Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1878 — AMERICAN EXPORTS. [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN EXPORTS.

Where They Go—Some Interesting Facts. [Washington Cor. Cleveland Leader.] The immense increase of American exports within the last three years, changing the balance of trade from $116,000,000 against us to $271,000,000 in our favor, has been widely published and commented upon, and people are asking of what do these exports consist. It w'ould require a reproduction of the entire report of the Bureau of Statistics to answer this question in detail, but a general glance at the articles of commerce will satisfy the curiosity of all bu the statisticians. In the first place, within the last two or three years, since the troubles in Europe commenced, the exports of firearms and ammunition have been enormous. Turkey alone purchased $27,000,000 worth of guns and cartridges. Large amounts were sold to Russia also, and other European nations purchased in smaller quantities. American petroleum is sent to every civilized nation. American car wheels, cars and locomotives are found on almost every railroad in tlie world. American hardware goes to Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Africa and Australia, the West Indies, Brazil and the Pacific islands. Our nails are used in every civilized country and have the largest shipments of any single article of manufactured iron. Glassware is sent from the United States to all the countries named above in large quantities, and the shipments are rapidly increasing. American cutlery is being sold in competition with the famous English and French manufactures, and holds its own. Pumps are sent from the United States to South America, the Pacific islands and the West Indies. Coal goes to the British possessions, the West Indies and the Sandwich islands. American paint is used in South America, the islands of tlie Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Mexico, and a market is being opened for it in Europe. Our clock and watch-makers are stealing the markets that have heretofore sold only Swiss and English goods, and have become known everywhere in the world. But tlie largest shipments are of agricultural implements, sewing-machines, scales, plated ware, and saws. From tlie port of New York alone more than sl,500,000 worth of sewing-machines were shipped last year, and during the first six months of this year $806,741 worth of them xvere shipped. During the first six months of this year there were sliipjjed from New York $961,027 worth of reapers, $137,107 worth of plated ware, SIIO,OOO Avortli of scales. The increase in tlie shipments of plated ware in two years lias been 143 per cent.; of reapers, 50 per cent., and of scales 57 per cent. The increase in the exports of other articles has been in tlie same proportion. The shipments of beef, cheese, butter, preserved meats, hops and cotton goods have all increased over 50 per cent, within two years; and boots anil shoes, leather goods, iron impler ments, and other articles of American manufacture have increased in the same ratio.