BRITAIN'S DECLINING TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 11

BRITAIN'S DECLINING TRADE.

■LOSS 05 58 MILLIONS IN SEVEN MONTHS. The foreign trade of tho United Kingdom in July showed a falling off of £12,181,3'15l as compared with July, 1907, and for tlio first seven months of the year there was a decline of £58,563,338 as compared with the same period last year. The Board of Trade returns give the following figures for July and for the first seven months of the year:— Dec. on 1907. July imports ... £46,773,035 £5,434,739 July exports ... £33,705,725 £6,746,606 Seven Months, January to July. Dec. on 1907. Imports £345,058,913 £35,492,653 Exports £223,699,120 £23,070,680 Of tho total decrease in imports for July, a falling off in the value of grain and flour imported is responsible for £2,017,356. Meat imports declined £373,291. In raw materials every class but one, materials for papermaking,. shows a decline. In manufactured articles only two classes, leather (excluding boots and shoes) and paper, bliow increases. The total decrease of exports in July is caused almost entirely by a declino of £6,106,466 in manufactured goods. The following are the amounts of the decreases in tho principal classcs of manufactured exports:— Iron and steel £1,170,629 Other metals 232,036 I Machinery 328,135 Cottons 2,382,340 Woollens 770,270 Other textiles 529,666 Cutlery 127,701 Apparel 166,519 Only two classes of manufactured exports showed increases, electrical goods and paper, which'were respectively £52,528 and £8458 above the figures of July, 1907.