Until the Bureau of Research of the United States Shipping Board began giving statistics showing the physical bulk of our imports and exports, by ports, the only basis of comparison of port rank officially tabulated was that of value. The physical bulk tabulations showing actual weight in tons of cargoes imported and exported-very greatly changed the standing of our leading ports as will be shown in the article dealing with that phase of our foreign trade, published elsewhere in this issue.

On the old basis of value, however, following are the leading ports of the United States, in the order of their importance, for the calendar year of 1925, showing imports and exports:

Based on value of imports and exports the Port of New York enjoys 42.1 per cent of the country's foreign trade. The year previous New York's share was just 42 per cent. It has been as low as 40-never below that, as yet. For quite a number of years the percentage of the value of the foreign commerce of the Port of New York has been "pegged" around 40. Time was when it was well above 50 per cent, and this within the recollection of men still in their prime; but the country's great growth has increased the value of the imports and exports of other United States ports. The value of the imports and exports of the United States is 51⁄2 times greater than that of its nearest competitor-New Orleans.

Seventy-five per cent of all of the imports and exports of the Atlantic coast ports of the United States enter and leave the Port of New York, measured by their value. The Atlantic ports of the United States enjoy about 66 per cent of the imports and exports of the whole country, based on their value; and of this imports very slightly exceed exports. It is but fair to say, however, that while this shows, or seems to show, a fairly well balanced foreign trade, as a matter of fact exports so greatly exceed imports in physical bulk, that in the matter of cargoes the foreign trade of the Atlantic ports is not so well balanced. On both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts import values exceed export values. But at Gulf ports the value of exports is more than four times the value of imports, a proportion that but accentuates the one-sided balancing between inward and outward cargoes.

Note, for example, the value of the imports of New Orleans and Galveston combined-$257,000,000, while the value of their combined exports totals no less than $1,100,000,000.

Time was when for years Boston ranked second among the nation's ports in the value of its foreign trade, but now it stands sixth; and this is because Boston is unable to increase substantially its exports. In the twelve ports tabulated above, Boston ranks lowest in the value of her exports. New Orleans has ranked second among the country's ports, in the value of its foreign trade, for quite a number of years, but, at times, Galveston slightly exceeds New Orleans, because the former's exports are so large. The same is

true of the rivalry between Seattle and San Francisco, although of recent years owing to the large value of Seattle's silk imports it has managed to outdistance San Francisco in the value of its foreign trade.

Philadelphia at times has stood second among the country's ports, based on the value of its foreign trade, but it now stands eighth. Baltimore is far more important than it appears to be when the basis of its rank is the value of its imports and exports. In the tabulation above Baltimore ranks eleventh in importance-even being exceeded by Norfolk, which has come up amazingly, of recent years, in large part due, of course, to our greatly increased exports of coal.

Detroit, Buffalo and Ogdensburg (on the St. Lawrence River) stand out well among the ports of the Great Lakes, in the value of their foreign trade, which, of course, is almost wholly with Canada, and which but emphasizes the tremendous volume of the trade between the United States and that great Dominion. with a population not so large as that of the State of New York.

Local River and Harbor Improvements

Allotments of funds aggregating several million dollars for river and harbor improvements in and around New York to be carried forward in the fiscal year beginning with July 1 have just been made by the Secretary of War under the authority of an act of Congress.

The total amount made available for expenditures on rivers and harbors is $50,000,000. Of this, $45,225,450 is to be expended on projects specifically designated by the Secretary of War and $4,774,550 is to be reserved for contingencies. The allotments authorized for improvements in New York and other Eastern waters are as follows:

NEW YORK-Hempstead Harbor, $12,000; New York Harbor, $515,000; Bay Ridge and Red Hook Channels, $300,000; Buttermilk Channel, $200,000; East River, $2,000,000; Hudson River Channel, $150,000; Tarrytown Harbor, $9,000; Hudson River, $50,000; Buffalo Harbor, $118,000; Black Rock Channel and Tonawanda Harbor, $143,000; Charlotte Harbor, $14,000; Great Sodus Bay Harbor, $59,000; Little Sodus Bay Harbor, $8,000; Oswego Harbor, $32,000; Cape Vincent Harbor, $500; Ogdensburg Harbor, $4,000; Supervision of New York Harbor, $175,000, a total of $3,789,500.

$1,500,000.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY CHANNELS NEW JERSEY Newark Bay, Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, $600,000; Shoal Harbor and Compton Creek. $10,000; Shrewsbury River, $15,000; Mantua Creek, $15,000; Cold Spring Inlet, $40,000.

Atlantic Ports Lead Cursory survey of our ocean borne foreign commerce in the calendar year 1925 reveals an apparently severe decline in the foreign trade of the Pacific and Gulf coasts. However, detailed analyses by the Bureau of Research, United States Shipping Board, show that the foreign trade of these coasts is in a much more favorable condition than is indicated by the gross volume of cargo tonnage moved.

