The Washington times., 1915-12-20
Figures Quoted to Show In.
creased Exports to Scandi-
navian Countries.
coNsUL's STATISTICS CITED
Decrease in Business With Ger
many Balanced by Ship
ments to Northern Countries.

General denial OF the charge that re-
| strictive British measures against Ger
| man commerce have injured American
trade. or that British merchants have
profted by war measures to increase
! their export trade. is made in a state
| ment fled at the State Department by
| Ambassador Spring Rice today.
| The British ambassador in entering
this denial also renews his charge that
increased exports from the United
States to the Scandinavian countries
represent goods shipped to those coun-
tries and then reshipped to Germany.
| In support Of this charge. the British
ambassador quotes figures Of the Do
partment of Commerce, showing that
exports from the port of New York
| alone to Denmark. Norway. and Sweden
increased from s2o,OoO.O0O in the thirteen
months Immediately preceding the war
to $1O4 10000 in the thirteen months fol-
lowing the outbreak of war, gain OF
$S4, ,200,0o0. During the same period ex-
ports from New York to Germany are
shown to have declined from s90.7 .70o,N0
to $500. 600, a decrease OF sS49oo,o 600.
Increase In U. S. Trade.
| The fact that the increase in ship-
ments to Scandinavian countries in the
first thirteen months of the war exact
ly balances the decrease in shipments
to Germany dVring the same period Is
held to be extremely significant by
the British ambassador.
AS to the general charges of losses to
and discrimination against American
trade by British restrictive measures,
Ambassador Spring-Pice recalls the
f,n n St< In, l'pp 10 nd nd Efa 90
during the American civil war, and adds
that it is mot to be expected that the
United States should be wholly IN
touched by such q world calamity as
the present war" He quotes both the
Secretary of Commerce ana the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury however. to SHOW
that American trade has increased dur
ing the war. while British trade, ne
says. has suffered greatly in its ger
eral volume.
} submitted in answer to charges OF un-
fair dealing by Great Britain. made by
Robert Skinner, American consul gen
eral at London. The communication
was not offered in any controversial
spirit" the ambassador said, but mere
ly to make the facts known.
Would Avoid Injustice.
II the State Department knows ANY
specific instances in which the British
government has made use of their ie-
strictive trade measures for the purpose
of unfairly discriminating between
, British and American trade AmbasSa-
dor Spring. Lice asks that he be IN
formed So that he may cause an IN
| quiry and remedy such injustice.
In his memorandum. the BRUSH am
bassador enters a general denial OF Con-
sui General SINNERS charge that goods
exported from the United states to neu-
tral countries with the greatest dlftiCEi-
hazards
, increased quantities from Great Brltalh
to the same countries. He said that not
! only has British trade decreased and
: American trade increased, in spite Of
: lack Of shipping and abbreviated mar
kets, but that British trade has suffer
ed more from embarsoeS on e%porls
than American trade has suffered pS
the restrictions of exports 10 Great Brt-
1 aims enemies.
: Cocoa Shipments.
0 Consul Skinner cited an increase in
, cocoa shipments from Great Britain to
Y the Scandinavian countries of from
), 800 900 pounds in March and April, 1914
], | to 100000 pounds in the same months
I | of 1915 as an evidence that Great Brit
aims trade was increasing at the ex'
pense of American trade. The British
statement quotes figures of the Depart
Inent OF Commerce 10 show that whllt
the United States exported no cocoa tc
the Scandinavian countries in Marct
and April 1914, in the same months il
1915, il exported 100000 pounds, show
, ing that the United states had sreat
: er prOporuonate increase Iilah NIS"
Britain.
The British statement takes up lis
of tWenty-one commodities, lnciudint
oils, cotton. tobacco coiiee ana rupoer
in which re-eXportS from the Unite,
Kingdom of foreign and colonial mer
= ctandise shows an increase. II thei
, cites figures of the Department OF Com
merCe to show that exports from thu
: United States of all these items eXcep
e certain oils and raw tobacco showed al
e increase in the seven months ending
with last July.
= SINNERS Figures Cited.
o Consul General Skinner cited the fac
It that the customs returns of Sweden
: Norway. and Denmark all show
i smaller volhme of imports from Amer
ica since the war than before. notwith
e standing the British plea that the
have swollen their imports to aid tn
- Teutons.'
: The British statement again quote
e figures of the department OF CommerC
TO show that exports from the Unltc
=, States to the three scandinavian corn
- tries increased from $l5l, l,VN0OO In IL
~ fiscal year ended June 81. 1914. 10 $40.
l. O00,0l0 in the fiscal year ended Jun
# so, 1915.
" The Department of Commerce nsure,
= Ambassador Spring I;ice said in clos
ing, "conclusively prove that the eN
10 port trade of the United States has nc
is differed from the Inevitable restriction
\ on neutral commerce deriving from Il!
>, state of war and that there is no YES
- ige OF foundation for the lnslnuau"
~ that Great Britain has taken ahNantaS
J. of war conditions to increase British cN
Is ports to neutral countries at the CN
III penSe of American trade
10