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<ni-ms
r>'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