and by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce since 1912. The annual report has been published under the title “Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States ” since the first issue for 1821. Beginning with the fiscal year 1912, the tables in the annual compilation showing trade with each country have been published separately under the title “ Trade of the United States with the world.” The monthly report has been published since November, 1866, under the following titles: Bureau of Statistics, Treasury Department. Monthly Report of Director of Bureau of Statistics, November, 1866,

to August, 1868 Monthly Report of Deputy Special Commissioner in charge of Bureau

of Statistics, January, 1869 to June, 1875 Summary Statement of Imports and Exports July, 1875, to Decem

ber, 1894 Finance, Commerce, and Navigation, January to December, 1895 Monthly Summary of Finance and Commerce, January, 1896, to June,

1898 Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance, July, 1898, to June, 1903 Bureau of Statistics, Department of Commerce and Labor

Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance, July, 1903, to June, 1912 Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance, July, 1912, to June, 1914

Monthly Summary of Foreign Commerce beginning with July, 1914 When the figures are compiled by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, they are prepared for publication in the Monthly Summary of the Foreign Commerce of the United States. This publication shows the total imports and exports of each commodity shown separately in the statistical classification, but it indicates countries of shipment and destination for only the more important commodities and countries. In order to supply details of information regarding the trade in important commodities, special statements are prepared showing the imports and exports of a number of commodities to and from each country. These statements are mailed each month to over twelve thousand trade journals, commercial organizations, and private firms which have expressed a desire to receive them. Each month several statements giving the figures for the total trade are issued in advance of the published report.

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The gap between this series and the preceding one is only in time of publication. The statistics are continuous.

The following statement by the chief of the Division of Statistics indicates some of the problems confronting the Bureau in connection with the collection of statistics, as well as the plans for supplying additional information.

The revision of the statistical classifications of exports and imports in 1922, followed by the transfer in January, 1923, of the Bureau of Customs Statistics, with the entire control of the compilation of foreign trade statistics, from the Treasury Department to the Department of Commerce, has resulted in radical readjustments in the statistical work of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. Marked progress in this readjustment has already been made. The delay in compiling statistics of imports has been overcome. The May import report was finished on June 20, at the same time as the corresponding export report. For the first time since the revised classification of imports went into effect, in September, 1922, import and export figures were published together in Part I of the Monthly Summary of Foreign Commerce. Hereafter import and export figures will be issued simultaneously. Preliminary total values will be available about the 13th of the month following the one to which the figures relate. Figures by articles and countries will be completed about the 20th. Čopy for the published tables will be in the hands of the printer on the 25th and photostat copies will be obtainable on that date by trade-paper correspondents and others interested in statistics for special trades. The analysis of imports and exports by great groups will be released to the press about the 28th. Total values by grand divisions and countries will be ready about the end of the month. By special arrangement with the Government Printer, it is hoped to have Part I of the Monthly Summary-Imports and Exports by Articles and Countries-in print and available for distribution a few days after the close of the month following the one covered by the reports. . .

The revision of the statistical classification of exports, effective January 1, 1922, raised the number of separate items shown in the reports from 700 to 1200, an increase of 70 per cent. The revised classification of imports, based on the provisions of the new tariff act of September 22, and effective on that date, increased the number of items from 700 to 1000, or 40 per cent. The number of items in the quarterly reports of imports entered for consumption were increased much more than that, probably 100 per

cent.

Furthermore, under the former tariff law duties were largely on an ad valorem basis, which made the collection of statistics simple. The new tariff law provides largely for specific or compound duties, and in many cases-cotton yarns and cotton cloths, for

example—these duties are limited by maximum and minimum ad valorem provisions involving a great many calculations and complicating the compilation of the statistics.

During the first few months of imports under the new tariff neither importers, foreign shippers, collectors of customs nor statistical clerks were familiar with the complicated duty and statistical provisions of the new law. The Treasury Department was unable to provide the necessary increase in personnel and equipment of the section of customs statistics at New York to cope with the increased work. Entries forwarded by collectors of customs to the Statistical Division failed to show the information required by the statistical schedule, which condition necessitated extensive correspondence. All this confusion greatly delayed the compilation of statistics. The report of imports covering the period from September 22 to October 31, 1922, included in one report, was not finished until February 9, two months after the corresponding report of exports. The unsatisfactory condition of import entries continued several months, although a gradual improvement in compilation and publication of statistics was accomplished.

On January 1, 1923, the Bureau of Customs Statistics was transferred to the Department of Commerce and on March 3 Congress appropriated additional funds for the statistical service. The equipment and personnel of the Statistical Division was increased, a night force of forty of the most expert compilers was put to work, and as a result the May import figures were completed at the same time as the export-on the 20th of the month following. As soon as additional office space can be secured in the New York customhouse for the section of customs statistics, a further increase in personnel and equipment will be made which, it is hoped, will make possible the completion of monthly reports about the 18th of the month, with corresponding improvement in the published statistics.

