The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-12
RUSSIAN TRADE
POSSIBILITIES

II Russia comes back into the trade
world. what will she have to sell and
what will she want to buy?
Or course nobody can answer this
In view of the lack of informat ton
regarding the present producing and
purchasing power Of Russia But we
can at least, says a statement by The
National City bank of New York, de-
termine what Russia produced for ex-
portation in normal times and what
she took in exchange. also the coun-
tries to which she sold and from
which she bought, and especially the
trade of the United States with that
country in the years Immediately pre-
ceding the war
The year 1919 was a fairly repre-
sentative year with Russia Her ex-
ports. which amounted to $3S9,0o0,-
600 In 1880. and sass. o00.0 900 In 1850,
had crossed the $500, ooo,0 line In
1907 and averaged little over that
sum down to 1901. when they Jumped
to $710.o0o,000, and averaged nearly
$500, 100000 a year in the three years
1911. 1912 and 1913, her Official fig
ures OF exports for 1913 being $780,
100000 rubles equal to $733,o00. 900
Omitted States currency at the pre-
war value of the ruble.) Her M
ports in that year were l.374,ooo, 900
rubles. equal to S70S.0o0, 900, tho
largest in her history. She had al
ways lived within her income" her
imports being almost invariably
slightly less than her exportA
What did she export in this latest
normal year 1877 Chiefly wheat
barley, wood in various forms, fax,
eggs butter and petroleum. stated In
the relative order of their value. These
seven articles formed considerably
mora than one-half OF her total ex-
ports in the year preceding the war
wheat exported amounted to about
40, 100000 bushels, though in 1910 1t
exceeded 100000. 900 bushels.
What were her chief imports In
1914. the year of her highest pur-
chases abroad? Raw cotton coal
manufactures of iron and steel, wool,
rubber. agricultural machinery and
miscellaneous manufactures Cotton
amounted to over $4,000, 900: coal
about $4o,ooo,00e; iron and steel
manufactures about SIS, 900, 900, and
agricultural machinery Sz5,ooo,ooo.
Where did she buy and where did
she sell? Forty-seven per cent of
her imports were from Germany;
thirteen per cent from the United
Kingdom. and six per cent from the
United States. Where did she sell her
products2 Thirty per cent to Ger
many; II per cent to the United King
dom: eleven per cent to the Neither
lands: seven per cent to France and
one per cent to the United States.
Russian official figures on her COM
merce with the United States differ
radically from United States off7cial
ngures on her trade with Russia.
Russian figures OF imports in 1918
show total of 1000. 900 from the
United States, while our figures of
exports to that country In the same
year are but $27.ooo,ooo. Her figures
OF exports to the United States in
1913 are but 100000 while our
own figures show $24,0oo,o 900 worth
or merchandise imported from RUS
STA. This radical difference in the
trade figures OF the two countries re-
garding the value of the merchandise
passing between them In the year in
question Is due. says the banks state
mont to the fact that Russia bought
from her European neighbors certain
articles. notably cotton, known to be
OF United States origin, and accredit-
ed such importations to this country
in her import figures, while we bought
from certain European countries. no
tably Germany,
What were the articles forming the
trade OF the United States with Rus
sta prior to the war? Our own figures
show for the fiscal year 1913 the chief
imports from Russia: hides and skins
$1s,oo0.ooo: wool, $3.50, 900: fax and
hemp. $1.225.0o0; manganese oxide
and ore, $694.oo0. and India rubber
scrap or refuse. 100000. Our chief
exports to Russia in the fiscal year
1913 were agricultural implements,
5000, 900: raw cotton. $4,524.0 900;
binder Irvine, $1.450,000: metal
working machinery $1.o8s,000 cop
per. 1884, 900; typewriters, 1871 900;
upper leather. $4,000; rosin $7S4,-
900; sewing machines. $7s6.0o0: au-
tomobileS $4,000; builders hard
ware and tools, $483.oo0, and cash
registers, $24S,000.