Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-19
OUR BIG TRADE
WITH FRANCE
IMPORTS LARGELY EXCEED
OUR EXPORTS
France eeto Its Bresdstuffs From Al
gerla and Others of Its Colonies.
II Imports Crude Oil Instead
Of the Refined
Special to The Herald.

| WARRINGTON, jan fS.-Trade of
the United States with France differs
somewhat from that with many others
of the leading countries of Europe.
France produces a large proportion of
the breadstuffs and provisions re-
quired by her own people and draws
also large supplies from her colonies,
especially Algeria, with which she has
free interchange of products unre-
stricted by tariff. Her imports of wheat
amounted last year to only about $S,-
100000, of which about 70 per cent was
drawn from Algeria and Tunis. Her
imports of flour amounted to a little
over $1000,000, of which a large part
was drawn from Algeria. Her imports
of corn amounted to about 81, 900, 900,
of which less proportion was drawn
from her own colonies, more than half
OF the imports of corn coming from Ar
gentina. OF provisions her imports are
small. amounting last year to only
about S4,000,000 in value. 1t is not sur
prising, then, that in breadstuffs ana
provisions the exports from the United
States to France are and have been for
many years small. except in years of
abnormal conditions such, for instance,
as 1898, when the value of wheat ex-
ported from the United States to
France was $320O0,0OO, against only
$1S5,OOO in the Immediately preceding
year, and 81. 1888 in the year >imme-
diately following.
The total commerce between the
United States and France, as shown
by figures compiled by the department
of commerce and labor through it's bu-
reau of statistics, amounts in round
terms to $166,000,0O this being
the figure of the fiscal year 1905
of which $76,OOO,0OO was the value of
exports to France and 800, 900, 900 i'm
ports from that country. This is an
other popularity of our trade with
France, that in many years our i'm
ports from that country exceed oul
exports thereto. This fact is explained
in part by the fact noted above, that
France is not large importer of
breadstuffs or provisions, which have
for many years formed an important
factor in our export trade, and in part
by the fact that France is large pro-
ducer of certain high-grade manufac-
lures of which we still continue to be
large importers. such as velvets.
pushes, laces and embroderies of silk
and cotton. dress goods of silk, wool
and cotton, jewelry and cut diamonds,
feathers, natural or artificial, and ma
terials for hats and bonnets, china
ware, wines. kid gloves and materials
for use in their manufacture, etc.
Copper and Cotton
OF our total expectation of S76,0OO,0 900
worth of merchandise to France in
the fiscal year 1905. by far the largest
items We're copper and raw cotton.
France is not a producer of copper or of
cotton, while the United States pro-
duces half the worlds copper and
three fourths of its cotton. AS a con-
sequence our exports of copper to
France in the fiscal year 1905 amounted
to $11, 100000, against S2500000 a decade
ago, in the fiscal year 1896 our exports
of cotton to France i'm the fiscal year
1905 amounted to $4,000 900, against $22, |
100000 in 1885, and the figures for 1905
would have been much larger but for
the low price per pound of exported
cotton in that year, as compared with
Immediately preceding years, in 1904, |
for instance, the 367 100000 pounds of
cotton exported from the United States
to France was valued at $43,000,0O0,
while the 409,000,000 sent to that coun
try in 1905 was valued at but $36,000,-
600, the quantity in 1905 being consid
erably more than that of 1904 and the
value $7,OOO,OOO less.
Oils, mineral and vegetable, are the
next important items in the list of ar
ticles exported from the United States
to France. and in these trade condi-
tions are also peculiar. France is about
the only country in the world which
imports her mineral oil in a crude con-
dition, in any considerable quantities
at least. Her imports of mineral oil
amount to $12,000,O00 per annum, and
considerably more than half of this is
importetd in crude state and refined
at home, while most countries import
ing oil import it in the refined state.
OF the 123,000,000 gallons of crude min
eral oil exported from the United
States in the fiscal year 1905, 47000OOO
went TO France and no more than 90
100000 to any other single country;
while of the 95l,OOO,OOO gallons of re-
fined mineral oil exported in that year,
only 21,500,000 gallons went to France,
against 142, 100000 to Germany and 221,-
100000 to the United Kingdom. The
value of crude mineral oil exported
from the United States to France in
1905 was S2666,6 ,666, and of refined oils,
including lubricating oil, naphthas and
illuminating oil, about $2500000, and
these figures do not differ materially
from those of 1895 when the value of
crude oil sent TO France from this
country was $3,323,333 and of refined
oils a little more than 81 ,000, 900.
Agricultural implements hold the
next rank after copper. cotton and min
eral oils i'm the value of our exports to
France, amounting i'm 1905 to a little
less than $3,OO0,OOO, against about
100000 in 1895. There has been "A steady
growth I'm our exports of agricultural
implements to France during the de-
cade, having been $530,197 i'm 1895, ST.
252167 i'm 1898, S2lO16 697 in 1902 and So
ST. 99S in 1905.
Unmanufactured tobacco is about
equal i'm value in 1908 to the item of
agricultural implements. but has not
shown the growth during the decade
that is apparent in the exports of agri-
cultural implements, the value Of un-
manufactured tobacco sent to France
from the United States having been $2,-
914,I2O i'm 1905 against 81, 9Ol ,O9S in 1895
Cotton seed oil Is also an important
item i'm our exports to France amount
ing i'm 1905 to $2,666,OOO, against $3.50, 900
In 1895.
Breadstuffs, as already indicated
form a small factor in our exports to
France. and have been so continuously
for msny years, except in years OF alb
normal conditions when short crops I'm
that country or its colonies have neces-
ciE ul