PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF BRITISH EXPORT, HOME PRODUCE (IN 1,000's OF £'s). The quantity of the principal food imports retained for home consumption per head of population in each of the years 1890–96 was as follows: Total........ £357,545 £348,548 £321,159 £314,433 £153,645 £155,987 £155,888 £143,184 COMMERCE WITH THE UNITED STATES, 1880 TO 1898. PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF EXPORT AND IMPORT AS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN FOR FISCAL YEARS ENDING JUNE 30, 1891, 1897, AND 1898. For the year ending June 30, 1898, the imports into the United Kingdom were: Animals, living (for food), $36,374,000. Breadstuffs-Wheat, $74,926,000; wheat meal and flour, $46,508,000; oats, $12,330,000; indian corn, $38,651,000; bacon, $30,759,000; beef (fresh), $24,081,000; hams, $18,249,000; cheese, $6,631,000; lard, $12,961,000; copper, $9,997,000; cotton (raw), $127,740,000: tallow and stearine, $2,263,000; wood and timber, $11,261,000; leather, $14,821,000; animals, horses, $4,045,000. The exports for the corresponding period were: Wool, sheep and lambs, $2,833,000; cotton manufactures, $,797,000: jute manufactures, $3,757,000; linen manufactures, $7,119,000; woolen and worsted manufactures, $5,394,000; iron and steel and manufactures, $7.233,000; machinery, $1,602,000; alkali, $1,191,000; bleaching materials, $1,146,000; earthen and china ware, $2,567,000; skins and furs, $3,342,000. TOTAL SHIPPING of the UNITED KINGDOM IN THE HOME AND FOREIGN TRADE. (See Index, under "Railroads of the World" and "Telegraphs of the World.") Canals and Other Navigable Waters. At the latest date available-1888-the length, traffic, revenue, and expenditure of the canals and navigations in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, which do not, and of those which do, belong to railway companies were as follows: The paid-up capital of these waterways not belonging to railway companies was, in 1858, in England and Wales, £20,959,820; in Scotland, £1,254,047; in Ireland, £2,071,308: total, £24,285,175. The Manchester Ship Canal, opened in 1894, is 35 miles in length, 26 feet in depth, and (except for 24 miles near Latchford) not less than 120 feet in bottom width. The minimum width of the locks is 65 feet. The large docks at Manchester are 26 feet deep, and the smaller 20 feet. The canal is in direct communication with all the large canals of the district. The capital of the company is £15,412,000. The standard of value is gold. Silver is legal tender up to 40 shillings; bronze up to 12d., but farthings only up to 6d. Bank of England notes are legal tender. The following table shows the amount of gold, silver, and bronze moneys issued from the Royal Mint, London, and of light gold coin and worn silver coin sent in for re-coinage: BANKING.-There is no State bank in the United Kingdom, but the Bank of England, the Bank of Scotland, and the Bank of Ireland have royal charters, and the first and the last lend money to the Government. There were in October, 1896, 97 joint-stock banks making returns in England and Wales, with 2,794 branches: 4 in the Isle of Man and Channel Islands, with 14 branches; 10 in Scotland, 1015 branches; and 9 in Ireland, 509 branches. There were 29 offices in London of colonial joint-stock banks, with 1,585 branches; and 24 of foreign banks, with 168 branches. Of 27 private banks which made returns in England and Wales, the deposits amounted to £47,298,061; cash in hand and at call, £12,717,640; partners' capital and reserve, £8,594,452. The following statistics show the condition of the metropolitan joint-stock banks on June 30, 1898, compared with previous periods: * Includes orders received into the United Kingdom from colonies and foreign countries as well as orders sent out to same. |