46
The imports of coal in 1914 were derived as follows :—
Japan
Australia
China
Japanese leased Territory United States
£
216,667
13,333
38,541
32,083
25,000
The Export Trade. The following table shows the destinations of the export shipments of Philippines produce during the years 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914 :---
47
Sugar. The trade in this, the second important article of export from the islands, is also largely in British hands. Messrs. Smith, Bell, & Co. are perhaps the largest shippers and act as general managers of the Luzon Sugar Refining Co., Ltd., but they are closely followed by Ker & Co. and W. F. Stevenson & Co.
The destination of the exports in 1914 was as follows :--
United States -
United Kingdom China - Japan
Total
167,436 tons.
5,373 46,219 *7 13,746
+1
Country.
1911.
1912.
1918.
1914.
British Empire-
£
£
£
United Kingdom
1.207,021
1,905,768
1,889,312
1,516,674
Australasia
95,634
120,406
128,523
125,552
British East Indies
219,269
252,524
276,485
241,061
Hong Konr
193,964
329,935
662,274
122,066
L'anada -
15,092
Other colonies and dependencies
1,980 443
1,478 3,300
482
3,014
Total, British Empire
1,930,980
2,611,051
2,961,372
2,309,849
United States
+,130,631
4,752,966
3.428.754
5,132,353
Austria-Hungary
11,807
49,009
39,655
17,256
Belgium
291,147
219,125
[13,364
52,818
China
100,931
226,292
342,931
229,614
France
1,724,176
1,817,425
1,142,261
811,934
Freuch Indo-China
2,264
1,738
2,559
1,772
Germany
268.861
349,700
362,833
224,940
Italy
104,898
169,415
103,408
153,85x
Japan
117,813
584,591
817,611
623.718
Netherlands
89.103
46,151
59,796
69,399
Dutch East Indies
8,665
8,613
12,761
22.347
Siam
1,487
1,380
2,634
6,109
Spain
+56,869
530,720
310,939
470,070
Switzerland
10,103
Other countries -
30.285
29,017 66,266
10,232 46,599
2,312
17,295
Grand total
9,289.020
11,413,487
9,952,699
10,143,674
The principal exports during the year 1914 cousisted of hemp 3,998,916., sugar 2,304,081., copra 1,662,556, cocoanut and other vegetable oils 550,5461., cigars 482,3251., unmanufactured tobacco 379,9271.
Hemp. The principal consuming countries are:-
United States United Kingdom Japan
£
2,004,000
1,259,000 432,000
The hemp export trade is largely in the hands of the three principal British firms of Ker & Co., Smith, Bell & Co., and W. F. Stevenson & Co., who are by far the largest shippers, although competition has been recently experienced from the American firm of Macleod & Co. The trade has been somewhat disorganised since the beginning of 1915, when the United States local legislature passed a law to regulate the grading of hemp under Government classification and inspection with a view to the establishment of a universal fixed standard for Manila fibres in foreign markets. The British and other export houses strongly opposed this measure, both on the grounds of expense and impracticability. Hitherto the export firms have employed their own house-marks for the different grades, which have become of considerable value, and they claim that this system has proved quite satisfactory to buyers, and that Government classification, requiring each bale to contain one grade only, would be prejudicial to the industry, as many purchasers would thus be obliged to pay for a classification which to them would be of no value, and as a result they would be led to adopt the use of other foreign fibres. The law, however, still remains in force and has led to some restriction of business. However, as the regulations with regard to the grading of the fibre have been largely left to the Bureau of Agriculture, it is hoped that the law may be made workable in practice.
The principal hemp shipping ports are Manila and Cebu.
232,774 tons.
Almost 75 per cent. of the better qualities were shipped to the United States, and the remainder to China and Japan. Hitherto the United States Government has accorded a preference to sugars entering the States from the American colonies of Hawaii and the Philippines, but from March 1st, 1916, sugar was placed upon
*the free list from all countries. It is extremely probable, therefore, that the States will no longer be the ruling factor in the Philippines market, and that increasing quantities of the island sugar will be shipped to China, Japan, and other Eastern markets where it will have to compete with the Java product.
Copra. The principal markets for copra have always been Continental ones, and Spanish and German firmus in the islands have had a much greater share in the export of this product than of other goods.
The destinations of the principal exports of copra in 1914 were :—
To-
France -
United States
Germany
Spain
United Kingdom
£
726,000
335,000
204,000
160,000
-
100,000
Owing to the outbreak of war, the German proportion was abnormally small Germany's takings in 1913 amounted to 320,0002,
The exports of copra have steadily diminished of recent years, largely owing to the extension of the oil-mills in the southern islands and the export of cocoanut oil instead. Much more attention and a larger amount of capital is now being employed
in cocoanut growing than at any previous time, and the trade in both copra and oil should tend to be maintained in the future.
Cocoanut Oil. The export of cocoanut oil is an enterprise of the last three years, dating from the erection of the first oil-mills. Its rise has been rapid.
In 1912 the export waston, valued at 8,
In 1913 the export was 4,509 tons, valued at 238,8211.
In 1914 the export was 10,748 tons, valued at 545,0032.
It should be noted that a ton of cocoanut oil approximately represents two tons
of copra, so that the saving in freight charges is very great. It is remarkable that in 1914 the whole of the export (with the exception of a trivial 2,500l. to Hong Kong) was shipped to New York,
The export of cocoanut cake, a by-product from the oil, is increasing "pari passu "with the oil shipments. The export of this article in 1913 was 2,696 tons, valued at 22,8281, The entire export, which had increased by 50 per cent, was taken by Hamburg in 1914.
TOBACCO AND CIGARS.
Leaf Tobacco.-Out of a total of 379,9271. in 1914, Spain consumed 239,000, the Netherlands 31,M., and the balance was distributed over a number of markets in comparatively small quantities.
Cigars. The export has somewhat declined of late years, the total shipments being
1912.
664.1807.
1913.
627,5491.
1914.
482,3251.
F +
620