376 GEOGRAPHIC NOTES 



While with every other quarter of the world the export trade of tlie United 

 States is increasing at a phenomenal rate, with South America it has remained 

 almost stationary since 1890. In 1890 the United States sent goods to the value 

 of $38,752,048 to that continent, but during the twelve months, July 1, 1899-,June 

 30, 1900, the value of goods exported thither reached only $38,945,721 — that is, 

 in the last ten years the value of the export trade to South America has in- 

 creased less than half of one per cent; this, too, notwithstanding the good 

 work of the Bureau of American Republics, founded in 1890 " for the prompt 

 collection and distribution of commercial information concerning the Ameri- 

 can republics." The exports of the United States to the nations of Europe 

 during 1899-1900 show an increase in value of 52 per cent over the exports of 

 1890, their value in the fiscal year just ended being $1,010,107,312, as against 

 $083,736,397 in 1890. Tlie export trade with Asiatic peoples has in the last ten 

 years increased 229 per cent, being valued at $19,090,820 in 1890 and $04,913,984 

 in 1899-1900, while the exports to Africa were $4,613,702 in 1890, and are now 

 $19,409,109, an increase of 321 per cent. 



The four great facts in the foreign commerce of tlie United States for the year 

 ending June 30, 19U0, as summarized by Mr 0. P. Austin, are : 



1. Tlie total commerce of the year surpassed by $317,729,250 that of any pre- 

 ceding year, and for the first time in the history of the United States ex(;eeded 

 two billion dollars. 



2. The exports exceeded those of anv preceding year, and were more widely 

 distributed throughout the world than ever before. 



3. Manufacturers' materials were more freely im|)orteil and formetl a larger 

 share of the total imports than ever before. 



4. Manufactured articles were more fieely exported and formed a much larger 

 share of tlie total exports than in any year since the United States became a 

 nation. 



It is a strange coincidence that the world's pro luction of gold during the last 

 half of the nineteenth century should exceed the output during the first half 

 in the ratio of " 10 to 1." In figures the production for the fifty years ending 

 with 1899 was $(5,590,832,000, as against $787,400,000 for the preceding fifty 

 years. The production of gold during tlie last iialf of the nineteenth century 

 was also more than double that during the 300 years following tlie discovery of 

 the American continent, the total output from 1492 to 1850 being $3,1 59, 2.">0, 000. 

 Ill Ls99, for tiie first time since the phenomenal [iroduction of the California 

 mines in 1853, the amount of gold mined in the United States, including Alaska, 

 exceeded the production of that record year. The gold mined in the United 

 States last year was valued at $72,500,000, or seven and one half million dollars 

 more than in 1853. 



Thk comprehensive dictionary of the Natick (Indian) language of Massachu- 

 setts, on which the late James Hammond Trumbull spent many years of labor, 

 is to be published bj' the Bureau of American Kthnology. With the exception 

 of the famous Eliot Indian Bible, this is the most interesting and valuable 

 record of the language of the Indians of New England. 



