AMERICAN TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16039, 4 October 1915, Page 6

AMERICAN TRADE.

WAR-TIME .INCREASES.

SIR E. GREY'S FIGURES. London, October I.'

In a letter to Mr. Page, United States Ambassador to Great Britain, Sir Edward Grey writes: "I hear that statements are being circulated in America, doubtless inspired by German agents, to the effect that Great Britain is trying to stop the legitimate trade of the United States with neutrals, in order to capture trade."_ To disprove this allegation, Sir Edward Grey gives the following figures :— The increased re-exports of cotton from the United Kingdom to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, from January to May* 1915, compared with the same period of 1914, amount to 503,995* centals. The United States increase during the same period amounts to 3,149,461 centals. British re-exports of rubber "to all destinations during the same period increased by 113,645 centals, and those of the United States increased by 170,184 centals. '' Similar examples are given in respect of lubricating oils, tobacco, cocoa, and other products. The total volume of trade from the United States to these countries increased 300 per cent.

WARSHIP CAPTURES SPY.

GERMAN ESPIONAGE LEADER.

A telegram from Milan to the Petit Parisien says that the Italian newspapers manifest satisfaction at the arrest of one of the leaders of German espionage particularly well known in Italy, Baron Otto von Gumpenberg, -who was captured in the Mediterranean by a British warship. During the Tripolitan campaign the German baron was one of the principal organisers of contraband for the rebel tribes _of Cyrenaica. All the arms and munitions merchant* of Egypt were dealing with him, and he carried his audacity to such a length as to. concentrate the contraband goods in shops which he had hired in the Alexandria quarter and where an army of employees worked'nnder his supervision. Remonstrances repeatedly made by Italy to Berlin concerning the baron did not have any effect in checking