The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-01
of Finance

More than ten billion dollars worth
Of merchandise and precious metals
passed through the custom houses Oh
the United States in the fiscal year
lust ended. A compilation by Inc
National City Bank of New YORK.
comparing the trade Of the country
in the fiscal year ended June 3o'
1917, with that of the fiscal years
1916, 1915 and 1914, shows that the
total fall 1917 is in round terms Twice.
as great as that of 1914, Wnlch III
mediately preceded the war. me 10
tai of imports and exports of mer-
chandtse ms aa17. Ia. set down at So
soc. 600, 900 against $6,53t,000, 900 In
1916. s4,44s,000, 900 in 1915, and $4'-
26s.0oo, 900 in 1914, the fiscal year
which ended only one month prior to
the beginning of. the war. The gold
and silver imports and exports OF the
fiscal year 1917 aggregate $l,SSz'-
3s1, 900. .,
The foreign trade in merchandise
alone in 1917 was double that OF the.
year prior to the war, the 1917 H.
CURES. being, official returns Tor eleven
monthsbr ara ans estmsfs stog une
hased upon that Of the month imme-
nI0L9lY
down at 1854, 100000 in the fiscal
wear 1917 against $1,8s4,0o0,0OO IN
1914, gain of $740,000,o00 or 40
per cent. in the 3-year period; the
exports are set down at $6,2S0,000N
900 In 1917 against s2,365.000,000 IN
1914. a gain of $3,s15, 100000 or 16b
uer cent. and the total trade at So
si4.00e, 900 against ,25s.000,0OO,
gain of s4,655,0O0,000 or 100 per cent.
The fact that the export trade OF
| the country has only increased 100
per cent. in the three years OF tne
war will doubtless be surprise TO
many who based their estimate OF
growth in exports upon the frequent
/ ly published figures showing enor-
! NOUS increases in certain articles es-
/ pecially those required for war pur-
poses. Explosives, for example, show
\ total exports in 1917 more than 100
times as great as in 1914; horses and
mules 20 times as great; sugar 50
times as much in value; firearms 80
! times as great; zinc and brass oO
! times as much in value; commercial
automobiles 40 times, and condensed
milk 20 times as much In value as
in 1914. On the other hand, how
! ever, cotton-always an important
factor in our export trade-shows an
actual decline. having been, in 1915
hut $3.50, 100000 against $610,O0O,0OO
! in 1914. Naval stores. an important
item In our export trade, in 1917 are
much below the figures of 1914. Ag-
ricultural implements exported In
1917 are about two thirds as much
in value, as in 1914; hides and skins
show q fall off of more than one-half
in Quantity exported in 1917 when
compared with 1914; sewing ma
chimes In 1917 a little over that of
I 1914. despite the fact that values OF
i.all machinery made of iron and steel
have necessarily greatly advanced
meantime; illuminating oil in 1917
materially less than in 1914 in both
squantity and value; cottonseed oil In
1877 less In quantity than in 1914;
tobacco a. slight reduction in both
quantity and value when compared
with 1914.
The great increases occur in food
and war material. Wheat and flour
exported in 1917 amount to 1888, 000.-
600 against $142, 100000 in 1914;
lcorn in 1917 to $75,000.000 against
$1,000, 900 I'm 1914; meat and dairy
hproducts In 1917 approximately $40O,-
900, 900 against $146.000,000 in 1914;
tconddnsed milk in 1917 to $23 ,000,-
( 900 against but q little oyer $1,000
EOoo in 1914; sugar in 1877 $71,000.-
1000 against less than $2,00o,000 in
Thereof in 1877 $150,000,000 against
1857, 900, 900; brass and manufactures
Thereof in 1917, $3Ss,000,000 against
s7,5o0,000; zinc and manufactures
/ s6s, 00O, 900 against less than $1,000
1000; copper approximately 100000
& 900 against $145,00O, 900; gunpowdel
| $3.50, 10000 against less than ST.
100000; commercial automobiles
ts4s, 900 against $1,00O,000; tin
plates $2s, 900. 900 against $3.50. 900
siroD1an6 STEEL thereof
Es1.t1T, 100000 against $261.ooo,oot
Fin 1914.
On the import side the increase oc'
kcurs chiefly in material for manu-.
tfactur1ng. The total importation o.
Eraw material for use in manufactur
ling in 1917 Is $1.10o.eoo. 900 agains
ES6S3,O Zoo, 900 in 1914; of manufac
lures for use in manufacturings46
1000, 900 against $3ls, 100000. while
manufactures ready for use show {
fan amounting to but $4,000, 00t
against $44s,00o.000 in 1914, Raw
Ecotton imported in 1917 is $4,000,
1000 against $19.457,000 in 1914; raw
EsfIk $1s6, 100000 against $s7,S2s. 900
india rubber $1a3.ooo,000 agains
| $71,220,oo0; hides and Skins $216,
900, 900 against $120,2sO, 900, ant
copper 1922, 900, 900 against $54.2s2.
900. Sugar in 1917 is $237, 200, 90,
against s1O1, 900 in 1914; and ca
Gao 100000 against $20,798, 90,
in 1914.
The movements of the preciou
metals for the fiscal year 1917 were
as follows: gold, imports s977, 176,
900; exports 1921, 900, excess o
imports $6S5.255,00o. Silver, import
$s6,004,000; exports $73,280, 900, ex
cess of exports $43,276,000.
uT1nT ESAIF PRICES