CHAPTER I

THE TRADE AND COMMERCE OF THE

UNITED KINGDOM

The word "commerce is generally used to denote trade with foreign countries or with the Colonies, buying and selling at home being usually designated trade. For all practical purposes,

however, the words trade and commerce may be considered to be synonymous. As a matter of fact, the term "commerce " is rarely heard in business affairs. It is true that we speak of "commercial matters" and "Chambers of Commerce" (the latter term being no doubt derived from the Chambres de Commerce which existed in France long before similar bodies were established in this country), but otherwise the term is rarely if ever used, the words trade and business sufficing to define our dealings both with our customers at home and with those abroad.

There are three great divisions of our trade, viz., (1) The Home Trade, (2) The Foreign Trade, and (3) The Carrying or Shipping Trade.

Home Trade refers to the buying and selling of goods and commodities for delivery within the borders of the United Kingdom.

Foreign Trade means trade with foreign countries, and comprises our imports from and exports to the Continent, the East, the United States, South America, &c., and our Colonies and Dependencies. This is sub-divided into

Import Trade, referring to merchandise brought into this country from abroad; and

Export Trade, referring to the merchandise which we send abroad, either in execution of orders or for sale on commission.

The Carrying or Shipping Trade, as applied to imports and exports, refers to the transportation of merchandise by sea. The Transit (or Transhipment) Trade, which is not included in our Foreign Trade, falls under this head.

C

The Import and Export Trades are sub-divided into specific trades, for example:

The Australasian Trade, meaning trade with Australia, New
Zealand, &c. Trade with other Colonies (e.g., Canada, the
Cape, &c.) is referred to by the specific name of the Colony
concerned.

The Continental Trade, meaning trade with Continental countries
generally.

The Eastern Trade, meaning trade with India, China, Japan, and the
East generally.

The North American Trade, meaning trade with Canada and the
United States. (This is divided into the Canadian Trade,
meaning trade with Canada, and the States Trade, meaning
trade with the United States.)

The Central American Trade, meaning trade with Mexico and the
Central American countries generally.

The West India Trade, meaning trade with Jamaica, Cuba, and the
West India Islands generally.

The South American Trade, meaning trade with Brazil, Chili, Peru, &c.
The Levant Trade, meaning trade with Syria and Asia Minor generally.
The South African Trade, meaning trade with the Cape, the
Transvaal, &c.

The Baltic Trade; the Black Sea Trade, and so on.

Each of the above classes is again sub-divided in accordance with the particular countries concerned.

There are also several other branches of trade, for example:

The Tea Trade.

The Wool Trade.

The Cotton Trade. IMPORT TRADE AND HOME TRADE.

The Corn Trade.

The Fruit Trade.

The Cotton (textile) Trade.

The Worsted Trade.

The Woollen Trade.

EXPORT TRADE AND HOME TRADE.

The Iron Trade.

The Coal Trade.

The Foreign Trade of the United Kingdom.-We have already mentioned that the United Kingdom ranks first among the commercial countries of the world, but those who have not gone into the matter will be surprised at the magnitude of the trade of these islands. During the year 1897 the value of the imports into the United Kingdom was no less than £451,000,000, whilst the exports amounted to £294,000,000. The imports and exports together amounted to the enormous sum of £745,000,000.

The Foreign Trade of the Principal Nations. The following table shows, according to the latest available returns, the foreign trade of the principal nations, in millions of pounds. sterling :

Exports from the United Kingdom.-A large proportion of the articles which we manufacture are exported to countries abroad. The total value of our exports during the year 1897 was, as already stated, £294,000,000. Of this, however, £60,000,000 consisted of articles which we had previously imported, such as wool, cotton, coffee, tea, and manufactured articles. How the remaining £234,000,000 of home productions which we exported was made up is shown in the following table :—

EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM.

VALUES OF EXPORTS OF BRITISH AND FOREIGN PRODUCE AND MANUFACTURES.

Imports into the United Kingdom.-As Great Britain does not produce sufficient food to support her population she has to import large quantities of all kinds of food-stuffs, in addition to manufactured articles and raw materials. The Imports for the year 1897, as compared with the previous year, were as

follows:

1,669,669

2,057,186

239,922,209 234,350,003

56,466,465 59,833,677

296,388,674 294,183,680

IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM.

TOTAL VALUE OF IMPORTS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES & BRITISH POSSESSIONS.

PRINCIPAL ARTICLES IMPORTED AND EXPORTED. The following table shows the value of the principal articles imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in the year 1897, and the totals of each class:——