The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-21
TRADE INCREASES
WITH AUSTRALASIA
Statistics Compiled by Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor
INCREASE IS VERY RAPID
Imports from Australian Common
wealth are Very important.
Some Interesting Facts
About the Country


between the United States and British
Australasia in the fiscal year 1905 ag-
81 egated s3s 100000 against ss45OO.oCo in the
preceding year, S32o0o,O0O in 1900. and s14.-
eeaeo in 1895. Statistics compiled by the
department of commerce and labor
through its bureau Of statistics show that
imports from British Australasia have
grown from -four and two-third million
dollars in 1s95 TO s12.Ogo.oo0 in 1905 and ex-
ports thereto in the same period from So
90 10 S26.ooooo0. For nine months of the
present fiscal year the exports are about
100000 in excess of the same months
OF last year.
The term '"British Australasia" as used,
includes Australia, Tasmania, New Zea-
land, and the Fiji Islands. but the com
meree included under the term is chiefly
that Of Australia and New Zealand. Aus
tralia has an area of practically 100000
square miles. or but little less than that
OF the United States, and its population
approximates 100000, or slightly in excess
of that of our country at the beginning
OF our national existence. While the
northern portion lies within the tropics
the southern and more populous section,
area, is in the South Temperate Zone
with popula tion. customs and institutions
and therefore social requirements not dis
similar to those Of the United States Agri-
! culture and stock raising are the most
important industries. though the mining
OF gold and copper has assumed consid-
cradle proportions. The value of the prin-
eipal crops aggregated in 1900 about $125.-
0oO,000 wheat being credited with SSlt00o,-
0oo, hay S30,0o000, oats s1O.000,0O0 orchard
and garden products $l0,0000O1, potatoes
$6o0o.o00 and corn nearly s6.Go,000. Wheat
wool and meats are the chief production
While certain sections of Australia do not
produce wheat. the production of other
sections and of New Zealand is sufficient
to supply all domestic demands and leave
a considerable surplus for expectation.
Australasia is the largest wool producer
of the world. her production in 1900, ac-
oording to the reports of the National As
scciation of Wool Manu,dc tlrers. being
510,000,000 pounds, against 37O,00000O for Ar
sentina. 36l 100000 for Russia. 800 000.000 for
the United States 40 100000 for the United
Kingdom 104 100000 for France 103.000.00O
for Spain. 100000 millions for the Brit
ish South African colonies, and 96.000.00O
fol Uruguay. The latest available state
ment of live stock in Australasia reports
sheep 94o00,000 cattle II 100000 horses o.
100000 and swine 100000. This brief an
alysis offers explana ton of the rela-
| lively small value of agricultural pro-
ducts exported to that section of the world
and suggests that its importance to Amer
lea producers rests largely for the pres
ent at least. in its value as market for
manufactured products and as a source OF
supply for certain manufacturers ma
terals not produced in the United States
in sufficient quantities to meet local re-
quirements.
Imports into United States.
The imports into the United States from
the Australian commonwealth are chiefly
raw wool. coal. gums. unmanufactui ed
fibcrs, hides and skins, furs and fur skins,
sausage castings and block tin; these eight
articles supplying full 30 per cent of our
total imports from Australasia. lnporta-
lions of raw wool show an especially large
increase during the past decade. their
total for 1908 having been $6,6lS.3G9. against
81. 517 30 in 1904 and 1,Si6,93l IN 1895. Most
OF this wool is Of the class designated as
clothing. combing wool appearing In
the imports only at long intervals and in
negligible quantities. while practically no
carpet wool is ever imported from the
Australian colonies. Imports of bittmihous
coal from Australia. chiefly for the Pacific
coast. Increased from $5l2,65l in 1895 to ST.
09I 055 in 1901 but in 1905 receded to s434.
92S. the smallest total, with two excep-
tons shown during the past decade.
Gums, chiefly copal. cowrie and dammar,
SHOW an increase in importations of over
a half million dollars since 1895. the total
for that year having been $l,0s3O3 and for
1906 81 $3.50. Imports of manufactured
fibers increa sed from s51,59l in 1895 To ST.,
O21 1875 in 1905; those OF hides and skins
from s2Gs, 525 in 1895 to $l,l24,262 in 1865:
undressed fnrs and fur skins from $S1 .3SS
IL, AZ n
1906: and sausage castings from s19i47S in
1895 TO s224 - in 1906 Tin in bars. blocks
and pigs shows n marked decrease In I'M
ports from Australasia during the decade,
the value Ia wing declined from sf9i,224 in
1895 to s17S.GS1 in 1905.
EXPORTS from the United States to Brit
ish Australia STA include iron and steel
manufactures. refined mineral oils. wood
and its various manufactures. tobacco
and manufactures thereof Chiefly plug,
paper manufactures, boots and shoes, up
per leather. cotton manufactures. fruits
and nuts. agricultural implements, fish.
chemicals and drugs (patent and proprie-
tary medicines forming large share),
cars and carriages. clocks and watches,
rosin and turpentine and many other ar
ticles of lesser values ranging as high
as 100000 each per annum. The statistics
of our exports to Australia and New
Zealand disclose the preponderance Of
cultural products in any considerable
quantities.
Comparing conditions in 1905 with those
OF a decade earlier. exports of builders
hardware increased from 5.i94 In 1895
to 81, 223,o66 in 1905: sewing machines. from
s224S75 to s5417 wire. from sl0619 to
sg94757 and iron and steel manufactures
as a whole from si543.72o in 1895 to s6,
Cos 253 in 1905. Meantime exports of re-
fined mineral oils increased during the
decade from st.54i,073 in 1895 to s2.63s 455
3o3 $40 to 81 1871 Agricultural imple-
ments, from s24G.930' TO sl.159 1888; unman-
ufactured tobacco, from s2GS.079 to SAL.
2l5. and paper manufactures. from $780,
29i In 1895 to ss49 404 in 1905. the latter sum-
however being a million dollars less than
that for 1901 and considerably below that
for any year since 1891 Exports Of boots
and shoes increased from SG209D In 1898
TO 1899 7I2 while in 1901 the total had
risen to the unusual level Of over ~
million. dollars. Upper leather increased
from xJo.62s IN 1895 to sjl77sS in 1895; cot
ton cloths from $590s4 to $iJ0994; other
cotton manufactures from sS9.0sI to s5iS.-
1s5. and boards. deals. and planks from
s49.5s1 in 1885 to sl.5G5.2l1 in 1904 and
1868 in 1903.
Total Exports.
While several of the articles above
enumerated show in 1905 decreases as
compared with the Immediately preceding
wear the total exports from the United