fiscal
years named.
Fig-irOn production in the United
States showed but little growth in the
twenty years from 1865 to 1885. being
about 1000.0 900 tons and 4.090,000, re-
spectively. at the two dates named.
In the twenty years from 1885 to 1905
the growth has been nearly $4,000, GOO.
and the increase has occurred chiefly
in the last ten years, having almost
doubled in 1902 as compared with the
production of 1895. A study of the fig
ures prepared by the Bureau of Statis-
the production of pig-iron. beginning
with the year 1894; (2) decrease in
the imports of iron and steel manufac-
lures, which have steadily decreased
since 1850, and in but two years, 1891
and 1903, have touched level reached
in the year named; go correspond
ing increase in the expectation of iron
and steel manufactures, especially
since 1897; (D a disappearance of the
net inward movement of iron and steel
and the substitution of a net export
movement, beginning with the year
1891, increasing in volume until the
year 1900. slightly receding until 1903,
and again advancing, with every indi-
cation THAT tue eACeSS VI CApoi - 49,
imports of iron and steel in the pres
ent fiscal year will be considerably
more than s100,0O0000.
The following table shows the i'm
ports and exports of iron and steel
manufactures in 1885, 1890 and annual
ly from 1895 to 1905, the figures in each
case being for the first eight months OF
the fiscal years named:
Eight Imports Exports OF
Months ending of iron Iron and Steel
with Feb'y- and Steel. Manufactures.
1se, 3OO7. e51 81. J41 sos
800 26.96SOS5 16,735,59i