Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-26
BELGIUM TRADE
BEFORE THE WAR
WAS vOLUM|NOUS
Out of All Proportion to Size and
Population of Country-More
Business in 1912 than
Russia.


washington D. c. Aug. 19.-Belgium
whose identity as producing unit has
peeh more utterly destroyed than its
''"ti'H as u nation, held Il most import
am pace IN the pre- world of in
"us''E ana 'raIe' and n place. too. out
ol al proportion to the countrys size
anu us P"Pulatloh- consideration Of
'he economic psitlon Of Belgium before
the war is contained in a bulletin just
prepared ny the National Geographic
so'Ie'S' ne bulletin reads as follows:
holelum contribution to International
business was distinctive and the volume
Oh us trade was large and growing This
HttIe corner OF Europe contributed large
~ 10 the stap'ilty OF tn" markets Of
tle "or'd by It's wonderful ability for
meeting the fierce competition of modern
foreign trade ORGANIZED for the last de-
gree Oh olilcIehCN' small land over
'To"ueu win factories ana with work
ers' III no corner or when one might
escape the smoke OF chlmneNs' the thloD
Oh machinery ana the rattle OF freight
h''R'uh sent Its products much as Lon
"oh sent us money 10 Whatever market
III the world that might show some little
uelIv'ci'E ny shght rise IN price.
NeShsloie IN size II yet stood eighth
Oh the Hst or the wealth OF nations and
siNth on the list OF national totals Of for
e'sh trace commerce and Industry per-
Naued every nook ana Granny in the
'"Hu' win the single exception OF one
Sleepy CITY LouVain' a university city
ana art center medieval place. Bel
gum was storekeeper' shipper and mid
uIenah Tor the countries of Europe;
manufacturer Tor all the continents, and.
by reason OF its remarkably high indus
trlaI ana agricultural organization, its
"orId-heatlng system of internal COM
mumcations, and its low margins of prof
IT, IT rendered important service as resu-
lator or world trade
Antwerp fought neck and neck with
Hamburg, New York and London for
shipping honors. Besides the products
or It's own incessant industry. Belgium >
great seaport drew mighty stream OF
German business and large part Of the
shipping and imports Of France. 1t had
more than 10 miles Of quays. more than
New YORK. and considerably more than
Its flrst German rival.
with population of about 10000 and
an area of less than 1900 square miles.
Belgium, In 1912, was able to do sl.7l953l,-
o" worth of business, or n considerably
greater business than that done by the
proud Dual Monarchy or by vast Rus
sra rms mite Of a nation was fighting
for place ana lighting with the bravest
show OF FORM among such trading giants
as Great Britain, Germany. the United
states ana france 10 meet the strain,
10 Keep up the pace, every particle OF
It's strength had to be kept in play. Its
mus We're a ceaseiess mum from bound-
airy to boundary, and even its sandy
wastes grew vegetables ana fruits.
Belgium was frugal, industrious. eff
flclent II was wealthy and progressive.
II had more railway mileage per unit
OF territory than any other country in
the world. II was among the lands least
afflicted with drones. 1t was country
IN which nothing went to waste. and
with but one national luXury-its capital.
In brussels, money was spent for things
of pride; in all the rest of the land be-
side, II was put into the soil, raw ma
terals and labor.
More than 50 per cent of the country
was under cultivation. About IS per cent
was forest land The remaining area
was Pittsburgh of industry. and upon
1t people lived about 1850 TO the square
marvellous success Law in its resources