Connecticut western news., 1915-10-07
BRITISH ANSWER TRADE. CHARGES
h New Note Say J. 5. Shows Gains Of S145,G58,OO0.
OWN EXPORTS DECLINED.

Sir Edward Grey Quotes Statistics to Disprove Accusations That Blockade Has Been Manipulation to Help Eng lands Exporters-F gures Show No Discrimination Against America.
 The British government has made re ply to the charges that it is discrimi, hating against American trade with neutral countries of northern Europe as means of building up it's own com nerce in that quarter.
 It cites figures that tend to show that American exports TO the neutral coun tries in northern Europe have increased to much greater extent than those ot Great Britain.
 The British statement is in the form of note addressed by Sir Edward Grey to Ambassador Page at London By request of the London foreign office the note was given out at the state de partInent for publication ill the Ameri can press.
 Tn forwarding this note Great Britain was apparently moved by purpose to stiIl criticisms in this country. notably
 
 blockade that helped it's own business while interfering with American trade with neutrals in Europe.
 Gives Statistics of Trade. 7 With the note is a communication from Ambassador Page to the British foreign office requesting on behalf of Consul General Skinner at London cer- 4erv ,to+ ;cti will tn Brit iCh trade with Holland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
 These statistics were furnished bH bfle British to Consul General Skinner, who incorporated them in report to Washington They showed increases in British re exports of cocoa and cocoa products to the northern neutrals for the first part of this year as compared with the same period of last year.
 From this Consul General Skinner drew the inference that British traders were profiting at the expense of the re strictions placed upon American trade with the northern neutrals as a result of thS British war measures.
 On this basis the fiat charge was pub ished repeatedly in the United States
  erateIy holding up American trade with the northern neutrals in order that British exporters might enjoy larger trade with these countries.
 Asks Comparisons Be Made.
 The British government asserts that Before any conclusions are drawn from the fact that statistics show increases T7f exports of certain commodities from British ports to the northern neutrals these figures should be considered in comparison with the statistics of Amer fcan trade with the same countries dur ing the same periods. They cite, there fore, their own statistics and also the figures for United States exports com piled they assert, from manifests of ressels actually arriving in Scandina- vian and Dutch ports during the five months of Jan. 1 to June l. 1915. and five-twelfths of the total United States trade for the year 1914 with those countries as given in Washington gov ernment reports.
 4 Cotton Re- exports Increased. / These show that while British re-ex- ports of cotton increased during this
  same period of 1914, the American ex- ports of cotton to the same countries showed an increase six times as great as shat of the British.
 Regarding rubber the British figures show that there has been a decrease not an increase of British re-exports. while American traders have shipped more rubber than before. Similar showing is made with regard to lubri- eating oils, tobacco, cocoa, coffee rice. wheat flour and barley
 The British explain that many in- ereases of their re-export trade with the northern neutrals are due to the fact that much of the trade of the British colonies with these countries used to go through German ports before the war and that this trade was naturally transferred to British ports
 American Profits Greater.
 In conclusion Sir Edward Grey says: Everything in the statistics I have quot e0 tends to show that the mercantile com munity of she United States has made profits propoftionately equal to or greater than those of the mercantile community of Great Britain in respect to all those de- mands which have inevitably arisen in Scandinavia and the Netherlands as consequence of the closing of German ports The total volume of the trade of the United States with these countries has increased 300 per cent. The value of the total increase in those exports during this period amounted to $145, ,G5S, ,0O0.
 VALUE OF UNITED STATES FIX
 PORTS.
 January January Inc in 1915 To May, 1914 May 1915 over 1914 Norway .... $3679,OOO $22, 47S,OOO SIS, ,799, ,O)C Sweden ..... 5875,000 52,217O00 4G,342 GOO