72

THE BRITISH EMPIRE; — UNITED KINGDOM

Commerce.

The principal imports on which customs duties are levied are beer, rum, and spruce, cliicory, cocoa, coffee, dried fruits, motor spirit, spirits, sugar, tea, tobacco, and wine — spirits, sugar, tobacco, tea, and wine yielding the bulk of the entire levies. In 1911 the imports free of duty (exclusive of bullion and specie and diamonds) amounted to 613,503,379Z,, 90 per cent., and those subject to duty to 66, 654,148Z., 10 per cent, of the total imports.

Value ^ of the imports and exports of merchandise (excluding bullion and specie and foreign merchandise transhipped under bond) of the United Kingdom : —

Vear

Total Imports

Exports of British Produce

Exports of

Foreign and

Colonial Produce

Total Exports

£

£

£

£

1903

542,600,289

290,800,108

69,573,564

360,373,672

1904

551,038,628

300,711,040

70.304,281

371,015,321

1905

565,019,917

329,816,614

77,779,913

407,596,527

1906

607,888,500

375,575,338

85,102,480

460,677,818

1907

645,807,942

426,035,083

91,942,084

517,977,167

1908

592,953,487

377,103,824

79,623,697

456,727,521

1909

624,704,957

378,180,347

91,344,819

469,525,166

1910

678,257,024

430,384,772

103,761,045

534,145,817

1911

680,157,527

454,119,298

102,759,134

556,878,432

1912

744,896,514

487,434,002

111,837,905

599,271,907

Average share, per head of population in the above trade : —

Year

Imports

Exports of Britisl) Produce

Net Imports (i.e. total imports less re-exports)

£ 8. d.

£ «. d.

£, i. d.

1903

]'2 16 11

G 17 S

11 3 11

i;i04

12 18 S

7 1 2

11 5 8

] 905

13 2 11

7 13 ()

11 6 9

1000

14 5

8 13 3

12 1 2

1907

14 15 4

14 10

12 13 4

190S

13 8 10

8 11

11 12 9

1909

14 9

8 9 11

11 19 8

1910

15 2 1

9 11 8

12 15 10

1911

15 4

10 7

12 15

1912

K) G 5

10 13 (5

13 17 4

1 The value of goods imported into the United Kingdom is generally taken to be that at the port and time of entry, including all incidental expenses (cost, insurance, and freight) up to the landing on the quay. For goods consigned to the English market for sale, the market value in England is required and recorded in the returns. This is

ascertained from the declaratioQ made by the importers, aTnd is checked by the expert