The Washington times., 1915-09-27
SHOWS CONSIDERABLE INCREASE

SHOWS CONSlDEE
mir. Skinner takes up first cotton. He
shows that British re-exports Of Amer
lean cotton for this year to August s.
as compared to 1914 and 1918. we're:
Bales.
1915 to August 5.................... 220S47
1918. TO Julv ~. ........................ lVo'ool
1913. to August observation-disclosures. 153. 49,
Thus It appears that the re-export of
American cotton from Britain consider
ably increased In 1915. as compared to
the two previous years. Why did these
re-exports increase after the war began?
Commercial authorities declare that
the explanation Is simple, and has
nothing to do with British efforts to
hog" the control Of the business from
Europe countries. before the war. was
to a large extent taken by sea to
Amsterdam. Rotterdam. Bremen. Ham,
burg, and Antwerp. thence to be dis
tributed. The war closed the German
ports and also Antwerp, which was the
nent. Cotton could no longer go to
Denmark. Sweden. Norway. by way OF
Bremen or Hamburg. Those countries
had their own and perfectly legitimate
needs for It: they must get 1t somewhere
else. They had always been accustomed
to getting some Of their cotton from
Britain: they increased their orders
there. which was the most natural thing
in the world. The British authorities
insist on the most complete guarantees
that such cotton must not get to Ger
many: nothing could be more foolish
than to assume. as some commentators
have done. that Britain has merely
tried to take over control of this trade.
trail countries and letting 1t 90 on to
Germany. Britain would be about as
likely to send re-enforcements to the
German armv and fleet as to do that.
Increased cotton exports from England
simply REPRESENTED the effort to sup
ply demands that formerly had been
supplied from Belgian and German dis
tribution centers.
Figure Is Insignificant.
Because of these conditions. England
during the first seven months Of this
$500 bales per month more than her
average monthly re-exports for the
two previous years. The figure is in
significant enough compared to the fact
that in July. 1915, the United States ex-
ported 2A.f+ bales OF cotton. and that
United States exported Just about g.
O0o 900 bales. The British re-exporta-
ton business Is unimportant in any
case, and entirely accounted for by the
closing OF continental ports.
Mr. Skinner gives a tabulation OF the
exports and re-exports Of British
colonial. and foreign merchandise. COM
pairing July, 1915. with the same month
In 1914. In almost all the items there
Is shown a great decrease In July. 1915.
nut OIL and palm oil. There were de-
creases in the total British exports OF
all cotton and woolen manufactures;
decreases. moreover. so large as to
tell the story OF severe blow to the
British business In these lines. Let
Skinner report:
Wool. 4.s27. 900 lbs. s7s.5oo lbs.
Cotton yarn. 1886. 800 lbs: 1865. 200
lbs.
Cotton piece goods. unbleached. 22o.-
sol 300 yds.; lsO.4l4.3oO yds.
o44. 200 yds.: l4.l7s.7OO yds
Cotton piece goods. printed. 10e, ,oo1. =
600 yds.: 7s.447. 400 yds
Cotton piece goods, dyed. B.733. 900
yds.; $3.50. 600 yds.
Wool tops, 4,021. 100 lbs: LAG. 600 lbs.
Worsted yarn. 4.1so.oOo lbs; loss. 300
Woolen tissues. ll.os5.4co yds.; 1881. 800
yds.
Worsted Tissues. 7.54S.eoo yds.: s.l4s.-
900 yds.
tThe figures hrst given are those for
A glance shows that as a whole the
British exports In textiles and materials
have fallen greatly. Yet. while this Is
true OF this business as q whole. the
show some Increases in British sales
to the neutral nations bordering on
Germany. The question in which Amer
leans are concerned Is. whether Eng
Of this market and grabbing it for her
own manufacturers. Much stress has
been laid on Increased British exports
Of cotton goods to France. Russia.
Sweden: NORWAY: Denmark. and the
indeed the only really important Of
these Increases. We're in sales to France
For instance. Of dyed cotton piece
goods. Britain sold France. in July. Of
July. Isis. to 56ss ooo Britain sold
France in July. 1914. $4,000 yards Of
woolens; while year later she sold
France 1901 900. Britain sold France in
year later. 3s2. 900 yards. And so on
through. the various textiles and textile
materials.
Textile Trade Boost.
The explanation Is the same that has
been given for other articles. except
with some variations. Germany has in
recent years built up a great foreign
trade in textiles. She sold them to all
the countries around her. The war shut
off her supplies Of materials for these
industries. and called the operatives 10
arms. Germany could no longer stay
in the market; her neighbors were com
PEELED to turn elsewhere: and naturally
they turned to England. the worlds
greatest producer of these things.
which was still in the market
In the case of France. the situation
was aggravated by the fact that the
textile region of France is largely in the
north. In the territory that the Germans
overran early In the war. France could
not make her own cloths when her mills
were In German hands; SO she turned
to her ally. England. to supply them;
and this Is the whole explanation
No. not quite the whole. 1t Is worth
while to observe that the United States
got a big share In this increased French
trade In textiles. The United States
commerce reports show that in the first
six months of this year the United
States shipped to France alone over
s.. 900 ,0O worth of woolen wearing ap-
parel whereas ir the same period of the
last year before the war we sold France
not dollar of such apparel In those
same six months we sold England 81, 900. :