New Britain herald., 1918-03-02

ported na4N u4ssz l dicate a grou4zl M I, M (sg aa Eail- mize nnnecessarv exp in the classes of articles of this characte drought into the country. Diamonds pearls, iaces pushes, ribbons, hats hormets, feathers, jew elry. glove leather, fruits, olives, olive oil, cheese macaroni cream and confectionery show s marked fall-oft i., 1a1T Precious stones show a re- duction of eight million dollars when compared with the fmpOrtations Of last years, pearls alone over six mil lion dollars reduction, diamonds, cut but not set, d reduction of about four millions. Art works show a fall o1 about three million dollars when compared with 1916 and approXl- mateIv four millions when compared with 1914 Cotton lnces imported Tn 1917 are nearly seven million dollars below those of 1916 and II million dollars below those of 1914. in SIX 1aees. the value of imports of 1917 Is but little more than one-halt that of 1916, silk plushes less than one half that of 1914, and silk ribbons i'll 1917 only about 10 per cent. of the 1915 imports Hats and bonnets i'm ported in 1917 are slightly less in value than in earlier years, despite the higher prices. and this Is true or jeweIry. platinum, musical 1nstru- ments, automobiles, glove leather tanned goat skins and many other articles of this class. Feathers inn ported in 1917 amount to about three million dollars in value against over five millions in 1915 and more than six millions in 1914, while in ostrich feathers alone the imports of l9l
 lcJ1I against 21b millions in 1915. Dressed furs and manufactures of fur show decline but undrcssed fur an in crease.
 Heavy Drop in Foods.
 Tn foods of the character usually considered luxuries, the fall-off is dis tnctly marked Cheese, chiefly brought from France, Italy and Switzerland shows for 1917 but mil lion pounds against 2S millions in 1916, 39 millions in 1915 and 55 mill Ions in 1914. Cream imported in 1917 chiefly from Canada was but ITO, GOO gallons against 1,321,0O0 gallons in 1915 and 2.230,Oo0 in 1914. Olives chiefly from Italy and Spain are in 1917 only 1-2 million gallons against over 6 1-2 millions in 1915 while olive oil shows a fall of over
 
 imports when compared with 1915. Macaroni, of which the foreign pro- duct may perhaps be Classed as a hIxury in view of the fact that tho United States now turns out twelve million dollars worth per anum, shows an importation in 1917 of but million pounds against over It mil lions in 1916 and more than B mil- lions in 1915. Malt liquors imported in 1917 were but 1 1-2 million gallons against 1-2 millions in 1916 and over 5 1-2 millions in 1914 Gin i'm ports in 1917 were only 23O. .0O0 gal ions against 536000 in 1916 and nearly million in 1914. Champagne imported in 1917 was 16z,O00 dozen quarts against 239 900 dozens7in 1916, and mineral waters in 1917 214, 900 dozen quarts against STA 900 dozens in 1916 and 951. .00O dozen in 1914 Even the gum chewers seem to have yield ed to the general impulse for a re- duction of expenditures, since the ouantity of chicle the chief constitu ent of chewng gum shows a, faIl-off of about 1 million pounds in 1917 xben compared with 1916 and over tuuo million pounds when compa red with 1915.
 One class of citizens, the smokers seern to have disregarded their pa. triotic duty, for the quantity of cigars cheroots and cigarettes imported 1T 1917 was over 1-2 million pound: against little more than millions il 1916 and about 1 1-2 millions 1915; the leaf tobacco imported Il 1917 was 30 million dollars Valu against 26 millions in 1916 and / millions in 1915, while the c1gaTett smokers went to an even greater eX treme by bringing in over l-Z mli lion dollars worth of cigarette DOOR and paper against 12 million dol lars worth in 1916 and 1 million dol lars worth in 1915.