The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-08
MANUFACTURING
 MATERIAL IN
 DUR WAR TRADE

Reports from Washington that the complete control of imports and ex- ports just taken over by the govern ment will give opportunity to deter mine the classes of manufacturing material, and manufactures to be im- ported and exported during the re- mainder of the war, lends interest to a study by the National City Bank of New York of the principal articles forming the manufacturing material entering and leaving the United States. Manufacturing materials im- ported into, and exported from the United States show in each case an increase of about two-thirds in total value since the beginning of the war. Manufacturing material imported in the fiscal year 1914, all of which pre- ceded the war, aggregated $952, 2,000,- 900 and fin 1917 $1,585, 100000 an increase of 65 per cent, while manu- featuring material exported grew from $1, ,I67, 100000 in 1914 to $1,- 024, 4,O00, 900 in 1917. also an increase of 65 per cent.
 These figures of the total value of manufacturing material exported and imported include not only the raw material, but the partly manufactured material intended F0r further use in manufacturing such as pig copper, pig tin, steel bars and billets, sole leather, etc. In practically all of these articles for use in manufactur- ing, whether in the raw state or partly manufactured, there have been large increases both in imports and exports, though the growth in quan- tity is not as great as that indicated by the figures of value. since in prac- tically all cases, the price per unit of quantity is now larger than prior to the war.
 The principal raw materials im- ported include India rubber, hides, wool, cotton, silk, hemp, sisal, jute, nitrate of soda and leaf tobacco, and the principal articles in partly man. ufactured state for further use in manufacturing include copper pigs. tin in pigs and bars, iron pigs and bars, lumber, wood pulp, and the veg etable oils. These with sundry minor articles of the same general character imported in 1914 were $952, Al 900, in 1916 S1,3o5 683, ,o00, and in 1917 S1,5S4,990,0 900. India rubber shows a large increase, the quantity imported in 1914 having been 132 million rounds and in 1917, 3S3 million pounds, while the value increased from 71 million dollars in 1914 to 1S9 millions in 1917. Hides and skins ag- gregated 561 million pounds in 1914 and TOO millions in 1917, the value being 120 million dollars in 1914 and a16 millions in 1917. Wool increased from PAS million pounds in 1914 to 372 millions in 1917, but the value shows much larger increase propor- tionately having been in 1914 53 million dollars, and in 1917 131 mil lions. Raw cotton imported in 1914 was 123 million pounds and in 1917 147 millions, an increase of but about 25 per cent. in quantity, while the value increased more than 100 per cent, having been in 1914 g million dollars and in 1917 40 millions. Silk in 1914 amounted to 20 million pounds and in 1917 34 millions, the value 9S million dollars in 1914 and 156 mil lions in 1917. Nitrate of soda, used largely in the manufacture of explo- sives increased from 564,O00 tons in 1914 to 1,262,OO in 1917, and the value from IS million dollars in 1914 to A millions in 191Z
 On the export side. the increase occurs chiefly in the partly manufac- tured articles for further use in man. ufacturing. Of the manufacturing materials exported from the United States. cotton is the only important articles which goes out of the country in the natural state, all of the other important articles for manufacturing having passed through a preliminary stage of manufacture before exporta ton. The raw cotton exported 1T 1917 was less both in quantity ana value than in 1914, the quantity hay ing fallen from 9,165,000 bales il 1914 to 5,947 900 in 1917, and thu value from s61O, 900 to $54S. 101, 900 in 1917. Pig copper shows ; comparatively small increase in quan tity exported but a large increase il value, the total exports of 1914 beinl 975,oO0,00 pounds and in 191 $292,000, ,000. Steel billets also fo further use in manufacturing show
 large per cent of gain, having in creased from AT 900 tons in 1914 t 1,936 900 tons in 1917, while the valu grew from s1,000,00O in 1914 t S136.O00, 900 in 1917. Chemicals as
 whole, largely for use in manufac turing, increased from 27 millio dollars in 1914 to 1S8 millions in 191' zinc (spelter) from one-quarter of
 million dollars in 1914 to 61 million in 1917, and brass plates. bars, etc from slightly less than 1 million do lars in 1914 to 121 millions in 191' Lumber exports show a decline fro1 5S million dollars in 1914 to 27 mi lions in 1917.
 Manufacturing material has forme steadily increasing share in the in ports during the war, but a decrea ing proportion of the exports. IT -L- ...1, inI, tlnn t11rn nr1.rnr1rns