The Republican journal., 1911-12-28
Our Foreign Commerce.

OuA O1&ISA SOl1lAl1$l\S.
The foreign commerce Of the United
States in the year about to end will show
an increase of over 200 million dollars
when compared with the Immediately
preceding year and larger total than in
any earlier year Of our commerce. I'm
ports, while falling below those of 1910
in the earlier months, have, in the closing
period of the year, shown marked in
crease, indicating that the total for the
year will differ but little from that of
1910, which made the highest record in
the history of the import trade. Exports
are larger than in any earlier year, and
manufactures exported also make their
highest record, reaching approximately
billion dollars in the calendar year 1911.
| The approximate total for the year,
based upon 10 months record already
compiled, are: exports, over 2 billion
dollars; imports, 1-2 billion dollars, of
which over one-half entered free of duty.
Considering the great groups of arti-
Giles, the noteworthy changes are, in the
case of imports, 8 falling off in manu-
facturers' raw materials and in finished
manufactures; in the case of exports,
general increase participated in by all
the important groups, foodstuffs, manu-
features, and manufacturers materials.
Comparing the 10 months movements
In the years named. imports of crude
foodstuffs increased from 118 million in
1910 to las million in 1911; while food
stuffs, partly or wholly manufactured
decreased from 169 million to ISL million;
manufacturers raw materials, from ASP
million to 422 million; manufactures for
further use in manufacturing increased
slightly, from 237 million to 242 million
dollars, and finished manufactures de-
creased from 80 million to 294 million
dollars. Exports, on the other hand, ad-
vanced in the case of crude foodstuffs,
from 70 million to 95 million dollars;
foodstutfs, partly or wholly manufac
tured, from 2O3 million to 247 million:
manufacturers raw materials, from 437
million to 491 million; manufactures
for further use in manufacturing, from
234 million to 267 million; and finished
manufactures, from 447 million to 53l
million dollars.
The principal imports of the full year,
grouped according to magnitude of
yalrac ytrill A
pounds valued at about los million dol
lars; chemicals, drugs, etc., IS million
dollars; coffee, 800 million pounds, valued
at about "a million dollars; hides and
skins, 80 million dollars; India rubber, IS
million; cotton manufactures and raw
silk, about So million each; fiber manu-
features, 50 million; wood and manufac-
lures, so million; fruits and nuts, over
40 million; block and pig tin, 40 million;
diamonds, 80 million; while copper man
ufactures, unmanufactured fibers, iron
and steel manufactures, silk manufac-
lures, leaf tobacco, and oils will each
she y total Of about 80 million dollars.
| Ar works, furs and fur skins, and wool
/ viii aggregate about 25 million dollars
each in the years imports, Lower
prizes contributed to the fall in value of
I'M orts of sugar and India rubber, the
decrease in value being far greater than
in Quantity Hides and skins show
marked reduction in quantity as we'll as
in value of imports. Tin imports are
about the same in quantity but much
greater in value, due to higher prices.
Cotton is still! the leading article of ex-
port, its total for the year, over half
billion dollars, exceeding the combined
value of the two great classes next in
rank, iron and steel manufactures, about
$50 million, and meat and dairy products,
100 million. The exports of cotton in 10
months aggregated 2, 945 million pounds,
valued at 81 million dollars, the largest
value in the history of American COM
merce and but slightly less in quantity
than the high record total of 1852 mill
lion pounds exported in the 10 months of
1905. Iron and steel also made new
high record in the 10 months of 1911-206
million dollars, against 164 million last
year. Substantial increases also occur
in other leading articles, and the COM
plete year will probably record total
export of over 125 million dollars worth
of breadstutfs; over 100 million of min
eral oil, nearly 100 million of copper, 40
million of cotton manufactures, IS mil
lion of agricultural implements, about
35 million of cars and carriages, and rs
million of chemicals and medicines.
Considered by countries, large in,
creases occur in the exports to Canada.
Germany, Netherlands, Japan, the
United Kingdom, Australia and Belgium
and lesser increases in those to
South America, Cuba, China, and many
other countries. While imports as a
whole decreased, there were increases in
those from Japan, India, Egypt, and
other countries of A frica