The special feature in the Board of Trade Returns for
July is the remarkable increase in British exports, which show a rise of 25,621,911 over the corresponding month in 1905. The chief increase is in articles wholly or mainly manufactured, cotton standing first with an excess of 21,496,174, while iron and steel show an excess of 2637,367. Raw materials advanced by 2812,307, and food, &c., by 2211,683. The seven-months' table for 1906, with the respective increases over the corre- sponding period in 1905, gives the following results :— Imports £349,146,766 ... increase £31,299,367
British exports 214,036,478 ... 72 30,509,206
Re-exports 50,478,207 ... 4,650,436
While the increase in the exports of British goods nearly equals that of the total imports, for the month of July the ratio of increase in British exports is considerably higher than that of the total imports, being roughly in the pro- portion of 8 to 5t. Finally, the whole volume of our foreign trade for the seven months, as compared with the corresponding period in 1903, when the Tariff Reform cam- paign was at its height, shows an increase of 297,462,995. Our industries, to sum up, show a most unconscionable disinclination to "gang on" with their "deem'?'