New-York tribune., 1906-11-17
IMPORTED LUXURIES.
Over S1OO,0OO,OO0 Sent Ont of the
Country for Them Last Year.
[From The Tribune Bureau I

Washington. Nov 16,-Over aOOOcoOoo was sent
out OF the United States in the fiscal year 1906
the purchase Of luxuries. This total of 500 900
worth Of lu1uries imported in the fiscal year Just
ended includes. according to the records OF the
bureau of statistics OF the Department OF Com
merce and Labor. $40 Ooo coo worth OF diamonds
and other precious stones, about 100000 worth of
laces, -dsngs. embroiderles and ribbons. about
100000 worth OF feathers natural and artificial;
over 100000 worth of champasne and the "
mainder miscellaneous articles. such as perfumeries
and toilet articles. smokers articles and opium for
smoking. If to this is added the value of tobacco,
cigars and cigarettes imported the total will reach
Sl25ooooo This grand total os s125oOO OOo including
tobacco and cigars in this class is more than
double the imports of similar articles decade ago,
the total for 1896 for the articles named having
been s51,0Oo,Oo0 and in 1906 s125oOOoo
Diamonds and other precious stones show the
largest increase in the decade the total value Of
precious stones. jewery and manufactures of gold
and silver imported In 1896 having been s9032 and
in 1906 S42 201 rs OF this item of precious stones
and ewelry. diamonds alone formed ABOUT s5 900 900
in 1906, against ltle'less than s70OOOoo in 1895.
Cotton laces, edgings and embroideries the
ond item in value in this list OF luxures imported,
aggregating S34. 900 in 1906 against a little less
than s1,000000 in 1895 Tobacco and cigars, If in
cluded in this category of luxuries imported. form
the next largest item In value, aggregatng nearly
&1.oo0oo in 1906 against about Sls,000.000 in 1895.
Ostrich feathers aud artificial feathers, fruits and
flowers aggregated nearly S000,000 in the imports
of 1906 and about s50O0G0 IN 1885, and of this total
in 1905 ostrich feathers alone formed between $1,000
600 and 100000 value. the bulk of the remainder
being artificial feathers. fruits and flowers Cham
payne imported in 1906 aggregated over 100000 in
value, against about s. 900 In 1885 Silk laces.
embroideres and edgings aggregated nearly d,3'5,-
600 in 1906 against little less than 100000 in 1895.
and silk ribbons amounted in 1906 to a little over
S20oo0o0 against little 81 100000 IN 1896 Opium
for smoking, which amounted to 81 10000 in 1906
was about $4,000 valuo in 1885. Perfumeries and
all toilet preparations amounted to little over
100000 In 1906. against $4,000 in 1895 and pipes
and other smokers articles amounted to over $4,000
In 1906, against s934.000 in 1896.
The bulk of this 500 100000 worth OF Iuxuries
other than tobacco comes from Europe. OF the
S35ooo,o00 worth of diamonds imported in 1906
than sl10o0,000 worth from the United King
dom. about s1,OOoo0o from the Netherlands. $500,
COO from Belgium and about s5500O00 from France.
These countries, however. may be considered
merely dealers in these articles, since none of
them are producers of diamonds. though a large
proportion of those sent from the Netherlands and
France probably represent valCe added by labor
in those countries. since they the finished
state diamonds while considerably moro
than one-half OF those from the United Kingdom
and about one-third of those from Belgium come
in the uncut state.
The S34.o000oO worth of cotton laces. edgings and
embroideries imported is drawn chiefly from Swift
zerland. France, Germany and the United King
dom, the total from Switzerland in 1906 being s1.-
a4.1S; from France. slO,S9l.147; from Germany,
S6,0+4 Isl. and from the United Kingdom. S,735O27
The silk laces and embroderies imported amount
ing to $50o,OOO in 1906. are drawn chiefly from
France, from which the imports in 1906 were valued
at s; 4SS so; The ribbons amounting to about "
Switzerland, France and Germany. The feathers.
OF which the importations under the genera! Litie
Of feathers and downs amounted to nearly $1,000
600 in 1906 chiefly ostrich feathers, very large
share OF this total being drawn from the United
Kingdom, which obtains these articles chiefly from
South Africa.
OF the artificial feathers flowers, fruits. grains
and leaves, amounting to more than 5000 900 in
the imPortations Of 1906 about two-thirds drawn
Germany. OF the more than s6O0O.OoO worth OF
champagne imported in 1908 about 80 per cent is
drawn from France. the remainder chiefly from
the United Kingdom and Belgium OF khe $1,000
600 worth of tobacco suitable for cigar wrappers
imported in 1906 fully 95 per cent comes from the
Netherlands which obtains IL from its East Indian
island of Sunatra, and OF the 100000 worth Of
other tobacco about s195O00OO comes from Cuba
and about S1.000,0O0 from Turkey, while Of the
100000 worth of cigars. nearly the entire value
The table which follows shows the value Of
1906: