224
36
The figures show what a large and growing market the United States is for the principal products of our Crown Colonies. Owing, however, to the fact that many of the exports of our Crown Colonies to the United States do not go direct, but through the United Kingdom and other countries, it is impossible to say what share of the possible market is really enjoyed by our Crown Colonies,
Owing to normal growth and to higher prices, it is probable that the United States is now capable of importing the food and raw materials mentioned in the previous page to an aggregate amount of about £300,000,000 a year, and this total is likely to grow rapidly.
If the United Kingdom can increase largely its exports of manufactured products to the Crown Colonies, and the latter their exporte of food and raw materials to the United States, the effect on the exchange position will be the same as if this country were to increase largely ite exports to the U.S.A.
The development of the Crown Colonies may well be the key to the solution of a great problem which the war has brought upon us.
UNITED STATES IMPORTS.
Tables showing Principal Countries from which certain Foodstuffs and Raw Materials are
Value of Total Importa
Imported.
Tin (in bars, blocks, pigs, or grain or granulated.)
57
In the above table only such foreign countries as have supplied an appreciable quantity are included,
The British Possessions specified above supplied the following percentage of the total imports into the U.S.A.:
1901
1912 1918
per cent.
31 2
F
+
In view of the possibilities of producing large quantities of sisal grass in certain African Crown Colonies, the above figures showing the growing importance of the American market are of great significance.
Raw Cocoa (excluding Cocoa Butter).
1912.
1918.
1,000 dola. 41,277
1,000 lbs. 399,040
135
1901.
Value of Total Imports
***
1,000 dols.
6,478
1,000 lbs.
1,000 dola. 15,952
1,000 lba.
1901
1912
1918
Weight of Total Imports...
45,924
145,969
Weight of Importa from-
1,000 Dols. 19,806
1,000 Dola.
46,215
1,000 Dula 74,543
Weight of Total Imports
Weight of Importa from—
Austria-Hungary
France...
1,000 lbs.
1,000 lbs.
1,000 lbs.
73,092
111,204
136,519
Nil.
112
Nil.
Nil.
1,022
Nil,
64
3,967
Nil.
2,999
4,051
Nil.
Nil.
Nil.
28,262
1
Nil.
3,699
30.779
66,110
29,593
38,424
33,275
56,920
146
1,908
19,524
430
47L
7,292
Portugal
**
Cuba San Domingo
Brazil ... Ecuador
1,316
18,954
3,071
1,370
326
1,687
27,787
39,851
5,785
17,174
91,352
6,445
22,977
76,789
Dutch Guian.....
Venezuela
United Kingdom
British West Indies
British West Africa ...
6,117
1,885
811
***
5,519
9,573 20,830
2,022
8,792
1,038
14,278
36,447
51.439
Nil
Nil
99,397
Germany
Netherlands
+4
Dutch East Indies
China
United Kingdom
British East Indies
Hong Kong
British Oceania
In the above table only those countries are included which in recent years have supplied
the U.S.A. with upwards of one million pounds weight of cocoa annually.
The British Possessions specified above supplied the following percentage of the total imports into U.S.A. :-
Austria-Hungary is included above, because in 1901 and 1912 it was the only non-British producing country.
The British Possessions specified above supplied the following percentages of the total imports into the U.S.A.:-
1901
1912
1918
94 per cent.
91
781
"
1
As the production in Austria-Hungary in 1901 and 1913 was negligible, practically the whole of the tin imported into the U.S.A. was actually produced in British Colonies and Pro- tectorates, yet foreigners were deriving an increasing profit by importing tin and re-exporting to U.S.A.
In the absence of production statistics for 1918, it is impossible to say whether the large import in that year from Dutch East India indicates the rapid development of a new and very large source of supply. Whitaker's Almanac states that a great deal of the revenue of the Dutch East Indies in 1917 was derived from the sale of coffee, salt, bark and tin.
In 1916 the United States commenced importing tin ore from Central and South America, and in 1918 the imports were as follows:-
1901
1912 1918
35 per cent. 31 * 371
13
British West Africa commenced to export to U.S.A. in 1914 with a total of only 7,895 lbs.,
and four years later it was the principal source of supply with the immense total of over 99 inillion lbs.
No doubt, prior to 1914 it was exporting 6 or 7 million lbs, via the United Kingdom, but the shipping situation has led to direct export just at the time when West African production was growing by leaps and bounds.
1912.
1918.
Tin Ore.
Tons. 12,918 569 1,335
These countries are presumably new sources of production, but Whitaker's Almanac does not include tin amongst the minerals produced in any of these countries.
Chili Panama Peru
Sisal Grass.
1901.
1912.
1918.
1,000 dols.
1,000 dols.
1,000 dəlɛ.
Value of Total Importa
7,979
11,867
61,583
Tons.
Tons.
Tons.
Weight of Total Importa...
70,076
114,467
150,164
Waight of Importa from :-
Germany
Nil
6,731
Nil
...
Mexico...
69,530
103.683
137.843
Dutch East Indies
Nil
Nil
B R64
United Kingdom
Nil
789
Nii (?)
Canada
Nil
34
Nil (?)
British West Indies
635
3,195
British India ...
Nil
16
3,752
2F2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
Coffee.
1001.
Value of Total Imports ..."
1,000 dola
62,861
1,000 dols. 117,827
1,000 dols. 103,059
1,000 lbs.
1,000 lb.
Weight of Total Imports
854,871
885,201
1,000 lbs. 1,143,891
Weight of Imports from--
Belgium
338
26,547
Nil
France ...
16
8,262
Nil
Costa Rica
17,195
8,004
21,020
Inatemala
27,995
18,152
63,556
Nicaragua Salvador
Mexico
Buiti ...
Brasil
Columbia
Venezuela
5,669
1,144
23,389
9,686
11,413
55,687
20,433
84,156
31,118
4,351
2,243
25,850
666,519
632,627
749,958
15,368
62,912
112,159
56,492
47,110
50,122
Dnich East Inettes
9,404
12,795
4,688
United Kingdom
4,341
2,758
1
British Honduras
Nil
1
5
Canada
Nil
136
72
British West Indies
t..
2,638
2,441
1,685
A den
1,596
3,106
Nil
---
Fast Africa
West Africa
Negligible
159
Nil
Negligible
Nil
780
British East Indies
5,144
Nil
85
885/26
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
!