The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-25
PORTO RICO COMMERCE.
Total for 1914 Was s76,o34,so4, Which
Was Decrease Of So,o6o,121.

Total for 1914 Was S76,934,504, Which
Was Decrease Of so,ooo12i
Washington, ID. G., May 25.-Porto
Rico, with an area of 3,435 square miles
and population of l,ls3,l73, had in the
calendar year 1914 an aggregate com
merce of $776,934 ,50i, decrease of So.
060,l2l when compared with the preced.
ing year. Thus its per capita commerce
is $65.
A large proportion Of the commerce
of Porto Rico, according to the December,
1914, Summary OF Foreign Commerce"
published by the department OF com.
merce, is conducted with the United
States. OF the imports into that island
during the last year merchandise 10 the
value of $30,7l4,47l rs received from
the United States and $3,555,79S from
foreign countries. OF the exports from
Porto Rico merchandise valued ut S35,.
462, $50 came to the United States and
S7,20l 1855 went to foreign countries.
| Porto Rico offers an especially rich
market for American manufactures which
constitute four-ffths If the goods sent
| from the United States to the island in
question. The leading shipments to Porto
Rico during the year 1914 by American
manufacturers and producers were: Rice,
SIS, 100000; cotton manufactures, $4,000
600; meat and dairy products, S3,s00,000;
iron and steel manufactures, Sl,9O0,00O;
wheat -four, Sl,70o000; wood manufac-
lures, 81 100000; and boots and shoes,
81 100000. Other articles which showed
shipments in excess Of 100000 during
the calendar year include: Fish. S765,000;
refined sugar, S639,000; mineral oil, $633,
600; soap, 1904 900; beans and peas, 1913.
600; paper and manufactures thereof
s566,000; fertilizers, S536,000; and auto
mobiles and other carriages, S529,000.
Other important articles of less value in
clude cement chemicals, electrical ma
chinery, paints, malt liquors, silk manu-
features, wool cloth, monographs and
many other manufactured articles.
The relative value of Porto Rico as a
market for American products is indicat-
ed by the fact that our shipments there.
to OF dyed and eolored cloths last year
aggregated 24.0o0,00o yards, or more than
to all Asia South America. Europe and
Africa combined, and our shipments OF
rice tl39. 100000 pounds in the same
year. were nearly three times as much
as to all the rest OF the world, while
about one third OF our entire exports of
picked pork. which aggregated over So
100000 pounds in 1914 90 to Porto Rico.
The aggregate value OF merchandise
shipped from the United States to Porto
Rico during the Is years since its organ
ization as customs district OF the
United States is fully 100000 900 or
about seven times the amount bought
from foreign countries. In 1897 prior
10 the acquisition of Porto Rico by this
country. we sold to that island only 81
100000 worth of merchandise. as com
pared with ss,5oo,ooo bought from other
During the period since 1900
Porto Rico has sold to the United States
lbout s33o,o00,o00 worth, as against $73,-
100000 sold to other countries.
The leading Porto Rican products mar
seted in the United States are sugar :
With an aggregate shipment OF 64l 1885, :
100 pounds. valued at s2l 100000 in 1914;
igars. eheroots and cigarettes. S5,927, ,
100; leaf tobacco, stems and trimmings. /
s,.000,0O0; fruits and nuts, S3,300.0o0; /,
nd coffee, $4,000. Fresh pineapples !.
lone showed a total of sl.3o0o0. this !
'eing an increase OF 100000 over the ,
hipments 10 our markets in 1912 /,
Porto Rico ships large quantity Of !
Merchandise to the ncighboring island of 4
tlba. Last year the total was $500. :
90, rs against s3.600.000 in the proceed
NJ year; to Spain sl.6o0.0o0; Austria r
hungary. sa42.0no; Italy. s6ss,0oo i
rance, s655,oo0; and shipments to other i
ountrics raise the total to approximate
! 81 100000. The largest Importation i,
rom any foreign country during the
ear was $4,000 worth from Spain. as i
aainst 100000. from Canada: s3os 900 :,
.om England; s346.Ooo from British In !,
la; s230.000 from Germany; s276,oo0 !.
ON France; and smaller amounts from i
Iher countries, which bring the total up !,
, s3,556.o00 :;