WASHINGTON LETTER. 



A statistical abstract of the world which will show the imports 

 and exports of every country in the world having statistical reports 

 is the ambition of the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Depart- 

 ment. To present in a single volume a picture of the world's com- 

 merce not only of to day but extending back over a long term of 

 years, and to show that commerce in detail as to principal arti- 

 cles, country by country with quantities and values stated in 

 United States currency and measures of quantity, is a work of no- 

 small magnitude, but of such great importance to the commercial in- 

 terests of the country that it is being resolutely undertaken by the 

 Bureau of Statistics. The details of this work, which will be carried 

 on under the personal supervision of the Chief of the Bureau, have 

 been entrusted to Mr. Benjamin T. Welch, whose long service in the 

 Bureau especially tits him for this duty. 



The opening chapter of the proposed volume has already been 

 completed. It shows the total imports and exports of each country 

 of the world having statistical records, from the earliest datfe 

 for which the figures are attainable down to the present time. In 

 the case of the United Kingdom the report begins with the year 1800, 

 and shows the total imports, total exports, and excess of imports or 

 exports in each year from that date to the present time. In the case 

 of Austria-Hungary Ihe record begins with the year 1800; Belgium,, 

 1831; France, 1831; Germany, 1872; Italy, 1861; Netherlands, 1860; 

 Russia, 1861; Spain, I860; Norway, 1860; Sweden, 1860; Canada, 18") 1; 

 Mexico, 1873; Argentina, 1870; Chile, 1860; China, 1868; Japan, 1874; 

 India, 1851; Australia, 1851; Egypt, 1874; and Cape of Good Hope and 

 Natal 1851. in each case the figures covering the entire period from 

 the earliest date named to the present time. The subsequent chapters 

 will give the details of the commerce of each of these countries, the 

 principal articles imported and exported during a term of years down 

 to the latest attainable date, and the principal countries from which 

 its exports are obtained and to which its exports are distributed. 



The figures on the total commerce country by country, which 

 have already been completed, afford matsrial for some interesting 

 comparisons with our own growth meantime. The imports for home 

 consumption of the United Kingdom, for instance, which in the year 

 1800 amounted to $81,310,000, amounted in 1899 to $2,043,896,450, an 

 increase of 2400 per cent. ; while in the case of the United States the 

 imports for home consumption in 1800 were $52,121,891; and in 1899, 

 5, Hl,S,)2, an. increase of 1215 per cent. Taking the export side the. 



