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The foregoing shows a net total balance of trade against the Dominion since the confederation of $324,254,967,an average per year of $23,161,000. The commerce by countries, according to the official returns, was as follows during the last two years:

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The total trade of the Dominion by provinces was as follows during the year 1881:

Imports entered for consumption.

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According to the foregoing returns, it will be seen that the increase in the consumption of British and American produce and manufactures in the Dominion during the year 1881 was comparatively nearly equal, viz, from $34,461,000 to $43,584,000 in the former, and from $29,347,000 to $36,704,000 in the latter, during the years 1880 and 1881; an increase in the consumption of British goods of $9,123,000, and in the latter of $7,357,000. If we take the further fact into account that foreign goods were exported from the Dominion to Great Britain, where they are credited as imports from Canada, to the value of over $11,000,000, and that nearly all these goods were American, it is apparent that the imports into the Dominion from the United States were greater by at least $5,000,000 than the imports from Great Britain.

The exports of Canadian goods to Great Britain during the year 1881 amounted to $42,637,000, and to the United States to about $35,000,000. It is therefore apparent that in the gross trade of the Dominion with Great Britain and with the United States, that is, in a trade of $171,906,000, there is not a difference of $3,000,000.

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In regard to the effects of the tariff upon British and American trade, it appears that of the imports from Great Britain during the year 1881

the dutiable goods amounted to $35,860,000, and the free goods to $7,724,000, while of the imports from the United States during the same year the dutiable goods amounted to $25,632,000, and the free goods to over $11,000,000. The total duties collected on British imports amounted to $8,773,000, and on American imports to $5,649,000. It is thus apparent that the tariff falls much heavier proportionally upon British than upon American imports.

The following statement shows the nature of the exports from the Dominion during the year 1881:

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An analysis of the foregoing exports gives the following results: Fisheries. Of the total exports of the products of the fisheries nearly one-half was made up of dry salted codfish.

The forest. Out of a total export valued at $24,960,000, deals, planks, boards, joists, and oak and white pine timber amounted to $20,600,000.

Animals and their produce.~Of these total exports horses amounted to $2,094,000, horned cattle to $3,465,000, cheese to $5,510,000, eggs to $1,104,000, furs to $1,983,000, meats, principally, to $1,110,000, and wool to $410,000, or $15,676,000 of the whole.

Agricultural products. Of the total exports hereof, the produce of Canada, barley amounted to $6,260,000, pease to $3,478,000, wheat to $2,594,000, flour to $2,173,000, hay to $1,813,000, potatoes to $830,000, malt to $650,000, and green fruits to $645,000. Of the total foreign agricultural products exported wheat amounted to $7,043,000 and Indian corn to $2,615,000.

Manufactures.-Of the total exports of Canadian manufactures, extract of hemlock bark amounted to $190,000, grindstones to $36,000, gypsum to $13,000, scrap iron to $191,000, junk and oakum to $35,000, sole and upper leather to $417,000, ale, beer, and cider to $21,000, oilcake to $39,000, ships to $348,000, starch to $33,000, tobacco to $37,000, rags to $49,000, or $1,309,000 so-called manufactures out of a total export of $3,000,000. The principal exports of manufactures proper were: Boots and shoes, $102,000; machinery, $40,000; musical instruments, $30,000; carriages, $46,000; sewing-machines, $165,000; steel, and manufactures of, $144,000; and household furniture, $100,000. It may thus be seen that the exports of manufactures proper from Canada were less than $1,500,000 during the year 1881.

In regard to the trade of the United States with the Dominion the following facts will prove of interest: Of the total imports into Ontario entered for consumption more than one-half came from the United States, while of the total exports from the province $20,511,000 came to the United States, leaving only $6,833,000 for all other countries. More than one-half the total trade of the United States with the Dominion of Canada is with the province of Ontario. Of the total imports entered for consumption in the province of Quebec nearly $21,000,000,

or more than one-half of the whole, came from Great Britain, and only $11,262,000 from the United States; while of the exports from the prov ince nearly $40,000,000 out of a total of $47,648,000 went to Englandof which, however, American products represented about $10,000,000— and only $5,376,000 to the United States.

Of the imports into the other provinces Great Britain leads us in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island- $7,372,000 British to $4,691,000 American; while we lead Great Britain in the imports into Manitoba, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories— $3,284,000 American to $1,152,000 British.

It will thus be seen that Great Britain controls that portion of the trade of the Dominion which can be reached by ocean steam carriage, while the United States controls the trade which is reached by lake and railway carriage. Thus the trade of Canada is severely reduced to a question of accommodation and contiguity, for Great Britain, with her magnificent steam marine, is nearer to the country which receives its supplies through the gulf ports than the United States, with its rail and river carriage, while, with any reasonable regard to its proper cultivation, the trade of Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories will ever be with the United States.

In regard to the foreign trade of Quebec and the causes which operate against American trade therein, as compared with British trade, the following extract from a report by Consul Wasson, dated December 17, 1881, will prove interesting:

COTTON AND IRON AND MANUFACTURES OF IRON.

A comparison of the importation of cottons and iron and manufactures of iron from Great Britain and the United States, whence the supply is generally received at this port, shows about the same relative ratio of increase in the former line of goods, but in the latter, while the importation from Great Britain has increased during the year 1881 118 per cent., that from the United States has increased 616 per cent.

Leading hardware dealers say that the reason why importations in their line of goods from the United States are not larger is that edged tools and articles of common use of American manufacture are of better style and finer finish than English goods in like lines, and when the duty is added to the higher price which such goods cost and are worth, the consumer, while preferring the better article, takes the poorer because it is cheaper.

The fact that nine-tenths of the exports from Quebec find a market in Great Britain and only 24 per cent. in the United States may furnish another reason for the preponderance of English trade, as it is not unnatural for people to buy where they sell, if the merchandise they want can be obtained at fair rates.

The increased sales, however, during the last year in these two leading articles of American production and manufacture should encourage dealers to renewed efforts, and there is reason to hope that with the improved times that seem to have set in here in earnest the advantage which English dealers now enjoy may be overcome.

Consul Taylor, of Winnipeg, gives the following interesting résumé of the import trade of Manitoba. It will be seen, therefrom, that, as far as the direct imports are concerned, the United States controls the greater portion thereof, although if we take the domestic imports into consideration, that is, the imports from Eastern Canada, in which British goods figure prominently, it is more than likely that the consumption of these fully equals the consumption of American goods in the prov ince.

It will also be seen that Consul Taylor's returns show an import of free goods into Manitoba to the amount of $69,512 more than the official returns published at Ottawa, which amount is almost entirely credited to Great Britain.

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