Tus returns of the Board of Trade for June exhibit a continuance of the sion of English trade which had been noted during the previous five months of this year. People at home were engaged in holiday making in June last year, and for several days paid no attention to any business but that of pleasure, and in this way the returns of the month were affected. As a set-off against this, last June had five Sundays, but notwithstanding this, some increase over the same month in 1887 was to be expected as the holidays in it had undoubtedly greatly interfered with trade, But it has been remarked that increases so large as those shown for last June—£2,923,637 or 104 per cent. on-imports and £1,722,404 or 10 per cent. on forts were scarcely looked for. It is to be remembered also that wholesale prices have declined during the last six months, and the returns therefore show that the quantity of British trade has been increasing. The Economist index-number of wholesale prices has dropped considerably, thus On June 30, 1887 2,116 On December 31, 1887 2,230 On June 30, 1888
This proves that the rise in the values of most of the important articles of trade which took place at the close of last year has not lasted. A London paper remarks upon this: " At the same time the conclusion is not easily avoided that the turnover of British commerce has increased not only to the extent shown by the declared values, but also, of late, to the additional extent—say 4 per cent—of the decline of present prices compared with those ruling the wholesale markets a year ago. As prices have fallen we have done more trade, and the magnitude of profits must have been considerable during the half-year, with "the fall of prices." It although the rate of profit tended to fall that of the headings under whith the Board of Trade enumerates the various articles of import, the only one which shows a decrease is that of wines and spirits, which will be satisfac+ tory to temperance people as will also be the increase in the import of tea, nearly half a million sterling; against which is to be placed a falling-off in the import. of coffee during the half-year. "There is a large increase in the value of metal imported and exported, but much of it is due to the French speculation in tin and copper.
The exports have increased in the same ratio as the imports, the chief augmentations being in iron and steel, and in articles made from metals, especially in machinery and millwork, which has been the result, it is stated,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.