The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-12-26
EXPANSION OF COMMERCE.

IHi A.NoiON Of COM MERGE,
A study of the foreign trade of tn,
various nations shows an expansion
which gives some indication of the
vast development in commerce and
industry throughout all the civilized
world. Familiar as we are in this
country with the great Increase in
the foreign trade OF the United States
our imports and exports now aggre-
eating over $4,000, 900 900. we are
not quite so familiat as we should
be with the fact that a similar ex-
pansion is going on elsewhere. The
Iron and Coal Trad& Review of Lon.
don, In discussing .'this situation
says: x
One OF the wondees OF the modern
world--a wonder mi ch greater in its
origin. its development and its act
ual magnitude thans any one of the
seven wonders OF the Old Words
the extraordinary large international
trade of the Unitef Kingdom, both
absolutely and relatively to that OF
other countries This phenomenon
hes probably been as marked in 1906
as In any previous year, II, indeed
II Is not more so.
Then pointing out that the United
Kingdom has less than one-half as
great population as the United
States, and that its resources are less
than ours, the Review shows that for
the first eight months of the presen.
calendar year the United Kingdom
has beaten the United States alike in
Import and export trade, and that
the total volume OF the two has ex-
ceeded by over 5000, 900. O0e the
value of the corresponding trade of
the United States. Commenting on
this the Review says:
? The principal elements in the huge
volume of differences represented In
these figures consist in our exports OF
coal and iron and our imports of iron
ore and iron products. In these we
are ahead of al other nations, The
United Kingdom excels in two other
directions. We consume a much
larger volume OF non-indigenous
food than the Cnited States. and We
are also greater per capita buyers of
articles de luxe. among which wines
and tobacco in its various forms oc-
cupy a prominent position.
The condition which prevails in
Great Britain as to foreign trade are
likewise seen in Germany whose for
eign commerce for 1906 is exceeding
anything in the previous history of
that country. The increase in the
imports and exports of Germany dur
ing the first six months of this year
has been 5000 1000 900. over the cor
responding time of last year. France
has likewise Increased and in the
first eight months of the year the
gain was $500 100000, while Bel
GUM shows a gain of $4,000. 600.
Other countries are also showing a
material increase Egypt Japan.
British India and Canada all being in
the list of cou tries whose foreign
trade is expanding. Japan alone OF
all the leading Countries being the
only one that has materially reduced
her imports Commenting on the
gain in Germany and France the Re
view says:
This is a stupendous stride when
one recolleets what a relatively small
thing the foreign commerce of Ger
many was only few years ago. The
iron and steel exports and both the
imports and exports Of coal have
played a prominent part In the Ger
man expansion Of the present year.
Alike in the i'm orts and in the ex-
ports of coal, the development in
1906 has exceeded that of any prev
ious year. This has also been the
case with the Imports OF iron ore and
the exports OF iron and steel. One
of the explanations of the large in
lcrease in German imports has been
the greater volume Of iron ore,
which Germany increasingly calls for
and has increasing difficulty In pro-
curing. The prospects, of the future
in this respect are not satisfactory to
German ironmasters, seeing that Swe-
den and Spain are alike looking for
ward to Limitation OF ore exports by
taxation or otherwise. France Is in