WAR TRADE BOOM IN MAY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2837, 31 July 1916, Page 4

WAR TRADE BOOM IN MAY

BRITISH EXPORTS BETTER THA^ •IN 19U. ' The Board of Trade returns for May the 22nd month of the war, disclose the remarkable fact that the exports of British produce in the month were actually better than the exports in the pre-war May of 1914 by no" less than ,£4,973,000. Imports andiexports, with increases on 1915, were as follows last month:— May, 1916. Increase. £ £ ■ Imports 83,811,530 12,213,636 British exports ... ■17,024,411 33,405,419 Re-exports 11,000,577 3,292,810 Total overseas ...• 141,539,5i8 28,911,865 For the five months ended May, 3916, the exports of British produce showed an increase of '.£41,144,000 compared with the corresponding period of 1915, and a decrease of .£21,051,000 compnrcd with the five pre-war months of 1914. Of the increase of British exports in May, manufactured articles accounted for no less than .£11,450,000. There was aii advance under every heading but one, namely, new ships, which declined by The principal increases wore as follow:— • , Increase. Manufactures. £ Iron and steel 3,009,000 Other metals 701,000 Cutlery, hardware, etc 133,000 Electrical goods ...'. 147^600 Machinery ' 90,000 Cotton •• 3,112;0C0 Wool 1,677,000 Apparel ....> 312,000 Chemicals 159,335 Paper 282,000 Of imports, grain and flour increased by .£3,067,000, and meat by .£2,545,000.' Imports of raw cotton decreased bv .£2.256,000. Goods imported include all articles of food, but not other goods the property of the British Government or the GovernmentsUif the Allies. Articles exported include goods bought in the United Kingdom by the Allied Governments, but not goods Iwught by tha British Government and shipped on Governments vessels.