BRITISH EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. 



67 



value has been decreasing with equal certainty, showing that the class of animal 

 we export is not what it was five years ago. 



As regards the imports, it must he observed parenthetically that 1893 was an 

 exceptional year; with the exception of that twelvemonth, the annual returns 

 since 1886, when we received 11,027 horses from abroad, show a rapid and almost 

 uniformly steady increase, until in 1896 we purchased nearly twice the number 

 of horses we purchased in 1892; and what is quite as significant, particularly in 

 connection with the figures relating to exports, paid a higher average price for 

 them. 



The difference between the average price received for our export and that paid 

 for imported horses would convey a more accurate impression of the state of 

 affairs could we eliminate from the former the large sums paid by foreign gov- 

 ernments for our best thoroughbred sires. The occasional sale of such an animal 

 as Ormonde for such a figure as £30,000 must be taken into account when con- 

 sidering the average price received for exports. In short, we are buying 

 expensive horses from the foreigner and obtaining only low prices for those pro- 

 duced by our vicious system of breeding. These average prices will call for 

 farther notice later on. 



It may be asserted without fear of contradiction that foreign carriage horses 

 for years have been streaming into this country to realize the highest prices 

 obtainable, namely, from £200 to £300 for first-class single horses, and any sum 

 from £500 to £1,000 for match pairs. 



The foregoing article, coming as it does from the pen of one so com- 

 petent to write upon the subject, needs no comment from me, and I 

 will simply add that it proves my statement concerning the demand 

 for high-class carriage horses true, and that the prices they bring, if 

 the horses be of the proper kind, exceed those paid for any other 

 horses in England, except in extraordinary cases for speed or hunting 

 purposes. The above table, showing imports and exports of horses by 

 England for the last five years, confirms the fact that England is an 

 importing nation. 



The following table will show the total number of horses imported 

 and exported by the United Kingdom from 1831 to 1896 : 

 Imports and exports of horses. 



Year. 



Horses 

 imported. 



1831. 

 1841- 

 1851. 

 1852. 

 1853. 

 1854. 

 1855. 

 1856. 

 1857- 

 1858. 

 1859. 

 1860. 

 1861- 



Horses 

 'exported. 



1863.. 

 1864- . 

 1865- . 

 1866.. 

 1867. . 

 1868. 

 1869. 

 1870. 

 1871. 

 1872. 



1,063 

 339 

 3,443 

 3,179 

 6,819 

 6,063 

 2,432 

 2,970 

 2,807 

 3,458 

 2,130 

 1,761 

 1,595 

 1,978 

 1,411 

 1,357 

 1,332 

 1,646 

 1,461 

 1,575 

 1,849 

 2,387 

 3,448 

 12,618 



718 

 4,538 

 1,526 

 2,485 



al,902 

 3,346 

 3,616 

 1,711 



61,574 

 2,072 

 4,417 

 3,199 

 2,960 

 4,318 

 5,204 

 4,644 

 4,440 

 4,069 

 4,136 

 4,091 

 2,210 

 7,202 

 7,172 

 3,383 



Year. 



Horses 

 imported. 



1873.. 

 1874.. 

 1875 ., 

 1876. 

 1877 -. 

 1878. 

 1879. 

 1880. 

 1881. 

 1882. 

 1883. 

 1884. 

 1885. 

 1886. 

 1887. 

 1888. 

 1889. 

 1890. 

 1891. 



1834. 

 1895. 

 1896. 



17,822 

 12,033 

 25,757 

 41,148 

 30,524 

 26,521 

 15,246 

 9,294 

 9,950 

 8,827 

 9,627 

 12,928 

 13,023 

 11,027 

 11,649 

 11,504 

 13,859 

 19,404 

 21,715 

 21,026 

 13,719 

 22,866 

 34,092 

 40,677 



Horses 

 exported. 



2,816 

 3,050 

 3,135 

 2,659 

 2,258 

 2,967 

 5,018 

 5,128 

 6,108 

 6,444 

 7,376 

 6,973 

 6,198 

 7,326 

 9,455 

 12,884 

 14,267 

 12,922 

 11,238 

 11,233 

 11,961 

 16,558 

 21,564 

 29,480 



a Crimean war. 



b Indian mutiny. 



