The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-09

States. takes 5s per cent of her imports from this country, Cuba 45 per cent, the Central American countries 43 per cent. Colombia A per cent Nenezula 36 per cent, West Indian islands except Cuba and Porto Rico 9 per cent, Santo Do- mingo 60 per cent. Haiti 70 per cent, and the Guianas, colonies of European eoun- tries, 24 per cent. Of the second group of countries (from whose ports the steam ship routes to the United States are not materially shorter than those to Europe). the share of the imports drawn from the United States Is in the case Of Eeua- do 9 per cent Peru IS per cent Ar gentina II per cent Brazil Il per cent, Chile 9 per cent. Uruguay Sla per cent, Boliva, 6la per cent, and Paraguay 31b per cent.
 The share of the exports of these coun- tries which Is sent to the United States is largely determined by our local de- mand for the products of the individual countries Cuba. whose chief exports are sugar and tobacco, of which the United States is a large importer sends to the United States s6 per cent of her total ex- ports; Haiti whose chief export Is sugar, sends 94 per cent of her exports to the United States; Santo Domingo which also exports chiefly sugar, sends 6S per cent of her exports to the United States: the Central American states. exporting fruits ana cOHee. or Wnlcn the nlled states Is large importer. send 42 per cent of their exports to this country; Brazil. whose chief exports are coffee and india rubber. of which the United States Is a large importer ana consumer. sends 50 per cent of her exports to ths country; and Mexico. whose most important ex- ports are sisal grass. copper, lead. hides and skins. coffee and various tropical products of which the United States is a large importer. sends 6S per cent of her exports to this country.
 Determined by Study of Maps.
 The causes of this sharp contrast in the share of the imports drawn from the United States by the two groups of coun- tries are suggested by a study of the map and the routes followed by the steam ships upon which the South and Central American countries are entirely depend ent for their transportation of imports and exports. The most easterly point of the South American continent, which all steamships must pass in their routes to and from the ports of eastern and west ern South America, is much farther east than the principal commercial ports of the United States. The distance which d steamship must travel from that point 10 New York is greater than to southwest ern Europe, and but little less than to the principal commercial ports of north western Europe. With the large supply of European owned steamships running reg ularly between South America and the ports of Europe. and the comparatively small supply running to and from the ports of the United States. the trade Of the South American countries naturally trends toward European ports, and this is intensified by the fact that much of the trade, finance and banking facilities of South America are also in the hands of or controlled by Europeans.
 The fact that Brazil sends direct to the United States over 800 million pounds of coffee and 35 million pounds of India rubber annually; that Argentina sends 10 million pounds of wool and % million pounds of hides; that Chile sends 6o mill lion pounds of ntrates, and that Brazil Argentina, and the countries of the west coast of South Africa send In addition to this over IT million dollars worth of miscellaneous merchandise suggests that the vessels bringing this large quantity of merchandise should offer ample fla clities for direct shipments from the United States to those countries on the return trip. This result however, Is not realized, since large proportion of the vessels bringing this merchandise from these South American countries to the country to Europe where. after discharg- ing those cargoes. they reload with Euro pean merchandise for South America. thus by these triangular voyages materi- ally reducing the opportunity for direct shipments from the United States to South America.