Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-06
IMPORT TRADE SHOWS
CURIOUS CONTRASTS
TABLES DISCLOSE SERIES OF
STRANGE SURPRISES
Millions Of Pounds of Copper Brought
from Abroad, Even Japan Con-
trlbutlna Her Quota

CuriOSitieS or commerce arc mus
trated by somewhat unattractive
looking volume just issued by the bu-
reau. of statistics of the department IT
commerce and labor, entitled Imports
of Merchandise Into the United States
by Articles and Countries During the
Years Ending June 30, 1904-leOS,' Tne
purpose Of this volume is to present
exact information as to the sources of
supply of the principal articles I'M
ported into the United States. To this
end tables are presented showing IN
each case all of the countries from
which the article in question Is drawn
and the value thereof from each coun~
try In each year during the five-year
period under consideration.
These tables when carefully studied
present some interesting facts with ref
efence to our import trade. For in
stance, of the 97000.000 pounds of maca-
roni and similar preparations imported
IN 1908 at a value of $4,000, 900. $4,000, 900
pounds came from Italy 100000 pounds
from France, and 100000 pounds from
Japan. Automobiles also form an in
teresting record, the value of imports
amounting to $4,000,000 in 1904 but fall
ing to $2.500,000 in 1908. OF this $2,5OO,-
900 worth imported in 1908, $1,I50,000
was from France, one-third of a mill
lion dollars worth from Italy, and one
fifth of a million dollars worth from
the United Kingdom.
Soda Water imported
One would scarcely expect that In
this land of soda fountains the guam
tity of soda water imported would be
of sufficient Importance to form an
appreciabe record, yet the quantity I'M
ported in 1908 under the title of lemon
ade, soda water and other similar bev-
erages" was more than one-hAlf mill
.t..& I.,f fal a
which S34,514 worth came from the
United Kingdom. In addition to this
there were imported In the same year
100000 quarts of mineral waters,
valued at more than $1,0OO,0OO. This
came chiefly from France and Ger
many, the value of the mineral water
from Germany in 1908 being S5O4,I30 and
from France $426,056.
Cocoa is evidently growing in favor
with the people of the United States,
the value of this article imported in
1908, being 145l million dollars, against
S% millions in 1904 1t comes chiefly
from South America and the British
West Indies-4ia million dollars worth
from the British West indies, in 1905,
million dollars worth from Brazil,
IL million dollars worth from Portu-
gal. little less than millions from
Santo Domingo and about Ia million
dollars worth from Ecuador.
OF the 81 million dollars worth OF
coffee imported in 1908, 4S million dol
lars worth came from Brazil, nearly 5
million dollars worth from Venezuela,
1-3 million dollars worth from Mex
leo, million dollars worth from
Guatemala and practically million
dollars worth from Colombia. The
quantity imported in 1908 was but 800
million pounds. against 9S5 million
pounds in 1907 and 104S million pounds
in 1905: the last mentioned year being
the only one in the history of the coun-
try In which the importations of cof-
fee amounted to as much as / billion
pounds.
Goals to Newcastle
One would scarcely expect that the
United States would be a large inn
porter of copper products, as she pro-
duces more than one-half of the copper
of the world; but the publication under
review shows that there were imported
into the United states in 1908 practical
ly SO million pounds of copper ore. 145
million pounds of copper in pigs, bars,
manufactures of copper. This ore came
chiefly from Mexico. Canada, New
foundland, Chile. Peru, and a compare
lively small quantity. about million
pounds. from Germany. OF the 145
million pounds of copper in pigs, bars,
lnBOtS, etc, lnlpOTleu last year, 40 Hlll-
lion pounds came from Mexico. 30 mill
lions from Canada, q millions from
Peru Az millions from Germany, AZ
millions from Spain, and AZ millions
from the United Kingdom.
One would not expect to see any con-
siderable quantities of raw cotton i'm
ported when this country produces
three-fourths of the cotton of the
world; yet the value of the cotton inn
tad In mil l.
lars, and in 1907 practically 20 millions.
While the cotton imported Is popularity
supposed to consist exclusively, or al
most exclusively. of cotton from Egypt.
1t is a fact that Mexico. Peru, Haiti,
British India, United Kingdom. Ger
many and the Netherlands all sent us
cotton in 1908: that from the European
countries probably originating chiefly in
Egypt or other parts of Africa; while
So million pounds came direct from
Egypt.
Finished Cotton Goods
Curiously, too, in this land of great
cotton production and manufacture
there was imported, in the five years
ending June 80. 1908. no less than $780,
900, 900 worth of cotton laces, edgings,
embroideries. ETC., of which 900
came in 1908, and practically 40000,000
| in 1907. Switzerland supplied a larger
Il
features than any other country. the
value from Switzerland alone in 1908
being $500, 900; while from France
came practically 100000 worth; from
United Kingdom, $6.250.000; from Ger
many, S4333, 900. and from Japan, $780,
900 worth. In practically all these cases
the countries sending this merchandise
to the United States buy the bulk of
their raw cotton from us and send back
the finished article to the value of from
$25, 100000 to $40,000.000 per annum.
Diamonds show a material falling off
in the imports of 1905 those uncut be-
ing valued at less than $4,500.000 In
1908, against more than $11.000,000 in
1907; and diamonds cut but not set. So
900, 900, against $24,000,000 in the imme-
date preceding year. OF the uncut
diamonds imported in 1908. 81, 33s. 900, or
more than one-half of the total value,
came from the United Kingdom, while
of those cut but not set, $3,500,000 worth
came from Netherlands, where diamond
cutting is an important industry; ST.
100000 from Belgium, also place of
Importance in this industry; S10O0,0O0
worth from France and $1,500,000 from
the United Kingdom; practically none
of the diamonds imported coming di-
rect from the diamond fields of the
world-South Africa and Brazil.
Helping Out tho Hen
Eggs also form quite an important
item in the import as well as the ex-
port trade, the number imported in
1908 being nearly millions and valued
at over S25, 900; while in addition to
OF eggs imported, of which 1898 worth
came from Germany and $500 worth
from Belgium; the,quantity from China
being nearly $1,000 in value.