GROWING EXPORTS IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2777, 22 May 1916, Page 8

GROWING EXPORTS IN BRITAIN

MARCH THIS BEST MONTH SINCE Tills OUTBREAK. The outstanding feature of (lie Board of Trade Returns for March is tile fact that the exports of British produce l'or that month were the highest since the tommwiccmenl' of Hie war. Compared ivith March, I!HS, the overseas trade for March was as follows-.— March, 191fi. Increase. £ £ Imports 86,092,5 M J0,630,815 British exports ... 37,588,1111 7,422,053 'He-exports 8,811,197 7-14,31i4 Total overseas... 132,502,510 15,797,2G2 The previous best month for British exports since the war broke out Was January last (.£31i,757,107). Compared with the pre-war March, our imports this year nro up by ,C1!),1-15,579, while British" exports'are down l\v. only .£6,920,515, reexports by no more than «E74J,798. Of' tho increase in imports,, food and drink accounted for .£'4,975,000' and raw material' tor .£2,374,000,' cotton accounting For no less than oil a quantity 'decreased.by 750,000 centals cf 1001b. In' British exports the increase was altogether in manufactured goods, all'the main items showing an advance. Under tho following headings the vnkio of tho expovls and increases compared with March, 1915, were:— March, IMB. Inc., 191 G. Exports. .C £ Iron and steel ! 4,595,127 1,709,052 . Other metals 907,002 85,914 Cotton 8,499,522 2,070,387 Wool 3,489,259 980,805 Apparel 1,427,240 350,124: Chemicals, etc 2,010,398 45.763 ' It should lie pointed.out that imports include all articles of. food, but do not include other goods, which . all the time of importation were the property ot the' British Government " and tho Allies. Goods exported include goods bought in the United Kingdom by or jn behalf of tine Governments of the Allies, but not goods taken from British Govcrnm'ent stores or goods bought' by the . Government and shipped on Government vessels. it is interesting to note how tho balance of trade—that .is, the relation of imports and exports—has fluctuated since tho opening of the year:— Excess of Imports. Exports. Imports. ■1910. £. £ £ Jan. ... 74,948,241 45,587,339 29,300,902 -Fob. ...07,348,213 41,805,578 ' 22,482, 1!65 Mai-ell.. 86,092,894 «i,409,616: 40,183,*278 The re-exports, included in the 'total figures have bee a steady at neiuiy per month during iho March ciuaitor.