The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 1913. THE BRITISH MOTOR TRADE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 89, 22 April 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 1913. THE BRITISH MOTOR TRADE.

Britain’s trade in . motor cailfc and motor cycles shows rapid expansion in the last decade, and in connection with the third North of England .Motor Show some interesting facts and figures are published. The initiation of the motor industry in the 1 nited Kingdom was, at the beginning, handicapped severely by two circumstances—unwise legislative in-

terference and possession of patents by foreign, especially French inventors. By 1896 Parliament began to think that its solicitude had exceeded its wisdom, but already, in 1897, the | French were not only supplying their own market, but were actually exporting, £25,000 worth of automobiles to foreign countries. By the time the British Board of Trade thought it worth while to take cognisance of the new industry in the official trade returns—that is, in 1902—Britain’s exporting of motors totalled in value £172,000, while the French were exporting £1,208,760, or over a million sterling more. It is now generally admitted that three countries have ranged themselves as pre-eminent]}' the world’s makers of automobilesFrance, Great Britain, and the United States. The development of the industry in the States was, as in the Kingdom, later ■ than in France; in 1899 the total value of the American output was under a million sterling. France has been noted for her production of high-grade i and high-priced cars. British manufacturers, it appears, have sot themselves to rival her in both respects, and it is held by the trade in Britain i that it is not too early to say that they have succeeded in their object. Concurrently, however, with this success a new phenomenon appeared—i the American cheap ear. Britain’s best outside market's- appear to be in her Possessions, and in 1911, out of a total export of £6,551,000 of motor ears, chassis, cycles, and parts, £l,611,000 went to foreign countries and £2,216,000 to British Possessions. I Her nine best markets are given as follows: £ Australia ... 709,178 British India ... 695,216 France 626,211 New Zealand ... 615,647 Argentina ... 179,466 Cape of Good Hope 158,625 Transvaal ... 82,581 Germany ... 77,861 United States ... 77,518 Thus Britain’s greatest competitors, France, Germany, and the United States, come within the first nine countries taking the greatest value °1 British exports.. The imports of

motor-cycles, mainly British, into Xcw Zealand increased from £13,000 in 1010 to £IO,OOO in 1011. The number of cars rose from 772, valued at £221,000, to 1,021, valued at £105,000. Tim total British export to Now Zealand in 1011 was £315,017, which, with allowance for insurance and freight, represents a proportion of about 01. per cent of the total importation. The only serious competitors are the United States and Canada, which together in 1911 sold 8‘27 cars, valued at £144,323, the average invoice cost for body and chassis ranging from £lB7 to £174. in the same year 009 cars, valued at £235,000, or £3BO per complete car, arrived from the United Kingdom. France sent 42 cars and Belgium 12 cars. v lu spite of the cheapness of American cars their value shows only the same increase as that of the dearer cars. In materials for cars there is little competition with the United Kingdom, the American share being only £IB,OOO out of £121,000.