Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-12-25
Big Gains in U. S.
Trade With Africa

While certain European nations
have been rcadJusting boundary lines
and territorial control In Africa. the
manufacturers ~ the United States
have been successfully invading the
markets Of that continent. our OK
ports 10 Africa says a statement by
The National city Bank u New York
In the year which ends with this month
Will aggregate six times as much as
In 1914. and our imports from that con.
tinent seven times as much AS In
1914. our total trade with Africa In
the calendar year 1890 will aggregate
1926 million dollars against ~ million
in the fiscal year 1914. all 81 which
preceded the war.
Africa IL. continues the hanks state.
ment. the latest ~ the grand divisions
a. recognize the quality and attractive.
ncEs u United States merchandise. and
especially United States manufactures.
For a long period prior TO the war the
exports to that continent were practi.
cally at "a atandHlill. and never reached
as much as thirty million dollars per
annum. with the opening ~ the war.
German trade with that continent was,
~ course. absolutely cut of. and the
British and French manufacturers and
exporters were too badly occupied
with other matters g. give close attcn.
tion Ia the African markets A. "a con.
sequence. the people of that continent
turned 10 the United States a. supply
the manufactures which they had been
accustomed to draw from Great
Britain. Germany. France. Belgium.
Italy, and Portugal. as all 81 those
European countries had large areas In
Africn, and therefore supplied the bulk
81 the merchandise entering those
markets.
With this change In South Africas
buying opportunlties-tho necessity ~
looking 10 the United States instead ~
relying upon the European countries
controlling the respective arcas-our
exports 10 that continent began 10
climb: they were In the calendar year
1914. - million dollars. 1915 81
millions. 1915 "a millions: 1915. 80
millions: 1919 rs millions. and In 1920
will show a total ~ iGj million dollars.
or practically double thnt Of the immc.
diatcly preceding year and six times as
much as In the year preceding the
war
Meantime. we have rcclprocated this
friendly attitude Of our African neigh
bors. and have increased our purchase
from them 90 an even greater extent.
measured In percentages a. least. our
imports from Africa. which total-d 90
million dollars IN 1914, jumped tn q
millio's In 1915. 60 millions In 1918.
- millions In 1917. S6 millions IN 1918.
ils millions In 1919. and 100 millions
In 1920. II In proper To- add however
adds the hanks statement. that this
increase IN our imports ~ African
products is more apparent than real"
hcause ~ the fact that a large pro.
portion 81 the Egyptian cotton which
We formerly consumed was bought In
England. and accredited "a that cOun
try In our oar import returns. while
the "exigcncics ~ the war" resulted
In our direct purchase 81 Egyptian
cotton In the markets ~ Egypt, and
thus aCcrcditing the cotton to Egypi
which was NO; only its producer hut its
direct exporter 10 the United States
while formerly Egypt had sent Its cot
ton TO England by which IL was rcsold
a. the United States.
Cotton is. 81 course. our largest i'm.
port from Africa. amounting In the
fiscal year 1920 Ia 1903 million dollars.
coming direct from Egypt as agnins,
% millions In 1919. and 81 millions IN
1915 Wool probably ranks next "a
cotton, amounting In the fiscal year
1920 TO approximately 20 million dol.
lars. while cacao chiefly from British
West Africa. was 22h million dollars
against III millions In 1919. and 10
millions In 1918.
Manufactures ~ all sorts. hut cspcc
hlly automobiles. mining machinery