The Pacific Coast 1925 water borne foreign commerce was 988,000 tons less than in 1924, this deficit being due entirely to decreases in exports of grain, flour, petroleum and lumber. The fall of 732,000 tons in Pacific coast exports of grain and flour was only in line with the general decline in grain and flour exports, as the total exports of these commodities by the United States in 1925 was 2,146,000 tons less than in the previous year. Expansion of refining facilities on the Pacific Coast has increased the shipment of refined oils and reduced the output of crude petroleum, hence the decrease in tonnage volume of petroleum exports does not indicate an actual decline in the petroleum commerce. Pacific coast exports and imports of practically all other important commodities, in 1925, show increases over 1924.

The Gulf Coast net defiicit in imports was 1,350,000 tons, but the 1925 import of crude petroleum alone was 2,250,000 tons less than in 1924, all other imports commodities showing substantial increases. This decrease in import of Mexican crude oil evidences increasing consumption of mid-continent and California crude by the Gulf refineries. The Gulf Coast share in the general decline in grain and flour exports amounted to 964,000 tons, but the net decrease in exports for the year was less than 400,000 tons, owing to increases in nearly all other Gulf Coast export commodities.. Among these increases are noted cotton 230,000 tons, sulphur 150,000 tons, lumber 70,000 tons and sugar 40,000 tons.

The Great Lakes foreign trade in 1925 also fell below that of 1924, the net deficit being 91,000 tons. The shifts in trade included import gains of 1,120,000 tons of grain and 180,000 tons of pulpwood. Other increases brought the 1925 import total 1,495,000 tons above that of 1924. Lakes exports of grain and flour fell 798,000 tons and coal exports decreased 778,000 tons. Minor advances and declines produced a net export deficit for 1925 of 1,586,000 tons.

College Course in Ship Management

A course in ship operation has been established in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the direction of Professor J. R. Jack, head of the department of naval architecture and marine engineering, and Professor Lawrence B. Chapman.

The course will cover a period of four years and will include instruction in admiralty law, marine insurance and other branches of marine transportation. It will also include studies of cargo handling, pier, warehouse and shipyard facilities and steam and Diesel engine operation. Students are to be encouraged to get employment on ships and in steamship company offices during Summer vacation periods and men already engaged in shipping are to be encouraged to enroll as special students.

NEW YORK & ALBANY LIGHTERAGE

The Future of Perth Amboy

(Continued from Page 8)

community also connecting with wheels and keels through a well planned marine terminal.

Looking after such affairs of basic importance as have been enumerated would mean intense activity for the ordinary Chamber of Commerce. But, above and beyond these things, we have pledged our good faith to a Program of Progress, the main divisions of which are briefly as follows:

In cooperation with the Perth Amboy Industrial Association; the Mayor and Board of Aldermen; our newspapers, the Real Estate Board and other interested bodies we have inaugurated an active campaign for new industries. Our plan includes printed matter; advertising; entertainment committees; a constructive system of follow-up leading into the consequent need of better housing, parks and playgrounds, schools, and all that makes life inspiring and worth while.

A traffic bureau will seek an understanding with the officials of our numerous railroads looking toward an equitable re-adjustment of rail rates and the removal or avoidance of further handicaps of this character.

Our transportation division will coordinate the work. of all committees working for the improvement of railroad freight and passenger terminals; for the development of our highways; for better motor bus and trolley car service; for the improvement of train service on all routes. Also, in support of the Port of New York Authority proposals, we will strenuously urge that the transcontinental railroads entering our State from the South, West and North be connected by a Belt Line Railway reaching from Fort Lee on the Hudson and serving the Raritan Bay District on both sides of the Raritan River from New Brunswick to Perth Amboy and South Amboy respectively.

Special committees will advocate, promote, support, in cooperation with our city and county officials, such public improvements as may be agreed upon, to the end that when completed these undertakings will stand as a credit to our own generation and as an inspiration to future.

ones.

In cooperation with our twenty-odd affiliated organizations we shall endeavor to agree upon a policy of civic advancement that will place Perth Amboy in the foremost rank of progressive cities.

Perth Amboy stores, in every line of trade, equal or excel those of our rival cities. The retail division plans many other attractive features through which the advantages of trading in Perth Amboy will be brought to the attention of a large public.

South African Trade Grows

Volume of cargo carried by vessels of the American West African Line, operated for the Shipping Board by A. H. Bull & Co., has been quadrupled since 1922, according to A. L. Burbank, vice president of the company. He attributes the steady gains made by the line partly to normal expansion of trade due to regular and reliable service and partly to the efforts of the company to build up the confidence of shipper.

The future outlook is very promising, Mr. Burbank

states.

The American West African Line has eight vessels in operation, with sailings once a month from New York direct, once every two months from Philadelphia and New York and once every three months from the Gulf. Each of the vessels carries eight to ten passengers, offering a direct service which has proved advantageous to foreign representatives of American firms.