BRITISH TRADE TO BRITISH COLONIES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1747, 25 September 1879, Page 3

BRITISH TRADE TO BRITISH COLONIES.

("Economist.") The amount of the business done and the course of trade between this, country and its colonial possessions oiEers. many subjects for interesting study. A Barliamontary _ return supplies the means for carrying these investigations ongto a recant date. One of the tables contained in this return gives the population of each British colony as far as it is known j another of tham gives the value of the. imports (including bullion and specie) into these colonics from the United Kingdom, separated fsom the total imports. By com. bining tho information contained _ in these tables wo are able to see the proportion of the value of the imports from the United Kingdom to the total imports of each colosy, and further, the value of tho imports from the United Kingdom per head to the papulation of each colony. This calculation exhibits some interesting results. It shows that tha imparts from the United Kingdom to British India were, in 1877, three-quarters of the whole imports into that country, that the

4s per head of the population. It shows that the same class of imports forseed nearly-half the total imports into the Australian colonies, but that they were to the extent o2"fully £9 per head of the population there ; while- in the case of the oolonies in North America—the Dominion of Canada and Newfoundland—they were rather more than a third of the total imports, but still only worth about £2 per head of the population ■of those colonies. Broadly, the result appears to come to this, that the colonies in which the population is mainly derived by birth or by descent from this country and from Europe, take a larger proportion of British goods than those colonies in which an indigenous or a colored population prevails. That this should be the Case- is probable enough. The British imm'grant into New Zealand or South Australia is not only a far more vigorous being than the average inhabitant of Jamaica or Tobago, but he lives in a climate where British goods will be of more service to him ; and besides he preserves a preference for the articles made in the country which he still calls home. Still, making every allowance for that influence, it is a ve/y curious fact that the average inhabitant of the Australian group of colonies consumes about £9 a year of British produce, while the corresponding dweller in the Canadian group takes very little more than ; £2—roughly speaking, only one quarter of the other. Much must be put down to the oxportations of gold from the Australian group; something also to the comparatively recent occupation of the territory, which may not have allowed time for some manufactures to develop themselves fully, though they have commenced a vigorous existence. Something, perhaps, to greater wealth, to a climate in some respects more productive, and allowing more margin for the import of luxuries, the main energy of the inhabitants not being directed to a mere struggle for life; something also to differences in the tariffs. But even after making every allowance for these influences, the recorded results are remarkable. The greater distance from Great Britain to the antipodes, when compared with the short passage to Northern may just be mentioned as an influence which weighs in the opposite scale to those just mentioned. But mere proximity to Great Britain is, as has been shown, not sufficient to produce a considerable export of itself. As far as proximity is concerned, we have to meet, in trading with our North American colonies, a rival not only nearer in distance, but one understanding the circumstances of the business better, and further, more willing and able to adjust what it supplies to the wants of the case.

A recent report from the secretaries of Embassy and Legation contains a valuable review by Mr Drummond of the foreign commerce of the United States. This report, though it commemorates the adulterations which, in too many instances, American manufacturers have introduced into their goods, states again, with great clearness, what everyone conversant with the industries of the United States knows, the extreme pains American manufacturers take to adjust their wares to the immediate wants of those who use them. Scarcity and dearness of labor has led to the introduction of labor-saving machinery, which has, among other advantages over hand-labor, this one that a machine-made article may bo relied on to be exactly true to the pattern. Little points, as they seem, in lightness and finish, have a great influence on the purchaser. Even in cutlery, it would appear that the American manufacturer is not only getting the trade in America into his own hand, but exporting to other countries. The building of tramway cars, a meat rocont manufacture, seems also one in which America can .well compete with us. The similarity of requirement in the two countries—the United -States and British North America gives. American manufacturers in some respects the advantage over us. What people actually use they are the better able ito improve and to carry to perfection.,, Bnt these circumstances should be to our manufacturers but the greater incentives to exertion. It is not by reposing on what we have done that we can make progress; it is only by adapting our goods to the wants of those who will not otherwise remain our customers. Though the contrast between the exports to Australia and North America is striking, it is slight indeed when compared with the value per head of the exports to British India. Here there is probably, less possibility of an increase, but even here attention to the wants of the Native, and supplying a dependable article, will do more for British trade than anything whioh can be proposed. As the prosperity of that country increases, our exports, if we take the pains to send what is really wanted, will surely enlarge also.