96 [ No. 99 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS Export Values in 1916.- According to the report of M. Leplae, Director of Agriculture for the Belgian Congo, the exports for 1916 were in quantity three . times, and in value twice, those of 1912.1 The total value of the exports of rubber, palm kernels, palm oil , copal, and ivory in 1916 was 44,000,000 francs , nearly three - fifths of the value of the mineral exports from Katanga . Of the products of cultivation, cocoa was the most important item ; 770 tons, produced mainly in the Mayumbe district, were exported, and were valued at 1,400,000 francs.

2 (6 ) Imports The total value of the principal imports for 1913 amounted to £2,297,791 , an increase of £416,131 ? over the previous year. But of this total, machinery, iron and steel materials, and metals and manufactures thereof, accounted for about £500,000, and as they were required for railway extension, &c. , their value must be deducted in estimating the amount of ordinary trade. There were , however, large increases in textile goods (£415,418 against £362,608 in 1912) , clothing (£156,268 against £109,553),provisions (£346,162 against £249,731 ) , and perfumery and toilet articles (£20,035 against £14,014) , ' entirely due to the enormous credits which were given on the easiest possible terms by German firms, who apparently determined to capture trade for what it is worth in this Colony'.3 This fact explains also the figures of the trade of 1912 which perplexed the author of the Consular report for that year : 4 there was an increase of £224,000 over 1911 , 1 Figures recently published give the total export values for 1916 and 1917 as 122,300,000 and 161,490,000 francs respectively (African World , Jan. 11 , 1919) .

2 The official Belgian figures, which have since been published, show a much larger increase over 1912 , viz. £694,316 .

3 Cd . 7820—103, p . 4 . 4 Ca. 7048–77 , pp. 5 , 6 .

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