OUR INDUSTRIAL POSITION IN THE WORLD 7 



nearly three times that of France, whose share is 11 per 

 cent. 



The foreign commerce of this country does not bear as 

 high a proportion to its population as do its industries, for 

 the reason that there are few commodities, either food 

 materials, raw materials for manufactures, or manufactured 

 goods, which are not produced in this country; so that there 

 is little occasion for purchasing goods derived from foreign 

 sources. Hence, our imports are small, being only 8 per cent 

 of the total imports of 11 countries. 



As to exports, we have first to supply our own people, 

 and it is the surplus only which is sold to others. That sur- 

 plus is, however, relatively large. It is nearly double the 

 imports, the balance of trade being largely and continuously 

 in our favor. Our exports are commonly 15 per cent of the 

 total exports of all countries. Though only a small fraction 

 of our products are sold abroad, perhaps not more than 10 per 

 cent, still our exports are larger than those of any other 

 country, slightly exceeding even those of Great Britain. 



