Evening star., 1939-02-26
Exports Decline
While. Imports
Increase
Favorable U. S. Trade
Balance or ShurpIy
From Year Ago
BY the Associated Press.

B, the Associated Press.
The Commerce Department re-
ported yesterday this country sold
$34, TOT 900 more than 1t bought
abroad in January.
January, 1889, exports totaled
$2l2 ,908 900, compared with imports
of l7S,2O1 900.
The exports figure for January
was s76,155 900 less than the corre-
spending month year ago.
The January import total, on the
other hand, was $7,5l2,O0O higher
than a year ago.
Export decreases, the depart
ment's report said, were the result
of smaller foreign demand for a
wide range of commodities.
The value of import trade has
climbed since last summer and in
January reached the highest figure
for any month in more than a year.
The exports total of $212 ,9O8 900,
which included re-exports, compared
with $268, 1929 900 in December, 1898,
and with s289,O63 900 in January a
year ago.
Decline Is Larger.
While a decline is customary in
exports from December to January.
the change this year was much
larger than the usual seasonal re-
duction," the report said.
The decline in exports of crude
materials has been a principal fac
tor in cutting the value of total ex-
ports IN recent months, compared
with the corresponding months a
year ago, the report asserted.
In January. exports of this gro,lp
totaled s36.39l 900, compared with
s67 ,925 900 in January. 1898.
Raw cotton has moved abroad in
relatively small amounts during the
last six or seven months, and in
January shipments totaled 327.236
bales 800 pounds. compared with
723 $40 bales in January. 1898.
Exports of tobacco were lower in
January than in January. 1888. as
were also those Of crude petroleum.
coal and number of minor crude
materials
The decline in exports of semi
manufactures and finished manufac-
lures from January, 1898, was ap-
proximately 20 per cent.
Factory Shipments Hit.
A majority OF manufactured prod
uctS was exported at smaller value
than in January, 1888. although the
relatively large reductions shown for
electrical apparatus, lumber and iron
and steel mill products accounted
for the major part Of the decrease.
Metal-working machinery, air.
craft. copper and manufactures of
rayon were the principal manufac-
tured commodities exported in larger
value in January, 1899, than a year
before.
Although crude materials, valued
at $50 53,890,000, represented about the
same proportion of total imports
81 per cent-as in January, 1898,
substantial increases in January, this
year, occurred in imports of wool,
raw silk, hides and skins and flax.
Semi-manufactures valued at s37,-
$4,000 showed larger relative in
crease than total imports. These
goods were % per cent of total inn
ports in January. 1889, and 20 per
cent OF the total in January, 1888.
Import Gains Cited.
Products imported in increased
amounts included leather, wool
yarns, lumber, wood pulp, cut dia-
monds, Nickel tin and coal-tar prod
ucts.
Imports of finished manufactures
increased only slightly to value
of $34,864,0 900. constituting 81 per
cent of the total
January gold exports totaled $81, :
600. compared with S5,O67 900 a year
ago. Imports totaled s156, ,427 900,
compared with $7,l55 900 in January,
1898.
Silver exports totaled $1.671 900,
compared with $355 900 in January,
1898. Silver imports totaled $10,-
1928, 8,000 compared with $28, ,7O8 900 in
January, 1898.
Exports of lard, including neutral
lard, totaled 28,520,O00 pounds, val
ued at s2,227 900 in January, COM
pared with 2O,453, 900 pounds valued
at 81 $4,000 in January, last year.
Farm Exports Listed.
Exports Of agricultural products
follow Figures represent January
1899, and 1888, respectively:
Unmanufactured cotton. $14,975.-
900 and $34,615 900; tobacco, un-
manufactured, $8,475,O0O and $l6,-
$4,000; logs and hewn timber, $780,
900 and 1929 900; wheat. $3.50, 900
and s8.977, 900; corn, $4,383, 900 and
$685. 900; vegetables, fresh and
dried, $572000 and $500 900; apples,
fresh, $2,552,O0O and 1892 900;
oranges, s954O00 and s709 900: other
fresh fruit, $4,000 and s634O00:
all other crude foodstuffs, $3.50 900
and $2,126,000; meat products, ST.
2SS,000 and 1888 900; dairy prod
ucts, except fresh milk. $374,00O and
$4l6 900; wheat flour, 81, 1,621 900 and
S1,9l9,OOO: vegetables. canned, $387,-
600 and $508,O00; dried and evapo-
rated fruits, $l,644,0 900 and $685.
QUO; canned fruits, $1,512,0OO and
S2,l79,OOO: sawed timber, $3.50 ,0OC
and $4O7 900: boards, planks, etc.
81 1903 900 and $2,938 900; wood pulp
$287 900 and $828,OOO.
Import Figures Given.
The following import figures were
reported for January, 1899, and 1898,
respectively:
Tobacco. manufactured, $2,778,-
600 and $2,341 900; cotton, unmanu-