BEEF IMPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1902, 10 November 1913, Page 10

BEEF IMPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

EXPANDING TRADE. It is rather extraordinary that the United- States, which -only a few years ago was'supposed to be able to supply the world with meat, should be an importer of fresh beef, but that is now one of the recognised items in Wic'American import, trade. In the last tlirco months, tho Department of Commerce reports, over two million pounds were imported from Australia, Argentina, and Canada, and on that basis the Department estimates that the imports for the present fiscal year will exceed eight million pounds, Prior to 1912 the imports of fresh, beef were about 300.M0 pounds a year, in 1912 they were a little over a million pounds, in the fiscal year 1933 they jumped to four million pounds, and this, year they promise to be doubled. The beef is being shipped fo San Francisco, Seattle,~.and New York, the entering the Western ports coming from Australia and Canada, and that to New York from England, but this is understood to be Argentine beef sclit from Argentina to England o.nd transhipped to the United States. In tho three months over a million pounds of Australian meat were received, and an almost similar amount, canie from England, which the ■ Department of Commerce believes is from Argentina. Eoth Australia and Argentina are to put on refrigerator ships to 'briiJ# meats to the United States, and it is evident that the United States has now ceased to bo an exporter of meat, and in tho future must look to other countries to supply its needs. ,

The import and eSpott statistics of the United States- for the month of July and the seven months of 1913 ending with July, made public recently, slm' a continued growth of American foreign commerce, The total trade far the seven months was valued ;it <0469.223,923, an increase of nearly >£33.000,000 as compared with last year. Imports were valued at .£203,774,295. and exports'at £265.451,627, a nominal balance of trade of over J;r>o,OfW,ooo.

As usual, the United Kingdom is the best customer of the United States, American exports to Great Britain heing plac-* rd at £i3,i00,09f>, and'imports from Great Britain at / ,£31,100,000. Canada comes nest with purchases from the TTui'ed .States amounting 1o JM9,500.009, and sales of mSOUItiO. Germany follows with expotts to that country estimated at .Cli.V 220,000, and imports at .-£20,150,000. In the niist the chief exports of the United States were foodstuffs: no"" they nro manufactured or partly manufactured goods. Daring the nrownt fiscal year the manufactured esnorts ivero valuer] at. in round figures', J692,0W.C00. partly manufnotnrcd gom]*; .-£!■?,000,000. and foodstuff? at „C37,'000,000-