Revenue and Expenditure.

The following table shows the actual revenue and expenditure for the years ending March 31. They are revised so as to exclude, in accordance with the system now adopted, the army and navy extra receipts, and the contributions by India for military charges, formerly brought to account

The following statement shows the oscillations of the national debt of the kingdom from 1748:

The statement following shows the acreage in cereals and green crops in Great Britain and Ireland respectively:

Since 1846 there has been a decline in acreage of nearly two millions, but this has been compensated by the increased pastoral industry. Below are shown the figures:

The average production of crops and meat for the three years 1893-4-5 was: Wheat, 1,249,000 tons; barley, 1,820,000 tons; oats, etc., 4,460,000 tons; potatoes, 6,100,000 tons; turnips, 30,300,000 tons; hay, 12,300,000 tons: meat, 1,100,000 tons.

Notwithstanding that the price of grain has fallen 40 per cent. since 1846, the gross value of farm products then was £218,000,000, as against £230,000,000, the average value for 1893-4-5. The following figures will show the relation between labor and production and the influence of machinery thereon:

From these figures it may be deduced that two men now produce in quantity what five did then. The fluctuations of agricultural capital are shown below in millions pounds sterling:

IMPORTS, EXPORTS, CONSUMPTION, AND STOCK OF COTTON.

The following shows the quantities of each description of cotton for 1897, in thousands of pounds, and the corresponding totals of previous years:

Ellison & Co., of Liverpool, give the following estimate of the average price of cotton at that port for a series of years:

Helmuth, Swartze & Co., London, give the following statements of the supply, export, and consumption of wool in the United Kingdom:

The imports of these articles into the United Kingdom were as follows:

Fisheries.

The quantity and value of fish, excluding shell fish, landed on the coast of the United Kingdom for the year 1897 were as follows: England and Wales, 397,260 tons, value £5,568,494: Scotland, 250,087 tons, value £1,627,622; Ireland, 40,916 tons, value £283,944; total United Kingdom, 688,263 tons, value £7,480,060; including shell fish, £7,907,569.

Imports and Exports.

The merchandise imports and exports of Great Britain have been as follows for a series of years:

Produce.

Total
Exports.

£263,530,585

£328,252,118

247,235,150

309,113,718

227,138,270

291,640,166

715,434,048

58,878,552

218,259,718

277,138,270

681,826,448

216,005,637

226,128,246

240,145,551

CLASSES OF ARTICLES FOR TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31.

Imports from foreign countries and British possessions (in thousands of pounds):

Exports of British and Irish produce and manufactures (in thousands of pounds):