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APPENDIX XI.

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Statistics of Trade of the United Kingdom with the various Colonies and Possessions.

PUBLE RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

8

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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MEMORANDUM.

THE following Tables have been prepared to show the relative magnitude of the trade of the United Kingdom with other parts of the Empire and with foreign countries respectively, particularly as regards imports of food-stuffs and exports of British manufactures.

Import and Export Trade as a Whole.-In the year 1901 our total imports of all kinds from foreign countries were almost exactly four times as great in value as the total imports from British possessions, viz., £416, millions compared with £105} millions. On the other hand, our exports of British produce and manufactures to foreign countries compared with those to British possessions were in the proportion of 5 to 3, viz., £175 millions compared with £105 millions. Our re-exports of foreign and colonial merchandise, however, were mainly to foreign countries (£60 millions compared with £8 millions to British possessions), so that, taking our exports as a whole (including re-exports), foreign countries took just over twice as much as British possessions, the totals being £235 millions and £113 millions respectively.

On comparing the figures for the past five years, it will be seen that the above proportions have not varied very materially; but on the whole, there has been a slight increase in the proportion of our domestic exports which go to British possessions (the percentage of the total in 1897 being 34, and in 1901, 37).

The Colonies and possessions from which we imported merchandise most largely (taking the figures of the year 1901) were-British India, £27 millions; Australia, £24 millions; Dominion of Canada, £20 millions; New Zealand, £10 millions; British South Africa, £5 millions (exclusive of diamonds to the value of about £41 millions, not hitherto included in the United Kingdom Trade Accounts).

The Colonies and possessions to which we export domestic produce most largely are-British India, £35 millions; Australia, £21 millions; British South Africa, £17 millions (this figure, however, is a good deal above the average of previous years, owing to the war-£13 millions would be about the normal average); Canada, £8 millions; New Zealand, £5 millions.

Imports of Food-stuffs. Turning to imports of articles of food and drink, we find that, roughly, four-fifths come from foreign countries and one-fifth from British Colonies and possessions, the totals for 1901 being £1784 millions and £41 millions respectively.

The proportions have shown some fluctuations during the past five years, mainly owing to the fluctuations in the value of wheat and in the proportions derived from various sources which are referred to below. Compared with 1897, however, the pro- portions have not changed, the percentage derived from British possessions in that year having been 18'6 compared with 18-8 in 1901.

Of the food-stuffs imported from foreign countries, roughly half (£88 millions out of £1784 millions) come from European and the remainder from non-European countries. Hence our Colonies and possessions contribute not quite half the value of the food-stuffs derived from non-European foreign countries.

The British Colonies and possessions from which we imported articles of food and drink most largely in 1901 are-Canada, £134 millions; British India, £9 millions; U u

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