Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-31
our Trade WIN Afrlon.

Trade Of the United States with Africa
in the fiscal year Of 1905 aggregated
about S30000,0 900, the smallest total
since 1900 The commerce Of the United
States with that continent reached its
highest level in 1903, when the total was
S5l 100000, compared with $50 500 600
in 1900, $4,000, 900 in 1895, and $40. .0O0.-
900 in 1890. Importations from Africa
in 1905 we're valued at Sll 1913 900, an
increase of nearly S2.OOO0OO compared
with the preceding year and Of 81 600 900
compared with 1895. Exports to Africa
in 1905 aggregated SIS 100000, against
s24 ,25O00O in 1904 and 100000 in
1895.
The decrease in our exports to Africa
is but a reflection Of the reduction in It's
general imports since 1908. Importations
into the Cape Of Good Hope. the chief COM
mercial section, have decreased from
Sl64 100000 in 1908 to Sg4 100000 in
1905, a reduction of $40 900 600 in two
years. Meanwhile Egypts imports adj
vanced from sS300O,OOO in 1903 to
sl06 100000 in 1905, but as our trade
in that country consists almost exclu-
sively Of imports the growth Of s24 ,00O,-
900 in Egypts purchases from foreign
countries did not affect the volume Of
our expectations to that market. While
there has been a check in imports into
Africa, exports show a growth, those from
Cape Of Good Hope Including raw gold)
having increased from Sl07 ,OO0.O in
1908 to sl43, 1888 900 in 1905; and those
Of Egypt from 500 500 900 in 1903 to
Sl00, ,666, 600 in 1905, and an even larger
growth compared with figures for a dec
ade earlier. The recent falling off Of
imports as compared with other years
since 1900 would seem to indicate that
the extraordinary purchases Of machinery.
agricultural implements, builders hard
ware, hallway, and other material i'm
mediately following the resumption Of
industry at the close Of the war have re-
turned TO normal conditions; while the
enlarged exports are due TO increased
production and consequent increased ex-
portations Of gold and diamonds. Gold
production in South Africa has increased
from S74 ,sl9,0 in 1899, the record year
prior to the war, to SlOs $4,000 in 1905
the highest total ever reached, while evi-
dence Of greatly increased diamond pro-
duction is seen in the fact that diamond
exports from the Cape Of Good Hope in
creased from $50 100000 in 1899 to over
s3l 100000 in 1904.
Despite the fact that both imports and
exports in our trade with Africa show a
decrease in 1905 az compared with the
Immediately preceding years, the aggre-
gate commerce passing in each direction
during the last decade is much larger
than for any corresponding period in
earlier years. Statistics recently com.
piled by the Department Of Commerce
and Labor through its Bureau Of Sta.
tistics show that imports from Africa in
the ten years ending with 1905 aggre-
gated s1O5,O00,00O, as compared with
5s,000,0O in the preceding decade; and
that exports TO Africa in the last ten years
amounted TO 1920 100000, against les.
than S50,0000OO in the preceding decade
OF the total Of $4,000 600 representing
the trade Of the United States with Africa
in the fiscal year 1905, over Sl2, 100000
was with British South Africa, 81 ,25O,OOC
with British West Africa, 81 100000 with
British East Africa, little over 80 900, ,OOO
with Egypt, Sl,75OOO0 with Portuguese
Africa, about 81 100000 with French
Africa, and the remainder aggregatine
less than 81 100000, with other section.
Of Africa.