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FOREIGN TRADE ZONES 
57 
Reexports from the United Kingdom in recent years were as follows: 
1923_____ $542, 000, 000 
1924 ________ 619, 000, 000 
1925 ___ 744, 000, 000 
1926____ 610, 000, 000 
-mme= 629, 000, 000 
The transit trade of Belgium amounted to $395,744,000 in 1923 
and $588,115,000 in 1924, but the portion of this which was reexported 
's not known. The general exports of France in 1925 were valued 
at $2,958,000,000 and the domestic exports at $2,222,000,000, a dif- 
ference of $736,000,000, which no doubt included traffic in transit 
through France, as well as reexports, 
: Lhe reexport trade of the United States in recent years was as 
ollows: 
$76, 778, 000 
93, 335, 000 
91, 125, 000 
96, 939, 000 
Average._.____ mms emma. 89, 544, 000 
The figures indicate that our reexport trade was less than 15 per 
cent of the reexport trade of the United Kingdom during the same 
recent four-year period. The extent to which we depend upon other 
countries for essential] commodities is probably not, generally realized. 
Many of the important raw Products of the world are Produced in 
countries of small population and limited consuming ability. The 
tonnage of the exports from such countries is normally far in excess 
of the tonnage of their imports. The amount of American goods 
which may be exported on one ship to a country of this character is 
usually small. This condition hag necessitated the use of triangular 
toutes and indirect means through concentration points, such as 
London and Hamburg, in order to avoid the poor load factor which 
is involved in direct service to such countries. Thus it happens that 
she maritime nations have concentrated their efforts upon controlling 
a large share of the shipping to and from certain markets which they 
find themselves in a favorable position to develop. In such a develop- 
ment the free port or some institution affording similar conveniences is 
indispensable, The focusing at one port of goods for reexport to 
countries producing raw Materials, permits the establishment of 
regular vessel service, and inevitably results in drawing to that port 
the larger portion of the raw materials of such countries. Thus 
Hamburg hag become an important world market for rice; London 
ae _ tea, and tin; Liverpool for cotton and grain; and Glasgow 
1923_______ 
1924___ 
925____. 
926___