HC Deb 28 April 1915 vol 71 cc730-1W
Mr. FELL

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now supply any further details of the German exports to the United States in January last or in any recent months; the cause of the increase of these exports; the nature of them; and if they were shipped from German ports or through neutral countries?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

submitted the following statement, showing the value of the Imports into the United States from (a) Germany, and (b) the United Kingdom for the periods August, 1913—February, 1914, and August, 1914—February, 1915, respectively:—

Month. Value of Imports from Germany. Value of Imports from United Kingdom.
1913. 1914. 1913. 1914.
Thousand Dollars. Thousand Dollars. Thousand Dollars. Thousand Dollars.
August 15,626 9,400 20,719 17,872
September 18,810 2,732 25,388 32,146
October 14,816 6,168 20,244 25,058
November 14,257 11,921 21,611 20,647
December 18,272 8,681 28,597 14,833
1914. 1915. 1914. 1915.
January 16,256 12,951 24,116 14,862
February 14,408 6,813 24,508 17,738
Total (seven months) 112,445 58,666 165,183 143,156
(£23,426,000) (£12,222,000) (£34,413,000) (£29,824,000)
Decrease £11,204,000–48 per cent. £4,589,000–13 per cent.

The increase in Imports from Germany in January, 1915, over preceding months, was due mainly to large imports of dye-stuffs and fine chemicals imported chiefly through Rotterdam.

Complete statistics for the whole of the United States for the month of March are not yet available, but the following statement shows the value of the imports at New York from Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively, during that month and March, 1914:—

Imports from Germany. Imports from United Kingdom.
1914. 1915. 1914. 1915.
£ £ £ £
March 2,292,000 1,270,000 2,774,000 2,714,000

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