The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-18
United States Trade
 With It's Possessions
 Makes Highest Record


 non-contiguous territory now amounts : to a million dollars day. With Por- to Rico it amounted in 1916 to Ill mil lion dollars, with the Hawaiian lsl- ands. 1O8 millions, with Alaska, SD millions, and with the Philippine lsl- ands, 57 millions, making for the en- tire non-contiguous area 37l million dollars in the calendar year 1916. 1T we add to this the 16 millions or golo brought from the mines of Alaska, the total would be 3S7 millions. Ten years ago in the fiscal year 19O6, It was just one-third as much as Tn 1918, or 127 million dollars. Twenty years ago. or just before annexation of the Islands, 1t was 32 million dol lars. The total quadrupled in the if7rst decade after annexation and treb- led in the second decade.
 Of this 371 millions of trade with non-contiguous territory in 1916, 2SS millions was merchandise coming rom them and 133 millions was merchan- disc sold to them. No sucn recolu was ever made by the Islands or Alas ka in their contributions to the re- auirements of the country. Porto Iico sent 51 million dollars worth or sugar against 30 million dollars last year, and 21 millions. the year before. Hawaii sent 50 million dollars worth If sugar. and the Philippine Islands 8 million dollars worth. The quantl- tv of sugar sent by the three islands was 2,3zO, ,000, 900 rbs., or nearly one half as much as was brought rom foreign countries in that year Of the greatest sugar imports the country mas ever known. In fact. sugar was the most important of the products sent to ,,,s tv any of our Islands, except Tn the case of the Philippines which sent a greater value of Manila hemp than of sugar.
 Of the 71 million dollars worth of merchandise sent us by Hawaii, 6O million dollars worth was sugar, and million dollars worth of pineapples' Of 67 millions worth sent from Porto Rico. 61 millions was sugar, and lO ,t,i1lions tobacco. Of the 34 million dollars worth sent by the Philippine Islands, 8 millions was sugar, and If millions hemp.
 sOf course Alaska furnished no su- xar. but she "did her bit'' by sending 36 million dollars worth of copper, IS million dollars, worth of fish, chleny salmon. and 16 millions of gold. The cooper record is something urprece- dented. being three times as much 1n value as one year ago, and ten times as mucl1 as two years ago. The value ofs merchandise and gold sent. from Alaska to continental United States last year was actually ten times as much as was paid for the entire ter ritory just 50 years ago this very year.
 The merchandise sent to these non contiguous territories was, of course manufactures and foodstuffs. Porto Rico took million dollars worth or meats, million dollars worth or breadstuffs, of which rice formed about one-half, 5 millions of cotton goods, 8 millions of iron and steel, z millions of fertilizers, a million dol lars worth of vegetables, a million or mineral oils, million of paper ana manufactures thereof, and another million of lumber, her total takings or our products being AZ million dollars against 32 millions last year. Hawaifs takings of our merchandise amounted to 35 millions against 29 millions last year. and included million dollars worth of iron and steel manufactures, millions of breadstuffs, 1-2 mil Hons of mineral oil and two millions of fertilizers. The Philippines took 22 1-2 million dollars worth. of which B millions was cotton goods, mil lion breakstuffs, 1 million cars and carriages, and millions manufactures of iron and steel. Alaska took 30 million dollars worth, of which mill lion was iron and steel manu- factures. millions meats, 2 millions manufactures of tin, million bread stuffs, 1 million explosives for mining purposes, IA millions cottons, ana 1 1-2 millions lumber, and nearly l million vegetables.