EXPORTS INCREASE; IMPORTS DECLINE

The New York Times
April 5, 1914

Story of Shipment of American Motors Abroad is One of Huge Growth.

The record of automobile exportations from the United States began in July, 1901.  In the six months from July 1 to Dec. 31 of that year the total value of exportations of automobiles was $367,371; in the calendar year 1902, slightly more than $1,000,000, and since that time has steadily increased until in 1913 the total had reached $35,000,000, exclusive of tires and engines in sufficient quantity bring the aggregate sum up to the high-record sum of $41,000,000.  Meantime imports of automobiles, which gradually increased from approximately $500,000 in 1902 to $5,000,000 in 1906, now show a downward trend, the total having receded to $3,200,000 in 1908 and $1,600,000 in 1913, with a proportionately much greater decline in the initial month of the current year.

American-made automobiles were sold last year in all parts of the world, considerable numbers going to the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the European centres of the automobile industry.  To the United Kingdom our exports last year amounted to 5,152 cars, or more than three times as many as in 1910; and to France, 921, or four times as many as in 1910.  In each case the figures for 1913 were the largest on record.  Canada continues to be the largest single customer for American automobiles, though the 6,051 cars exported thereto in 1913 is slightly less than the number exported to Canada in 1912, namely, 7,421 cars.

In addition to $8,000,000 worth of complete automobiles exported from the United States to Canada last year, about $4,000,000 worth of parts were also shipped, to be assembled in Canadian establishments.  Sales of this class to Mexico declined from 297 cars in 1911 to 227 last year, while those to practically all other countries increased, those to South America having doubled, those to Australia and other British Oceania having increased about 50 per cent., and those to Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world as a whole having quadrupled during the last two years.

While American manufacturers were increasing their sales of automobiles abroad, foreign manufacturers were less successful in our own market.  Thus the number of automobiles imported from France fell from 469 in 1912 to 196 last year; Italy, from 109 to 85, and of those from the United Kingdom, from 137 to 54; while the number imported from all other countries except Germany decreased from 90 to 76.  Germany alone showed increased sales, the 1 automobiles imported from that country in 1913 being a gain of 18 over the number imported in the preceding year.