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204 still led France, though by a narrow margin only. Germany and France together then had a trade 40 per cent greater than the British. Relatively Great Britain was losing even in comparison with her European competitors. At the opening of the next 10-year period French and German trade had again gained; it was 60 per cent greater than that of Great Britain. Meanwhile Germany had passed France in 1901, not again to be overtaken, and a close contest for second place in Mexican imports was occurring between her and the former leader. In four years in the decade following 1902-3 German trade was greater than British and in many lines was offering sharp competition to that of the United States.

The rise of German trade was the most striking feature of Mexican imports from European countries. In 1872-3 the total credited to the German states was only 3,890,496 gold pesos. Twenty years later it had fallen to 3,322,700. Then began a steady rise. In the decade ending 1902-3 it almost tripled and in 1902-3 to 1912-13 increased another 30 per cent. Had peace continued it does not seem unlikely that Germany might have established herself in firm control of second place in Mexican imports.

First place, meanwhile, had definitely fallen to the United States. Before the railway era in 1872-3 one-fourth of the imports came from the United States, in spite of the lack of rail routes between the two countries. Twenty years later over 60 per cent did so. In 1902-3 54 per cent of the imports came from the United States; in 1907 almost 63 per cent; and in 1912-13, 51 per cent.