TABLE 4.-EXPORTS OF PRINCIPAL ARTICLES FOR WHICH QUANTITY DATA ARE AVAILABLE, 1910-14 AVERAGE, 1921-22, AND 1922-23, SHOWING INFLUENCE OF PRICE ON TOTAL VALUE.

TABLE 4.-EXPORTS OF PRINCIPAL ARTICLES FOR WHICH QUANTITY DATA ARE AVAILABLE, ETC.-Continued.

TABLE 5.-IMPORTS OF PRINCIPAL ARTICLES FOR WHICH QUANTITY DATA ARE AVAILABLE, 1910-14 AVERAGE, 1921-22, AND 1922-23, SHOWING INFLUENCE OF PRICE ON TOTAL VALUE.

TABLE 5.-IMPORTS OF PRINCIPAL ARTICLES FOR WHICH QUANTITY DATA ARE AVAILABLE, ETC.-Continued.

1,000 dollars.....

1,000 pounds....8,340, 532 16,041, 067 18, 726, 712

708, 662 1,204,087 1,933, 757 1,355, 920 1,759, 458 +148.2 +29. 71,510,073

பட

Part II.-ADMINISTRATIVE WORK OF THE

DEPARTMENT.

For the detailed administrative work of the various bureaus, I especially commend the statements of the bureau heads, contained in Part V of this report, as showing great progress in fact and in zeal during the fiscal year.

Aside from the routine work, a number of the special and more important services undertaken during the fiscal year are particularly referred to below.

Foreign-Trade Promotion.

The year under review has been one of marked expansion in the activities of the department in promotion of American trade abroad. The Director of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce informs me that during the fiscal year the services of the bureau have been called upon in actual transactions of export business totaling more than 400 millions of dollars. Some conception of the volume of service called for is indicated in the fact that the number of specific inquiries and requests for assistance in foreign-trade matters received by the department are now averaging in excess of 3,000 per day, or approximately four times the average number received at the time the reorganization of this service began.

In addition to the vast amount of regular work carried on by the bureau, special surveys have been made during the fiscal year, in cooperation with special committees of the various trades, of markets in all parts of the world for American export commodities.

At a time when the economic position of the farmer has been such as to render the agricultural problem in all its phases a matter of deep concern to the Administration, the department has been enabled, through the reorganization of its foreign service and directing staff in Washington, to render especial service in the promotion of export trade in agricultural products.

In the regular course of its work it has maintained a specialist in food marketing in Europe, which takes 80 per cent of our agricultural shipments, reporting constantly by cable upon food requirements in the various countries. Particularly in

14

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the marketing of products of cooperative assoartment has been able to render a great deal of

: Agricultural Products.

conferences held with committees representing ations, farm cooperatives, and exporters was a c that the department undertake to make world ain of the principal agricultural products, which them more accurately to estimate the world situaeduction, stocks, and consumption in these commodie to time. Such surveys have been started with seci, sugar, and rice; while frequent surveys of grain, and other commodities are made by the department's sives in Europe (which is the principal foreign maraese products), and transmitted to the department by o distribution to producers, exporters, and the interested n this country.

world surveys on cotton, wool, sugar, and rice have been ed periodically and have given in brief summarized form facts as to estimated world production, estimated world camption, and world stocks on hand. It is obviously not a oper function for the department to attempt to interpret these Sistical tabulations, or to forecast future probable world prodiction or consumption. The purpose of the surveys is solely to have an independent source give a purely fact analysis of the world situation in these commodities at a given time. The value of such facts to producers and exporters is indicated by the increasing demands for the permanent continuance of the surveys. Foreign-Trade Statistics.

The transfer of the Bureau of Customs Statistics from the Treasury to the Commerce Department on January 1, 1923, and its subsequent reorganization, have effected a great improvement in the service of foreign-trade statistics to the commercial public. As a result of the increased equipment and personnel provided from the deficiency appropriation, the issue date of the reports has been advanced about two weeks, and since May the import reports have been completed simultaneously with those for exports.

The preliminary totals are now completed by the 13th of each month, the reports by articles and countries by the 20th. and copy for the import and export statements in the Monthly Summary is now ready for the printer by the 24th.

de

Special monthly statements have been inaugurated showing

countries for of the principal articles in the im