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UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
603

The table[1] on p. 602 shows the subsequent movement in value of imports from other countries to the United Kingdom, and of exports to other countries from the United Kingdom, at quinquennial intervals; bullion and specie being excluded.


As regards fluctuations not revealed by the above figures, it may be mentioned that the highest total figures for any one year during the period covered are those for 1907, viz. imports £645,897,942; exports £517,977,167. As to minima within the period, the lowest totals for British possessions were: imports £91,851,534 in 1893, and exports, the figure quoted for 1895; for foreign countries, imports £312,836,644 in 1893, and exports £195,133,239 in 1894; grand totals, imports £404,683,178 in 1893, and exports £273,785,867 in 1894. It may be added that the maximal import figures for France within the period are those of 190653,871,661), for Germany those of 1909, and for the United States those of 1901141,015,465). For exports to the United States the figures for 1909 were highest, to France those of 190733,507,544) and to Germany those of 190756,729,988).

The following table presents the value of the chief groups and articles of importation into the United Kingdom:—

  1895. 1900. 1905. 1909.
  £ £ £ £
 Grain and flour..... 53,077,981 62,992,082 70,057,290 83,107,421
 Meat........ 33,334,171 46,782,579 49,431,748 47,623,428
 Other principal articles of food and drink—        
 Butter....... 14,235,230 17,450,435 21,586,622 22,424,962
 Sugar....... 17,684,413 19,256,439 19,471,811 21,691,894
 Tea ........ 10,242,999 10,686,910 9,302,713 11,617,031
 Wine........ 5,448,088 5,192,909 4,072,199 3,746,489
 Coffee....... 3,778,365 2,544,726 2,578,327 2,675,516
 Fish (preserved)..... 2,289,260 2,895,330 2,493,876 2,509,573
 Cocoa and chocolate.... 1,610,483 2,398,248 2,227,141 903,464
 Principal fruits—        
 Apples ....... 966,273 1,224,657 2,665,193 2,667,911
 Oranges...... 1,925,415 2,120,790 1,949,496 2,522,491
 Bananas...... 548,956 1,776,256 1,752,166
 Tobacco....... 3,253,916 4,799,417 3,721,920 4,986,663
 Raw materials—        
Cotton....... 30,522,016 41,117,308 52,370,878 60,295,049
 Wool........ 23,494,249 24,073,917 26,643,737 35,041,766
 Oils, &c. ....... 18,497,573 23,564,644 23,600,927 31,039,883
 Wood and timber.... 16,372,181 27,875,913 23,274,020 23,591,579
 Textile materials excluding cotton and wool . 11,378,608 11,553,114 14,511,978 12,127,707
 Caoutchouc ...... 3,760,178 6,986,133 9,643,153 14,138,204
 Hides and skins..... 7,360,070 8,465,660 8,084,793 11,617,756
 Metallic ores excluding iron.. 4,575,929 5,575,272 7,610,990 8,327,193
 Iron ore. &c...... 3,027,196 5,750,947 5,525,575 5,076,131
 Manufactured articles—        
 Yarns and textile fabrics... 39,688,418 29,651,658
 Metal, excluding iron and steel... 11,196,315 21,844,683 21,840,696 24,346,328
 Leather....... 11,035,870 11,823,132 11,037,983 11,617,130
 Chemicals...... 8,714,360 8,628,279 9,624,638 10,596,593
 Iron and steel (not machinery) 7,314,696 8,589,405 7,971,594
 Paper....... 2,845,730 4,412,440 5,256,065 5,647,437
 Machinery...... 3,475,887 4,537,871 4,433,326

Certain omissions are necessary in this table owing to alterations in classification of the returns.


The value of the chief articles and groups of export of home produce are similarly shown:—

  1895. 1900. 1905. 1909.
  £ £ £ £
 Cotton yarn and manufactures 63,746,463 69,750,279 92,010,985 93,444,799
 Iron and steel and manufactures 19,428,383[2] 31,623,353[2] 31,826,438 38,192,142
 Woollen yarn and manufactures 29,094,568 24,259,766 29,916,807 30,917,807
 Coal........ 14,600,326 36,409,614 24,859,129 37,129,978
 Machinery...... 15,150,522 19,619,784 23,260,326 28,057,643
 Chemicals...... 11,463,304 13,154,344 14,536,857 16,783,019
 Textiles (not cotton or wool) . 11,986,718 12,191,069 13,204,899 12,441,525
 Metal manufactures (not iron) 5,048,588 6,473,197 8,920,533 8,708,945
 Clothing....... 5,615,594 6,499,086 6,021,242 9,824,125
 Leather and leather goods. 3,833,980 3,875,683 5,660,494 4,242,356
 Ships....... 8,587,710 5,431,298 5,927,114


The proportion of imports and exports per head of population of the United Kingdom was:—

Year.  Total Imports.   Exports of British 
Produce.
  £ s. d. £  s. d.
1890 11 4 6 7 0 7
1895 10 12 6 5 15 4
1900 12 14 3 7 1 6
1905 13 1 5 7 12 7
1906 13 18 5 8 12 0
1907 14 12 6 9 13 3
1908 13 6 3 8 9 4
1909 13 17 7 8 8 1


The tables on p. 604 show the value of unregistered imports of gold and silver bullion and specie from British possessions and from foreign countries into the United Kingdom, specifying the most important countries individually.


Shipping.—The table at foot of p. 604 shows the tonnage of vessels entered from and cleared to British possessions and foreign countries at the principal ports of the United Kingdom.


For the purpose of showing the relative importance of British and Irish ports falling below the list, the following figures may be quoted for 1909 only: Methil, entered 824,375 tons, cleared 1,105,048 tons; Harwich, entered 792,980, cleared 776,595; Grangemouth, entered 988,007, cleared 1,064,217; Burntisland, entered 609,722, cleared 815,507; Bristol, entered 858,933, cleared 6151,266; Goole, entered 815,177, cleared 817,226; Hartlepool, entered 934,836, cleared 730,141; Newhaven, entered 385,313, cleared 376,083; Folkestone, entered 364,524, cleared 359,697; Belfast, entered 490,513, cleared 165,670; Borrowstounness (Bo'ness), entered 301,549, cleared 292,194; Dublin, entered 219,081, cleared 80,868; Cork, entered 146,724, cleared 7413; Maryport and Workington, entered 118,388, cleared 67,494. The figures for Plymouth have included vessels which call “off” the port to embark passengers, &c., by tender only since 1907; for 1909 they were: entered, 1,455,605; cleared, 1,292,244.

The table at the commencement of page 605 shows the total tonnage of vessels entered from and cleared to British possessions and foreign countries at ports in the United Kingdom, and also the nationality of vessels under British and the principal foreign flags.

Out of the following totals steam vessels had an aggregate tonnage of 30,604,578 entered and 31,080,481 cleared in 1890, and 64,327,508 entered and 64,968,655 cleared in 1909. The total tonnage of vessels entered and cleared coastwise was as follows: (1890), 47,738,612 entered, 42,317,876, cleared; (1895), 54,304,703 entered, 47,263,791 cleared; (1900), 55,828,569 entered, 54,425,666 cleared; (1905), 60,066,919 entered, 58,670,971 cleared; (1909), 60,566,043 entered, 60,060,979 cleared.


  1. Adapted from the Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom where it is specified that the value of new ships and boats, with their machinery, was not included in exports before 1899.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Owing to an alteration in classification these figures are not strictly comparable with those for 1905.