TRADE BETWEEN ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 40, 9 May 1844, Page 4

TRADE BETWEEN ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

Animportant return relative to the trade between England and America, which was obtained by Mr, Tbornley, has just been printed. It contains an account of tbe value of British produce and manufactures exported to the United States, during each of the ten years ending 1842, and an account of the quantities of the principal articles of American produce imported into the United Kingdom during the same period. The figures thus brought together show a steady decline in almost every part of the most importaut branch of our foreign trade. We cannot doubt (saysthe ■* Chronicle") that the facts of the return have been before the government for some time. Having the best opportunities of information, ministers would have been most culpable if they neglected to enqnire into the state of the Amencau trade. We must presume, therefore, that during tbe session they have known perfectly well bow matters stood, and now that the state of the case is laid open to the public, it will be for tbem to judge of the conduct of ministers, in suffering a session to be worse than wasted, without a single effort to cheek the progress of commercial decay. The first great fact which appears in ine return is, that the total amount of exports of British pro* duce to the United States, in 1842, was less than half ihe amount of the year immediately The figures give no reason to suppose that this was the result of excessive speculation or overtrading in the year 1841. The following shows the total exports of British produce to the United States in five successive years ; 1838 £7,585,760 1839 8,839.804 1840 5.283,020 1841 7.098,642 1842 3,528,807 Even in the calamitous year 1837 the exports to the United States exceeded in value by more than a million those of the year 1842. The details of thise*nornious decrease of trade explain too clearly the universality of the depreesion under which British industry is s'ill suffering. Every branch of our commerce with the United States has declined, and tbe falling off has been the greatest in those of most importance. We give the particulars for five y ears of the chief articles of British manufacture. The exports of cotton manufactures, including cotton yam, were as follows: 1838 £1,476,267 1839 1,467,082 1840 1,123.439 1841 1,515,933 1842 •••*•• 487,276 Thus the exports of 1842 we e little more than one- fourth of the value of those of 1841. The ex* ports of other articles stand thus:— Hardwares and Cutlery. 1838 * .£661,704 1839 849,640 1840 334,065 1841 ~ 584.400 1842 p.. 298,881 Iron and Steel, Wrought and Untarought, 1838 • £634,395 1839 801,198 1840 355,534 1841 626,532. 1842 394,854 Linen Manufactures, including Linen Yarns% 1838 £944,589 1839 1,268,823 1840 976,247 1841 1,232,247 1842 453,645 Silk Manufactures. 1838 £432,506 5839 410,095 1840 27i,159 1841 306757 1842 81.243 Woolen Manufactures, including Woolen Yarn* 1838 £1,887,177 1839 2,178,645 1840 1,077,828 1841 1,549,926 , 1842 892,335 Such (says our contemporary) are tbe facts which Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Gladstone have had before them, during the session in which not one effort hat been made to save tbe commerce of tbe country from ruin.— Times.