The Washington herald., 1921-08-22
HUGE INCREASE in
OUREXPORTATlONS
TO TROPICAL ZONES
Now Valued at $780,
100000 Against $780,
100000 Before War.
TOTALS $500 GAIN
Bulk of Their Imports Con-
sists of Manufactures, Our
Most, Salable Article

q. Increasing popularity of United
States manufactures in the tropics
is a striking characteristic Of world
trade developments in recent years.
The value of our exports to the
tropics, says the Trade Record pub
ushed by the National City Bank OF
New York. jumped from s35o.ooo.ooo
In the year before the war to $1.-
SIC, 200, 900 in the fiscal year Just
ended. Exports to the tropics in
the 1s14-21 period increased $50 per
cent, while to the other parts OF
the world increased only $50 per
cent in the same period.
This. big gain in our exports to
the tropics. adds the banks state
ment, is especially interesting In
view OF the fact that the bulk Of
the tropical imports consists OF the
class Of goods which We ESPECIALLY
desire to sell-manufactures. While
certain sections OF the tropical
world want limited quantities of
meats and -four and coal. fully
three -fourths OF their imports from
features, a large part OF which they
ukSN AAOiA
"Ha. Come to stay
That this big increase In our
sales to the tropics has come to
stay is evidenced. says the banks
statement. by a close analysis OF
our official trade figures Of the
period lel4-2l. The tropical world
consists, stated in very round
terms, OF all North America south
of the United States. all South
America except Argentina and
limited area of Chile. all Of Asia
except China. Japan and Siberia
(and in fact a part of China Is sub
tropical), all OF Oceania except New
Zealand and the southern part Of
Australia. and all Of the continent
of Africa. To the areas thus
roughly outlined as tropical. 9r
at least subtropical. we sent in 1914
only 10 per cent of our exports and
In 1921 about rs per cent of the
greatly increased total. while. as
above indicated, the actual value Of
the merchandise sent to the tropics
increased $50 per cent and that to
the temperate zone area was in
creasing but $50 per cent.
our Imports.
On the import side, the figures
are equally striking. Our total i'm
ports from the tropical world. as
above roughly outlined. grew from
S620. .o00, 900 in 1914 to s1.6310oo. 900
in 1921, an increase of $50 per cent.
while our imports from the other
parts OF the world increased less
than so per cent in the same period.
Merchandise from the tropics formed
80 per cent Of our total imports In
1914 and IS per cent in 1921. while
the exports sent to that area. as
already indicated. formed but 10
per cent OF the total in 1914 and IS
per cent in 1921. The grand total
OF our trade with the tropics, in
cluding both imports from and ex-
ports to that area. showed an In
crease of 233 per cent IN the 1sl4-2l
period, while that with the non
tropical world increased but ll0 per
cent.
While, of course, adds the banks
statement. part of this gain In
our trade with the tropics is due to
the reduced producing and buying
power of Europe, II is especially in
teresting to note that We are gain
| ing in our trade relations with the
section of the globe which has now
the best prospects OF a rapid gain
! In it's producing and buying power
! the tropics. With the application
I of the farm and road tractors to
agriculture and transportation in
the tropical world where the use
OF the horse and OK was always
! limited by climatic conditions, the
! development of their producing,
! transporting and therefore buying
power seems likely to be extremely
rapid in the near future and their
demands upon the United States for
clothing. machinery and miscella-
neous manufactures should corre-
spondingly increase. especially as
we are the worlds largest pur-
chasers of their chief products
coffee. sugar, vegetable oils, rubber,
hides. fibres and tin.
Our 1921 imports of sugar were
| 1000, 900. .0gO pounds against 5.000,-
000, 900 in 1914; of coffee. l.35o.0oD;-
900 pounds against 1000. 100000 In
1914; of rubber 357.o0o.o00 pounds
against 132,00O.o00 in 1914. Our ex-
ports of cotton goods. most of
which go to- the tropics, were in
1921 Se4O, 100000 in value against
s54,0oO,0 900 in 1914, while Of finished
manufactures, which form probably
three -fourths of our sales to the
| tropics, the total exports of 1921
were sass. 900 900 against s725, ,o00,-
900 In 1914.