Trade and the Flag 



27 



formed only four per cent of the total French trade, and this was 

 a gain over earlier periods, for in 1880 the proportion was 1.8 

 per cent. 98 



Among the British colonies the self-governing possessions 

 carry on the largest trade with the mother country in absolute 

 amounts and in proportion to their total trade. Root" holds 

 that one reason that so many of the British possessions which are 

 not self-governing communities are in a backward condition is 

 because there is the tendency, as in India, to regulate trade as 

 well as finance in the interests of the governing minority instead 

 of in the interests of those governed. 



In 1908 the total imports of the United Kingdom amounted 

 in round numbers to 593 million pounds of which the colonies 

 contributed 130 million; the total exports were 377 million 

 pounds in value and of this sum almost 126 million went to the 

 colonies. The proportion of British trade with the colonies was, 

 in 1908, 26.3 per cent. It will readily be seen that the British 

 colonies are a much more important commercial asset than are 

 other colonies to their respective mother countries. On the other 

 hand the proportion of colonial trade which goes to Great Britain 

 is less than formerly 100 — another illustration of the tendency of 

 trade to become denationalized as a colony develops. 

 98 Commerce of France. 



Year. 

 l880 

 1889 

 l899 

 IOCS 



Per cent, ot imports 

 from colonies. 



Per cent, of exports 

 to colonies. 



2.1 

 2.4 



3-o 



3-3 



1-5 



i-9 

 4-3 

 4.8 



Per cent, of total 

 trade with colonies. 



1.8 



>i» 



2.2 

 3-6 

 4.0 



and other years. 



Compiled from Statesman's Year-Book, 1906, p. 

 99 Trade Relations of the British Empire, 201. 



100 Proportion of Trade of British Colonies with the United Kingdom. 



Exports. 



Imports. 



1867-71 

 1902-03 



69.2 

 64.2 



57-5 

 41.4 



34-3 

 24.9 



57-4 

 42.5 



203 



