Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1886 — The Lion’s Share. [ARTICLE]

The Lion’s Share.

Under its system of free imports Britain has for years past been increasingly securing to itself the lion’s share of the commerce of the world. According to the official returns of 1884, as digested in a Nineteenth Century article, exports and imports of the four great commercial rivals stood as follows; Imports and Per lioad of exports. population. Great Britain £685,935,000 £19.00.0 France 303,040,000 7.13.0 Germany 323.285,000 6.17.6 United States 290,138,000 5.3.3 In spite of the heavy protective tariff of the United States, Great Britain in 1881 sold in the United States’ markets goods to the value of £32,570,000, while France and Germany between them sold little more than £27,000,000. In the German markets, also highly protected, Great Britain in the same year sold goods to the value of £25,365,000, while France and the United States combined sold only a little over £18,000,000. Now, when we come to the French maikets, we find that while Britain sold goods to the value of £24,652,000, the United States, in spite of its large rich territory and the heavy protection which we are told enables it to produce cheaply, sold only to the extent of £11,180,000. Then under free trade how have Britain’s exports prospered? Thus: In the five years 1836-40 they averaged ’ £50,000,000 In the five years 1841-45 they averaged 54,000,000 In the five years 1846-50 (first of free trade) 61,000,CC0 In the five years 1851-55 69,000,000 In the five years 1856-60 124,000,000 In the five years 1881-85 232,000,000 In 1830 Great Britain and Ireland had a commerce of £88,000,000. In 1878 this had risen to £601,000,000. The British Colonies had one of £21,000,000 in 1830, and in 1878 it stood at £322,000,000. In trade it is very evident that “Britons hold their own,” and are likely to continue to do so. —Toronto Globe.