Commerce and Industry.

1. Imports and Exports.

The declared value of the imports and exports of merchandise of the United Kingdom was as follows during the ten years from 1874 to 1883:

:

The total value of imports of merchandise in 1884 was 389,774,5491.; of exports of home produce, 232,927,5751.; foreign and colonial produce, 62,443,7157.

The following table exhibits the average share, per head of population of the United Kingdom, in the imports, the exports of British produce and the total, during the ten years 1874 to 1883 :

The following table gives the total value of the imports of foreign and colonial merchandise, and of the exports of British produce and manufactures from and to foreign countries and British possessions in the year 1883, in the order of the aggregate value of their commerce with the United Kingdom :---

The following table shows the value of the imports and exports of gold and silver bullion and specie in the ten years 1874 to 1883:-

In the year 1873, the total imports of grain of all kinds and of flour amounted to 94,401,347 cwts.; to 134,172,530 cwts. in 1880; to 129,668,996 cwts. in 1882, and to 150,763,140 cwts. in 1883. In 1868, the imports of bacon and hams amounted to 638,127 cwts. ;

in 1872, to 2,001,855 cwts.; in 1880, to 5,334,648 cwts.; to 2,904,400 in 1882, and to 3,695,992 in 1883. Of eggs the number imported was 531,591,729 in 1872, 813,922,400 in 1882, and 940,436,100 in 1883; of fish, 671,192 cwts. in 1872, 1,239,217 in 1882, and 1,295,754 in 1883; and of refined sugar, 1,729,302 cwts. in 1872, 2,766,123 in 1882, and 3,283,920 in 1883. The import of raw sugar has increased to a still greater extent; in 1872 it was 13,776,696 cwts., 16,620,944 in 1877, 19,839,225 in 1882, and 20,366,627 in 1883. The import of butter and butterine has increased from 1,334,783 cwts. in 1877 to 2,334,473 in 1883. The import of beef has rapidly increased in recent years; in 1872 it was 228,912 cwts.; in 1877, 678,505 cwts.; in 1881, 1,068,599 cwts.; in 1882, 692,383 cwts., and in 1883, 1,094,008 cwts.; while preserved (not salted) meat has increased from 20,118 cwts. in 1868 to 610,000 cwts. in 1883. The number of sheep and lambs imported in 1868 was 341,155; in 1872, 809,822; and 1,116,115 in 1883. Of cattle in 1872 the number was 172,993, and in 1883, 474,750.

The subjoined tables exhibit the value of the great articles of British commerce, imported and exported in each of the years, 1881, 1882, and 1883:

The following table shows the quantity of the principal food imports retained for home consumption per head of population in 1869 and 1883 ::

9,960,210 11,932,247 13,433,081 8,785,950

9,564,616 10,645,919

4,838,664

4,761,271

4,408,454

161,023

234,948

213,616

846,674

972,387

817,499

2,362,913

2,390,653

2,501,590

1,302,172

1,319,636

1,326,787

9,511,446 9,678,895 9,267,946

Subjoined is a statement of the customs receipts for the two years ended 31st March, 1883 and 1884, showing the increase or decrease of the gross produce in the year 1884, as compared with 1883:

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