The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-24
UNITED STATES
SOUTH AMERICAN
TRADE increase
Recent Compilation Of Fig
ures Shows Half Billion
In Trade.

Trade in the United States with South
Trade of the United States with South
America in the calendar year 1917
is two and one-half times as great as
in the year preceding the war. A COM
pilation by The National City Bank
of New York shows that the imports
from South America in 1917 'aggre-
gated in round terms SIS million dol
lars against 1913 millions in the calen-
dar year 1918, anG that the exports
to South America exceeded 800 mil
lion dollars against lat millions in
1915 and only 81 millions in 1914,
the year in which the war began.
South Americas importing power
declined sharply Immediately follow
ing the beginning of the war. Her
total imports from all parts of the
world in 1918, the wear preceding the
war, aggregated s ltly more than
billion dollars while IN 1914 they were
but little more than 900 million DOL
lars and have shown but very slight
increases during the war. The Banks
figures show the total imports of
South America in 1916 as about 620
million dollars against over a billion
in 1918, and that the total imports
o. that continent in 1917 approximate
$50 million dollars. This indicates
that this country 10 now supplying
over 40 per cent of the imports of
South America against less than Is
per cent. in 1918, the year preceding
the war.
The United States is also taking
much larger share of the exports of
South America than formerly. In the
year Immediately preceding the war,
1913, only about 20 per cent. of the
exports of that continent came to the
United States, while the latest avail
able figures of South American ex-
ports for 1917 indicate that we are
now receiving fully 40 per cent. of her
exports. The total imports from South
America occurs chiefly in wool, hides,
copper and nitrate of soda. The wool
imported from that continent in 1917
aggregates approximately 100 million
dollars against but about millions
in 1913; nitrate of soda approximate
ly 60 millions in 1917 against % mill
lions in 1918; copper about 70 mil
lion dollars in 1917 against less than
Is millions in 1913; hides approx
mately 10 million dollars in 1917
about II million dollars in 1917
against approximately millions in
1913 and tin approximately million
cellars in 1917 against nothing in
1918. In coffee and rubber the in
crease is comparatively small, the to-
tai value of coffee imported from all
South America being approximately
100 million dollars in 1917 against
about 80 millions in 1913, and rubber
26 million dollars in 1917 against APP
proximately 81 millions in 1913. The
total value of merchandise imported
from all South America in 1917 is
about IT'S per cent. greater than in
1913.
In exports to South America the
Increase occurs, Of course, in very
large number Of articles, Chiefly
manufactures. Cotton cloths aggre-
gate for 1917 approximately 10 mil
Lon dollars in value against slightly
less than millions in 1918; tinplate
about 10 million dollars in 1917
against less than one-half million
in 1918; automobiles about 7 millior
dollars against approximately mil
lions in 1918; coal over 5 million dol
lars in 1917 against over 1 million il
1913; printing paper approximately
million dollars in 1917 against less
than a million in 1918; and wire ap.
prcNimateiy 5 million jollars in 1911
against less than millions in 1913
Illuminating oil in 1917 shows a Cota
slightly less in value than that o
1913, but lubricating oil and gasoline
q slight increase. In numerous manu-
features of iron and steel, especial,
those for mining and electrical powe
plants, the increases are large, espec
tally in the shipments to the Pacifi
coast of South America.
The chief increase IN imports from
the eastern frontage of South Amer
lea occurs in wool and hides, Will
the principal increase from t1e Yves
coast occurs in copper and nitrat
of soda. The chief increase in export
to the East coast occurs in coal, cot
ten cloths and miscellaneous manu-
features, and the principal inoceas
IN exports to the West coast occurs i
mining machinery, railway SUPPLE
and miscellaneous manufactur
Many of these increases both in i'm
ports and exports are due in part t
higher prices, though in a large pre-
portion there is a marked ;ncreas
in quantities of merchandise both i'm