The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-24
A DECADE OF AMERICAN
 COMMERCE WITH PANAMA
lspecial sto the Farmer, i,


 (SpecialSto the Farmer.)
 Washington. D. C., April 24,-eAn indication of the stimulation of trade and industry in the Republic of Pan anna and the Canal Zone in the brief period since the United States began work on the Pana1na Canal is con- tained in recent, figures compiled by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce They show that over ITO million doI- lars worth of American merchandise has been exported to Panama and the Canal Zone during the last 10 years, and that 24 million dollars worth Of products of Panama entered the Uni ted. Stafes during the same period
 The record of our trade with Pana- ma begins with 1904. In that year our exports to the .Isthmian Republic were valued at about 2 1-2 million doi- lars. Tn 1907, the year in which ac- tive canaI-bui1ding operations began, the total rose to 18 2-3 million, ana in 1912 end 1913. respectively. the ex- ports were only little under 1e million dollars in value, the crest or the movement having been reached m 1912 Our exports to Panama thus increased nearly tenfold in 10 years, while imports from that country stead fly grew. though at much slower 4GSS in 1904 and 1905 to little less than 5 million last year.
 That this remarkable expansion Of our export trade with Panama was largely due to purchases of supplies for canal construction and commissary is apparent from a comparison of our own figures with the hescorrespending inn. port statements of the Panaman gov ernment The latter indicated for 1912 only 51-2 million dollars worth of imports from the United States and, 4 1-2 million from other countries aggr egate importation of 10 million dollars in value, or less han sone-half the declared value of our known ex- ports to Panama.
 Additional evidence that the goods shipped to Panama from this country were incidental to the req uirenents3 a study of the character Of the arti- cles making up the trade. in question. The largest items contributing to the 24 6nillion dollars worth of our pre- duets shipped to Panama last year and of the ITO million dollars worth sent thifher during the last decade are structural iron and steel, cement, dy- namite, electrical machinery, misceI-s laneous iron and steel goods, coal, flour and meats.
 During the past fo years the United States has exported to Panama mil
 
 used in concrete work on the Canal Zone, million dollars worth of ba- luminous coal, nearly T million dollars worth of board and blanks. 6 1-2 mill lion dollars worth structural iron and steel 4 Ia million dollars, worth of four. and 3 million dollars worth or fresh beef A single year showed a record of 1-2 million dolIars' worth of structural iron and steel, and over 1 million dollars worth each Of elec- trical machinery. castings, and coal; also considerable quantities of cotton goods. patent and proprietary medi- cines, earthen, stone, china and glass ware, cars and carriages soap, cigars, and cigarettes, paints, fish. butter, po-, tatoes, and other vegetables. Trade with Panama has heretofore been han dicapped through lack of adequate dock and bonding facilities. but im- in this line are reported by consu1ar officers on the Isthmus. In fact. win the opening Of the canal the character of exports thither must materially change. Large FhIpments of coal will be necessary for bunker ing ships. Warehouses and depots may also be- established for the dis tribution of goods to many countries.
 Bananas represent half theg entire value of merchandise imported xfrom Panama. Last year the total exceededs 2 million dollars. Except for about I
 
 made articles returned tozstl1e United States, the remaining inward ship ments are relatively small. They consist chiefly of cocoanuts, hides and skins, crude rubber. vegetable ivory, coffee, and cabinet woods. It is esti- ma ted that s5,0oo ooo. 600 worth of cab inet woods, many of them similar in appearance and dneness to mahogany and Iignum-vttae, are available in the Republic, and they offer promise oe r,efr- cocoanut industry is also rapidly de- veloping and assures further staBi1- ity to the economic position Of Pan anna