The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-23

&c. Y}snecial 10 The 1'iines- Dspatch:.). ].
vasu1NGToN.rp. Q,a;April, Iron
~ steel expectations from the Un ~
states have increased tenfold: since Slo 2
f,yefold since 1890, and 4 pra tically oh'7
third since 1900 while for the first elsh''
months Of the current fiscal year l 1''
are pra ctically six times as Hluct 90
,,nnortatIons Of like commodities during
the same period Figures Just comp ? 'E'.
bv the Department Of Commerce anu
Labor through its Bureau OF s 'el'1'
what exports. OF iron and steel Sc, man az,
,,fnrt,,res Increased from Q million oo.-
lars In tho eight months ending Win
17ol,rnnry, 1870, to 6s millions IN me co,-
responding months Of 1904 and ltG mn.
lions in the same months OF the ptese!s
YEAR Imports OF Iron ana stee! Iila ~
fact,,res decreased meantime from q
..a,,,,nns n the eight months ending
.,,,th Eahrlary, 1870, to 10 millions In the
arst EIGHT months Of the fiscal year.
,ooI. and is millions In the corresponding
period Of 1905. Z, =,
1t is only within the last ten or twelve
,,,sor that exports Of Iron ana stee!
manufactures have exceeded lports -
like commodities, this change IN me r.
4latlye position of such Imports ana e rs.
norts having been about colncldent WIZ
the great expansion of pig-iron produc-
ton since 1890
Large Increases.
Not only has enlarged aomestlc pro,
auction OF iron and steel MANUFACTURES
reduced importations Of the foreign pro'
duct, but It has been folloWed py ~.
creased expectations. In the catenua,
year 1870 our exports OF IRON anu s ,eoo
aggregated IS million dollars: IN lssl
1s' n,illIons: in 1880, 81 millions:tin 1900 l31
millions and In 1905, 143 millions, Ihe
enact Of domestic, production upon I'M
ports and exports Is shown by CONF
parIson OF the statistics OF each OF theso
factors Mt parallel dates, In 1870 foi
example, when domestic pig-lron produce
ton was less than 2 million TONS, IRON
and steel imports were 81 million dollars
In value and exports OF like commodities
only IS millions, or about ,one-half ns
much as imports. In 1899, when pig-iron
production was million tons, exports
o. iron and steel manufactures first ex-
ceeded imports OF like products. the for
mer having been in that year little
moro ana the latter little less than
20 million dollars. In 1905 when domestic
nir-iron production reached the unpre'
cedented total OF % million tons imports
fell to 20 million dollars, while exports
rose to 143 millions, the highest POM
aver touched In any calendar year,
Summarizing tho results OF tho above
analysis, pig iron increased IN twenty
Ave years from four million tons IN 1850 tc
twonty-three millions In 1905. exports o.
iron and steel manufactures grew from
sixteen million dollars to ono hundred
and forty-tlree millions, while imports
OF similar commodities meantime decreas'
ed from sixty-four millions to twenty-siA
millions OF dollars. III other words, do
nestle pis iron production was N lD'
six times as great as n quarter OF GEN.
fury ago, exports of iron and steel manu-
factures WE'RE nine times as great, while
imports thereof were less than one-half az
great as Those of 1880.
In 1850 Imports Of iron and steel en-
ceedcd exports of like commodities by
nearly forty-eIght million dollars; IN lS9'
the two movements were practically bal
anced, while In 1905 exports exceeded m
ports by one hundred and seventeen mll'
lion dollars,
Principal Exports.
The principal articles COMPRISING this
expectation Of ono hundred and forty,
three million dollars worth OF iron ant
steel during the last calendar year. stated
| In the order Of their MAGNITUDE. were
Miscellaneous machinery. TWENTY-FIVE NIL
lion dollars; builders hardware, saws ant
| tools, twelve and half millions; pipes
| and fittings, elghr and third millions
| electrical machinery, seven ana tWo-hetl
| millions; steel rails, seven and 9 thlrd