Page:The empire and the century.djvu/87

 South Africa sends 80 per cent, of her exports home, and takes more than 60 per cent, of her imports from home; 70 per cent, of her total trade, therefore, comes to Great Britain.

India and the Straits Settlements send 25 per cent, of their exports home, and receive about 50 per cent of their imports from home.

The Miscellaneous Colonies do about half their total external trade with the Mother Country.

Taking all the Colonies and possessions together, rather less than half of their total external trade falls directly to the share of Great Britain.

But the Mother Country's share is far from exhausting Imperial trade, for the various States and groups of the Empire carry on a great and increasing trade with each other, and this trade is bringing about an interdependence between different parts of the Empire, which is full of promise and hope for the future. In 1894 intercolonial trade only amounted to 15 per cent, of the total imports and exports of the Colonies and possessions; ten years later, in 1908, it had risen to 20 per cent. Instead of the Mother Country supplying the whole Empire with produce and manufactured goods, one part of the Empire is now directly supplying another. Colony after Colony, with the increase of its population and the development of its resources, is entering into the great industrial competition for the world's trade.

Canada exports largely to Newfoundland, to Australia, to South Africa, to the West Indies, and to British Guiana, and receives imports from British India, Newfoundland, the West Indies, and British Guiana.

Australia and New Zealand every year send more food-stuffs and raw materials to India, Ceylon, South Africa, and Fiji, and receive imports from India, Ceylon, and Hong Kong.

British India exports to the Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Australia, South Africa, Canada, East Africa, Aden, and takes imports from most of them in return.