Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/121

 COMMERCE

69

IV. Textil* Industry.

(The following information is furnished l>y Mr. Thomas R. Ellison ©f Liverpool).

The progress made by each branch of the textile industry since 1829 is shown in the subjoined statement of the weight of raw material use«l and the value of yarns and goods exported : —

Annual Average : Periods of Three Tears

Weight consumed in Millions of lbs.

Value of Products exported (in Thousands of *"s)

Cotton i Woollen Linen Total

1829-1831

84S ">

149

1859-1861

1,023

260

1,618

564

■U

G23

i'i

1914-1910

1.864

81 C

1917-1919

1.CSI

835

l,56o

80S

194 112

220 190

586

1.49

18.077 ;

40,,-,.-,..

4,967 16,041

2,138 6,119

•5.1S2 T9.0W

lotjn

The home production of wool in 1920 is estimated at 108 million lbs. ; and that of flax at 27 million lbs. Exports in 1920 were : piece goods, cotton, 4,492 million yards ; woollen, 280 million yards ; linen, 93 million yards. Yarn : cotton, 148 million lbs. ; woollen, 31 million lbs. ; and linen, 7 million lbs.

Commerce.

The principal imports on which customs duties are levied are beer, chicory, cocoa, coffee, dried fruits, matches, motor spirit, spirits, sugar, tea. tobacco, and wine — spirits, sugar, tea, tobacco, and wine yielding the bulk of the entire levies. In 1919 the imports free of duty (exclusive of bullion and specie and diamonds) amounted to 1,331,634,807/., 84 - 9 per cent., and those subject to duty to 244,521,405/., 15'1 per cent, of the total imports.

Value of the imports and exports of merchandise (excluding bullion and specie and foreign merchandise transhipped under bond) of the United Kingdom : —

1913

1914 >

1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920 2

Total Imports

768,734,739

696,635,113

851,893,350

948,506,492

1,064,164,678

1,316,150,903

1,626,156.212

1,936,742.120

Exports of British Produce

525,253,595 430,721,357 384,868,448 506,279,707 527,079,746 501,418,997 798,638,362 1,335,569,027

Exports of

Foreign and

Colonial Produce

109,566.731 95,474,166 99,062,181 97,566,178 69,677,461 30,945,081 164,746,315 222,405,957

Total Exports

634,820,326 526,195,523 483,930,629 603,845,885 596.757,207 532 364,073 963,3- 1,557,974.984

1 Prom the outbreak of War in August. 1014. until the second half of 1917, certain goods belonging to the British and Allied Governments were excluded from the returns of imports and exports. From July. 1917, merchandise imported and exported in public ownership is included, except exports tor the use of H.M. forces on active service. In the six months July to December, 1917, such imports (included in the above table) amounted to about 107,000,000/., and British exports to P.oOO^OO'. In 191S such imports amounted to about 250,000,0001, British exports to IS, 500, 000/., and re-exports to about 3.000,

2 Provisional figures.

The value of goods imported into the United Kingdom is generally taken to be that at the port and time of entry, including all incidental expenses (cost, insurance, and freight) up to the landing on the quay. For goods consigned for sale, the market value