The Alaska daily empire., 1913-02-01

According to the report of Collec' torof Customs J. R. Willis, for the calendar year ending Dec. S1, 1912 which has just been made public, the commerce and customs business of the Territory for the year, broke all former records in almost every par ticular.
 The total trade. valued at $72,741,- 900. is 27 percent higher than that for any previous year The balance of trade in favor of Alaska is also the largest of record, amounting to nearly $2O,OOO,OOO. The report says:
 Merchandise Shipments.
 Gold. which until recent years has constituted the bulk of the Territory's exports, though greater than for the two previous years, was 50 per cent less in value than the total of the other Alaska products shipped to the United States, and was exceeded by the single item of salmon-canned and otherwise preserved.
 For the first time both the ship ments of merchandise from the United States, and from Alaska to the United States, passed the twenty million mark. The shipments to Southeast ern Alaska show an enormous in- crease and are more than double those of any one of the other three divis- ions. This increase was principally due to the establishment of twenty new salmon canneries throughout the division and the extensive develop. ment of mining properties in the Ju- neau district"
 Exports of Merchandise.
 The imports of merchandise from the United States were $21,992,761, as compared with $15,169.149 for the year 1911: the merchandise from for eign ports was valued at $925,O84 as compared with $519,221 in 1911; gold and silver received from foreign ports were 3.S4O,546 for the year, and com pared with $3,52O17O for the previous year, a total of $26,75S,341 in 1912, and $19,2OS,54O for 1911.
 The exports of merchandise to the United States were valued at $24,793,- SS6 as compared with $l931S.S59 in 1911; merchandise exports to for eign countries were valued at $1,- 452,955, as compared with $1,174,S9$ and silver exports to the United States were $16,O31,7O5 last year and $14,, 699 ,694 the previous year; the exports of foreign gold and silver to the United States were valued at $3,7O4,- 178 in 1912, as against $3,358,S61 in 1911. the total being $45,9S2,719 for 1912, as against $SS,546,3O7 for the previous year.
 Fur Shipments.
 The value of furs shipped during the year includes the products of the Prib- ilof islands and shipments by mail total of $&OO,OO3-not shown in the Bureaus reports for the same period.
 The value of domestic merchandise, and gold, silver and copper shipped during the year follows: Copper ore and copper matte $4,9O4715; salmon, canned, $l5551,794; salmon, all other, $9OL242: all other fish and fish fish products, $5S9,529; fish fertilia- CTS. $41,662; fish and whale oil, $2SS,- 339; furs, $72S,554; gypsum, $129,- 375; marble, $7I159; tin ore and con centrate, $9O,SS1; whalebone, $1S,O12; other merchandise, $1,OOO,261; gold and silver, $l6,O81 ,7O5. Total $4O,S54,- ITS.
 Gold and silver shipments to the United States were, by judicial divis- ions: First, 4,O4O,S5S; Second, $S,- 13S,SS1; Third, 2O,7S45O7; Fourth $S,117459, a total of $16,O81, 7O5.
 Arrivals and Departures.
 The total number of persons arriv- ing in 1912 from the United States