The contrast between British and American trade with Australasia will be clearly seen in the following statement from the tabular exhibit prepared by Consul-General Spencer. Although the statement is for 1879, it will illustrate the trade conditions of 1880 and 1881, for the difference in the aggregate between those years is very little.

Statement showing the trade of Australasia with Great Britain and the United States during the year 1879.

Statement showing the trade of Australasia with Great Britain and the United States during the year 1879—Continued.

As a further illustration of the difference in the consumption of British and American manufactures in Australasia, the following leading articles-articles in the manufacture of which for the most part the United States excel-are selected:

Principal exports from Great Britain to Australasia during the calendar year 1881, with the exports of similar articles thither from the United States during the fiscal year 1881.

It will be seen by the foregoing statement that our share in the principal imports of Australasia is but as $1 to England's $40, while in the total import trade our share is as $1 to England's $13.50.

While the imports from Australasia to the United States continue so small in amount, it will be difficult to materially increase our exports, notwithstanding the fact that American manufactures are recognized for superior finish and utility.

Our general exports to Australasia will be seen by the following statement, compiled from the customs returns of the United States:

Exports from the United States to Australasia during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881.

In the recapitulation of British exports to Australasia during the year 1881, it will be noted that more than one-tenth of the whole ($8,823,000, an amount much greater than the total exports from the United States) was composed of foreign goods, such as candles, fish, glass, leather manufactures, ironware, musical instruments, paper, spirits, refined sugar, tobacco and manufactures of, wood of all sorts, &c. It is not improbable that one-tenth of these foreign exports, say $880,000 worth, was composed of American goods.

CONTINENT OF EUROPE.

FOREIGN COMMERCE OF RUSSIA IN EUROPE.

The latest official returns showing the total foreign commerce of Russia in Europe are for the year 1879, during which year the value thereof was as follows: Imports, $410,054,000; exports, $453,598,000.

A review of the trade between the principal countries in Europe and Russia, viz, Great Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, and Sweden, shows that their imports from Russia during the year 1880 were about $30,000,000 less than during the preceding year, while their exports to Russia were about equal during both years. It would thus appear that the exports from European Russia during the year 1880, assuming that the remainder thereof showed similar results to those with the above countries, were less than those of 1879 by about $50,000,000, while the imports into Russia were fully up to those of 1879.

The principal articles of import into and export from Russia for a series of years are given in the following statements:

Imports into Russia.

The imports and exports for 1865 are for the Russian Empire; the other years are for European

Russia only.

The increase in the foreign trade of Russia, as shown in the foregoing statements, from $119,405,000 in the imports for the whole empire in 1865, to $410,054,000 for European Russia in 1879, and from $156,616,000 in the exports for the whole empire in the former year to $453,598,000 for European Russia in the latter year, is remarkable, showing a commercial and an industrial development comparatively greater, perhaps, than any other country in the world, the United States excepted.

The imports of cotton and cotton yarns, even in 1870, as compared with 1879-$27,612,000 in the former and $67,619,000 in the latter yearshow the great advance made in the cotton manufacturing industry of the country. The imports of wool show a somewhat similar condition in the wool-manufacturing industry. The statement shows that in the articles of iron and steel, machinery, and agricultural implements, Russia is very far from being able to supply her home demand, although the increased imports of these articles bear evidence of industrial advancement otherwise. Notwithstanding the development of the textile industries of Russia, it will be seen by the import table that cotton, linen, silk, and wool manufactures are yet imported to the value of $21,500,000.