Page:The empire and the century.djvu/117

 includes in the first group the following ten countries: Russia, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and the United States. The second group includes all other foreign countries—called with more or less accuracy the neutral markets. The third group includes British Colonies and possessions only. As the basis of further analysis let us now take the following table, constructed from the 'Statistical Abstracts' and the 'Annual Statements.'

This table shows much, but by no means enough. It proves, indeed, that the increase in Imperial trade is greater than the increase with all foreign markets put together. It suggests that the growth of British exports to the principal protected countries has been insignificant, even when we take these exports as a whole, and do not inquire into their character. But in the period of twenty-five years covered by the table our coal exports to these markets have increased, as a matter of fact, by 200 per cent., while our manufacturing