The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-16

dollars and the imports millions, and
that out of this total of 30 million dollars
there was exported about million dollars
worth.
Rapid Increase.
The rapid increase in the use of automo-
biles is shown in a marked degree both by
the figures of the bureau of statistics and
those of the bureau of the census. The
value of automobiles manufactured in
1900 is given by the census figures at only
$474S.O11 and in 1905. as above indicated,
at $26, 645, 064. The bureau of statistics
figures Will show approximately million
dollars worth Of automobiles imported in
the fiscal year 1906, against less than 21a
millions in 1905, about Ia millions in 1901
and about 1 million in 1903
OF the million dollars worth of auto
mobiles exported in the fiscal year just
ending, about pne-half goes to Europe and
most of the remainder to Canada, Mexico.
the West Indies. and Australia. The de-
tails of distribution have only been work
ed out for ten months of the present year,
but they show the value exported to the
United Kingdom at $616.177; to Canada
$435, $50; to Mexico $293,O02; to Italy, $227.-
bSS; to West Indies and Bermuda. 1924. 676;
to France. $17O,601 to Australia and New
Zealand. $14S, 124; to South America. SOL
7S0; to Germany, $57259; to British East
Indies. $31 ,046, and to Africa $26, 1926. OF
the imports fully two-thirds came from
France and practically all of the remain
der from the United Kingdom Germany
and Italy, in about equal proportions.
Industrial Effect.
| The industrial effect in the United States
of the increased use of automobiles (while
it cannot be fully measured because of
the large number of people employed in
their care, repair. etc) is Indicated In
some degree by the figures of the census
which show that the number of wage
earners In the automobile manufacture
| ing establishments of the country in
creased from 2242 In 1900 to 1929 In 1906
that the wages paid increased from 81, 320,-
6S5 to $6.17S, $780, the salaries of officials
clerks. etc, from $294,770 to $1,000 425: and
that the materials used. which Of course
largely represent labor, increased from
| 81, 804, PSF to 81 ,65S13S
| The importance of the automatically
propelled vehicle in its relation to the
commercial and industrial development of
the undeveloped sections OF the world Is
suggested by study of the figures of
exports of automobiles to the various
countries and continents Lack of trans
horses canals, or railways has been one
of the greatest obstacles in attempts to
develop the mountain. desert. and tropical
regions of the world: and the fact that
the automobile whether built primarily
for passenger transportation or transpor-
tation of freight, is being rapidly adopted
in those regions In which animal power
is scarce suggests great possibilities in
production and commerce through the use
of vehicles of this character.
Reports From Canada.
| Reports from United States consuls
and others have shown the practical APP
plication of automatically propelled We
hicles in many of the comparatively un-
developed countries. especially in the
tropics. including Mexico, the West India
islands, South America, Africa, India.
the Malay peninsula, Java China, japan,
and the Philippine Islands, all of them
sections in which animal power for trans
portation is extremely scarce and devel-
opment delayed by reason of that scare
ity The proportonately large exporta-
ton of automobiles to sections of this
character is a suggestion of the practi-
cal uses apparently being made in those
countries OF this class of vehicles. About
90 per cent of the automobiles exported
from the United States in the year just
closing went to Mexico and the West
Indies, while only about 7 per cent Of
the other exports went to those coun-
tries.
The export trade in automobiles has
advanced rapidly in recent years and
suggests a probably rapid growth in the
near future. The total value of auto
mobiles exported from the United States
In the ten months ending with April. 1906.
was s2,473, 2J7. against sl.S76,063 In the cor
responding months of 1904. and thus indl-
Gates that the automobile may take the
place in our export trade bicycles. of
which the expectation has fallen from 81
0O5 .s23 in 1897 to s1.37s.42S in 1906 The
exports of automobiles from France were.
In round terms. 10 million dolars's value
In 1903 and 20 millions In 1905.