11 NOVEMBER 1916, Page 2

The trade returns for the past montk are again very

satisfactory, Imports increased by £13,318,970 to £81,135,376, exports by £12,746,283 to £44,715,248, and re-exports by £500,689 to £7,663;322, as compared with October, 1915. Therein always the difficulty that the trade returns express value not volume, and therefore allowance must be made for the continual rise in prices. But even after this allowance has been made the quantities imported were also much greater in several cases, including iron ore, raw cotton, linseed, petroleum, wheat, and meat.