The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-02-09
FOREIGN TRADE RECORDS
FOR YEAR JUST PASSED

- , . lOi Ci9i tAcAu amounted 10 over
$4,000 100000 in 1917, exports reaching
a total of $6,226O 100000, while imports
amounted to $685., OO0, 900, according
to statement issued recently by the
bureau of foreign and domestic com
merce, department of commerce. This
is a gain of nearly $1,3O0,O 900 900 over
1916 when the total trade amounted
to $7,S74,OOO,OOO
December exports amounted to $685.
100000, an increase of no less than
$1O0,OO0,000 over November. The i'm
ports for December amounted to S228,-
100000, an increase of $1,000, 900 over
November.
Free imports formed 76 per cent of
the total in December and 70 per cent
of the total for the calendar year.
The excess of exports over imports
has nearly doubled in the last two
years, amounting to 1924 900, 900 in
1917, against $3,O91, 100000 in 1916.
and $1,776, 100000 in 1915.
The imports of gold during Decem-
Der amounted to $2,50O,OOO, as COM
pared with $159,OOO,O00 in December,
1916. For the year the gold imports
amounted to $538,OOO,OOO, against
1886 100000 in 1916. The exports of
gold amounted to $4,500,0OO in Deem
Der, 1917, against $28,0OO,0OO in De-
cember, 1916. For the year the gold
exports amounted to 1872, 00O,O 900, asl
compared with $156, 200, 900 in 1916.
Silver imports amounted to $4,000
900 in December, as compared with
$3,50,000 for the corresponding month |
in 1916, and to $53,000,00O for the
year, against $32,OOO,O00 in 1916. Ex-
ports of silver were valued at 100000
900 in December, 1917, and 100000
in December, 1916. For the year the
silver exports amounted to 1874, 900
against ST. 10000 for 1916
increases in Value and Business Done.
Despite the very small increase in
number of vessels and the falling off
in total gross tonnage throughout the
country as a whole during the 10-year
period, the figures for value of vessels,
gross income, wages paid, and freight |
carried show marked increases,
amounting to 80 per cent, 81 per cent,
"A per cent, and AZ per cent, respec-
lively. The number of employees,
however, increased by less thaS 3 per
cent, and the number of passengers
carried shows a decrease of not quite J
10 per cent The foregoing items, for /
the year 1916, are, in round numbers, |
as follows; Value of vessels, $780, 000,- |
900; gross income, $564,O00,O0O; wages
paid, $103, 100000; freight carried, in |
Guiding lightorage, or harbOr work,
376,OOO,000 tons of 1000 pounds; num-
Der o. employees, $4,000; number of
passengers carried, 331, 100000
The pronounced increase between |
1906 and 1916 in freight carried, &C
COul pulllCu CS 1t NdS ny q 1CliillS Oll |
in gross tonnage, is accounted for by
the fact, already pointed out, that the
decline in tonnage took place entirely
in sail and unrigged craft and was off |
set in considerable part by decided
increase in tonnage of steam and other
mechanically propelled vessels, which, |
because of their greater speed, are
able to carry more freight per annum,
in proportion to tonnage, than can be
transported by other classes of craft.
The decrease in the number of pass
engers carried is due to the reduction
in ferry traffic resulting from the es-
adjustment of the tube" service I'M
Greater New York.
The vessels operating on the Allan
tic coast and the Gulf of Mexico repre-
scented somewhat less than three-fifths
of the total number for the United
States, little more han half the to-
tai gross tonnage, and about two-thirds
the total value, and reported nearly
half the total freight carried. The per-
centage of increase in gross tonnage,
value, gross income, and wages paid
"a, 1870, 1876 and 81, respectively-were
much greater for these vessels than
the corresponding percentages for
those operating in other sections of
the country. In respect of freight car
ried, however the increase for the At
lantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico
was relatively small, being only 29 per
cent, as against A per cent for the
Mississippi river and its tributaries,
43 per cent for the Pacific coast, in
Guiding Alaska, and 81 per cent for
the Great Lakes and st. Lawrence
river Canals and other inland waters,
show a decrease of % per cent.
Idle Vessels.
The figures above given relate to
vessels which were in active operation
during all or part of the year 1916.
In addition, the report for 1916 shows