While the new classification of exports and imports, as has been shown, entailed greatly increased work in compiling the statistics and for a time delayed publication of reports, it has added greatly to the usefulness of the figures. Quantities are now shown for all commodities, making possible comparisons of trade fluctuations in volume as well as in value, which could not be done under the old schedules except for bulky goods. Instead of the former alphabetical listings, articles in the new schedule are classified in ten great groups, according to origin or use, bringing related items together for each industry and line of trade. Each group is divided into subgroups according to kind of material and product, and these are further subdivided into headings of distinctive lines of industry, with individual commodities shown under each heading. .

A frequent criticism of the American statistics has been that the British foreign trade reports are available in printed form about the middle of the month following the one to which they relate, Tariff problems are of importance in connection with foreign trade, as it is only through a knowledge of the duty that the manufacturer can figure on the price at which his product can be sold. In some countries, particularly in dependencies, there are preferential tariffs, under which the goods of certain countries are admitted at a lower rate. In such countries the nationals of countries which do not receive the preferential rate are manifestly at a disadvantage. In certain countries the tariff system has a distinct bearing on the method by which goods should be packed. If the duty is on the net weight, it is important to know the allowance for tare. if it is on the gross weight, it is essential that the cases be as light as will withstand shipment. If it is on legal weight, the immediate containers should be omitted as far as possible if prohibitory duties are to be avoided in many cases, as under this system the duty is assessed on the weight of the commodity plus the weight of the carton or other immediate container, the weight of the outer case being disregarded. For instance straw hats in pasteboard boxes would pay duty on the combined weight of the hats and the pasteboard boxes, and it is not unlikely that the weight of the boxes might be as much as of the hats. Another aspect of packing in relation to tariffs is that in some countries articles in the same package are subject to a uniform rate of duty, while some of them would be subject to lower rates if packed separately. Furthermore, tariffs in many foreign countries can be changed by executive order almost overnight, and there is often no such warning as is given when a tariff act is being debated in the Congress of the United States.

Topics of constant concern are the marking of the country of origin on the goods, the manner of invoicing, the number of copies and the consular certification of the invoice, the inspection of certain foods and drugs, certificates of country of origin, custom house treatment of samples, catalogs, and advertising matter, and the licensing of commercial travelers."

On all the above topics the Bureau endeavors to furnish up-todate and reliable information regarding the duties and regulations

• It should be borne in mind that these regulations are not peculiar to foreign countries, as the customs administrative laws of the United States have very many onerous regulations which must be complied with. Under the tariff act of 1922 (42 Stat. L., 858), the President is even given limited power to change duties without referring the question to Congress.

in effect as well as notices of an impending change if advance notice is given. A portion of Commerce Reports is devoted to this subject, special publications are issued from time to time, and there is a further distribution through correspondence. The district offices answer fewer tariff inquiries directly than in the case of requests for trade promotion information and lists of dealers, as the tariff work is so technical and so much material is received which can not be distributed among the district offices, that most of the requests are forwarded to the Washington office for reply.

In the collection of such information less reliance is placed on the field officers than in the case of trade information and economic data, although field officers have an important function to perform in notifying the Bureau of changes in duties and regulations, particularly when these take effect immediately, in which such case a cable report is made. However, the detailed data are generally assembled by the Bureau from the official gazettes and other publications of foreign countries, which are received regularly, the Bureau having probably the most extensive library on tariff subjects that is available in this country.

In addition to distributing information the tariff work includes the initiation of representations to foreign governments by the Department of State in regard to both general regulations which may be prejudicial to American trade interests and special cases in which American firms may have incurred penalties through inadvertently violating the regulations.'

It should be borne in mind that the Bureau can not make direct representations to foreign governments, as such action must be

'A case involving a general regulation arose in 1921 when the Canadian customs authorities issued a regulation which required cloth in the bolt to bear the mark “Made in U. S. A.” on every five yards of the selvage. If put into effect this would have required the rehandling of all fabrics already manufactured and shipped to Canada, and the making of new dies for articles subsequently manufactured. After representations were made to the Canadian authorities the requirement was so modified as to allow a “Made in U. S. A.” stamp on the tag alone. An example of special representation is the case in which a shipment of novelty pencils to England was held up by the customs authorities because the marking did not comply exactly with the requirements of the British law. If the strict requirements had been insisted upon, the delay would have prevented the goods from being available for the Christmas trade. This matter was taken up with the British customs authorities, a satisfactory adjustment was made, and the immediate release of the goods was secured.