The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-05-28

Of standard gauge track and 1.4l9 bridges. By January 1, 1920, all of the lines had been reconstructed, with the exception of about 15 miles, and bridges temporarily or perma- nently rebuilt on lines in operation. In January, 1919. Belgium had 57S locomotives of which only 279 were in running order; in March, 1920, she had 4,220, of which 60 per cent. were in good condition. This furnished sufficient motive power to haul 60 per cent. of the normal pre-war passen- ger trains and 80 per cent. of the normal prewar freight trains. Five hundred and fifty new locomotives have been ordered; 164 additional To- comotives bought, and negotiations are under way for additional pur- chases.
 Before the war. agriculture was one of the most prosperous branches of national industry in Belgium. One million persons were employed in it. Out of a total of 7,275,605 acres in Belgium, more than 4,2S8,35O acres were under cultivation. The princi- pal crops were: Wheat, barley, oats, rye, potatoes, sugar beets, etc.
 During the war, on account of the scarcity of food, the soil of Belgium
 
 was not a piece of tillable land that was not utilized. But the military op- erations, especially on the Ypres and Yser fronts, and the flooding of that part of the country, rendered large districts untillable. Some of these lands have already been restored to use. Belgium horticulture which en- joys a well earned reputation, did not suffer from the effects of the war, and is carried on as usual. Belgium continues to export it's beautiful hot house grapes.
 The present condition of foreign trade is most encouraging. The in crease in the number and tonnage of ships entering the Port of Antwerp reflects rapid progress in the resump- ton of normal business activity in Belgium. In 1913, this tonnage was 14,146,819 tons In 1919, the total was 5,300,S76; the number of ships in December was 456. with aggregate tonnage of 636,34S as compared with 95 ships and 164,333 tons in January. In the first three months of the cur rent year the entering ships and ton mage have shown further gratifying increases in the totals.
 Before the war Belgium ranked fifth long the nations as market for United State exports. Today, shes till ranks fifth, being surpassed only by the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Italy. During the 12 months Of 1919, the first calendar year since the armistice, the United States exported to Belgium articles valued at $377, ,50S or SAP per capita for -sy eIoQM eQl 5uIInQ 6Ilunoo leql cal year ended June 30, 1914, the United States exported to Belgium to the value of $61,219,S94, conse- States with Belgium shows the enor- nous increase of more than 500 per cent. over the pre-war trade. On the other hand, Belgium exports to the United States show, of course, a great decline from the prewar period. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, Belgium's exports to the nited States amounted to $41,035,5S2. For the calendar year 1919, these exports were only $7,70O,100, but this period in cfuded the early months of the year when Belgian exports amounted to almost nothing. Since Fbruary, 1919, Belgium's exports to the United States States have increased rapidly and steadily.
 Statistics for January and Febru- ary, 1920, show that, in the total inn ports into Belgium. American trade ranked second; imports from the United States amounting to more than 334,O00,000 francs for the two months