Evening star., 1938-01-26
EXPORT BALANCE
HITS $261,597,0lO
1887 Figures of Commerce
Department Show US.
Resuming Stride.
BY the Associated Press.

.
United States merchandise exports
in 1887 exceeded imports by $751;
$4,000, the Commerce Department
announced today.
Exports, gaining $3.50, $50, 900 over
1886, totaled $3,345, $4,000. Imports
amounted to $3,084, ,O61 900, an in
crease of 1851, 100000.
The export balance of $261 ,597 900
was piled up in the last few months
of the year and brought the United
States back after lapse of year
to the position OF predominateiy
export country. In 1886 the export
balance was only S33. 1886 900, the low
est figure in more than 35 years.
The foreign trade situation. de-
scribed by officials as one of the bright
est spots in the current business pic
ture. was effected last year by wars
abroad and by good crops at home,
they said.
In the first part of the year, i'm
ports ran ahead Of exports largely
because of heavy purchases of foreign
food products as result of the 1886
drought in this country. Late in the
summer bountiful crops here reversed
the food shipments situation and was
major factor In piling up the large
export balance at the end Of the year.
Wars and rearmaments in other parts
of the world also increased demand
for American machinery, airplanes
and other items.
In the last few months of the year
pared with the same month of the
previous year. The department said
December imports totaled S208,-
1868, 900, compared with S245, l6l 900 in
December, 1886. December exports
totaled $319,756, 900, compared with
1929, 800, 600 in the same month of the
previous year.
Increases Are shown.
The increase in exports was attrib-
uted by the Commerce Department
to larger shipments of wheat and
other grains and feeds, lard, dairy
products, leaf tobacco, automobiles,
trucks, industrial machinery. agricul-
tural implements and wood and paper
products
Last December's s39,7lO00O exports
Of motor vehicles and parts were the
largest for any month since July,
1929, and the months 24,122,000
shipments of. industrial machinery
were the largest since March, 1929
The decline in imports occurred
largely because of smaller purchases
| of foreign raw silk. unmanufactured
wool, hides and skins, paper pulp
| precious stones, coffee, cocoa and
grains. Last months imports OF
grains amounted to less than $1,000
| 900. compared to more than Sl0,-
| 100000 in December, 1886.
| Last years imports of gold totaled
Sl.63l ,523 900. an increase of s487.-
100000 over 1886, and gold exports
amounted to SAC, 100000, an increase
of s18,486 600. Silver imports de-
clined S9O,939,0OO to s91,877.oOO, and
silver exports increased Sl,577,0O0 tc
| S4,542,0OO.
13 Per Cent World Share.
Ernest A. Tupper. foreign trade ex-
| pert of the department, estimated last
years business enabled the United
| States to increase its share of worlc
| export trade to l3 per cent, compared
with l19 per cent in 1886 --
He said only S220000,000ny of the
| 1889 680.0 increase in United States
exports over 1886 was due to prices
while 1855 900 900 of the 1851 900, ,OOC
imports increase was due to higher
prices. This indicated, he said, that
for actual volume of goods this coun-
try's excess of exports over imports
was even greater than the dollar
, figures indicate.
Tupper said MANY influences con-
tributed to bring about the sharp in
crease over 1885 In the value and vol.
| ume of our export trade. Importan n
| among these were the increasing pur.
chases by number of foreign coun.
| tries Of certain products essential Il
rearmament programs. the genera
| improvement in economic condition!
abroad throughout the first three
! quarters of the year, the CONCESSION,
granted to United States products II
| reciprocal trade agreements and the
| greatly improved domestic agriculture
| situation III the second half of 1887"
RATTJNnpE SHIppJNC Cnnn