BRITISH V. AMERICAN MACHINERY.

Evening Star, Issue 12965, 9 November 1906, Page 8

BRITISH V. AMERICAN MACHINERY.

With reference to the division of the foreign trade in machinery between Great Britain and the United States, a consular report issued from Washington (US) states that both countries are rapidly increasing their foreign sales. American statistics for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1936. show 181-3 per cent, increase over 1904, while the British figures of export for the first six months of ISO 6 show 34 1-3 per cent, increase over the, same months of 1904. Great Britain docs not compete %vith America in the trade for cash registers and typewriting machines, laundry, shoe, and pumping machinerv. In other lines competition between the two countries is keen. The United States' exports of locomotives increased by 20 per cent, from 1904 to 1906, while British exports increased 35 per cent. The most notable American increase was in the Central American States where £7.430 worth of locomotives were sent in 1904, £12,162 in 1905, and £226 586 in 1906, while sales to Japan increased from £125,974 in 1904, £225,209 in 1905, and £379,239 in 1906. South American markets proved the best field for British locomotive expansion, the sales there increasing from £157.000 for the first half of 1904 to £636,000 for the first half of 1906, being 50 per cent, of Great Britain's sales of locomotives this year up to June 30. British India was the next best customer, taking £440,000 worth of British railway engines from January to July. In agricultural engines the United Kingdom holds the heavy end of the foreign trade, and in other engines is strengthening her sales position. The exports amounted to £1,813,634 for the first half of this year, against £1,090,578 in the same period of 1904, and the indications are that the calendar year 1906 will exhibit a total British foreign engine trade of over seven millions sterling. The South American sales of British stationary engines advanced from £IOO,OOO in tho first half of 1904 to £240,000 for the first half of 1906.

One of the rising countries in the purchase of machinery is Japan, the amount last year exceeding £1,200,000. Previous to 1896 Japan purchased no electric motors, and in that year only £1,400 worth. The importation in the calendar year 1905 aggregated £245,540, of which two-thirds came from the United States. Only £20,000 of locomotive engines were purchased by Japan in 1892, but for the past three years the importations have always exceeded £200,000. American and German locomotives are now paining lupremacy in .Tanan, where tho British ;nak« formerly led.