Virgin Islands, U. S.— In 1913 the island of Saint Croix produced 778,000 pounds of sea-island cotton, but the following year the crop was almost a failure, amounting to only 62,000 pounds. The value of cotton textiles im ported in 1914 amounted to $70,006, of which Great Britain contributed $49,838, the United States, $13,798 and Germany, $4,614. The value of imports in 1916, from this country amounted to only $39,398.
Colombia.— A small amount of cotton is grown in Colombia, which is confined to the departments of Bolivar, Atlantico and Magda lena. Most of the cultivated cotton fields lie along the banks of the Magdalena River, be tween Barranquilla and Colomar. There is also a small amount of cotton gathered from the native wild cotton trees. The staple of the cultivated cotton is one and one-half to one and three-eighths inches, grown from Missis sippi seed imported every second year. It re sembles sea-island cotton, but the fibre, which is long and silky, is said to be too fine for use in the local mills. This has resulted in the exportation of the Colombian cotton, and the importation of American cotton for domestic manufacture. In 1914 the Colombian cotton sold in the Liverpool market as high as 24 cents a pound. In 1907 the raw cotton exported amounted to 564,242 pounds, and in 1914 to 789,390 pounds. In 1915, owing to the Euro pean War, there were no exports, the small crop being consumed by local mills.
According to government statistics (1915 16) there are in Colombia 21 establishments de voted to the manufacture of °textiles and threads,* with a combined capital of $3,530,400. How many of these are engaged in cotton manufactures is not shown, but there are at least four cotton mills of importance, one each at Cartagena, Medellin, Samaca and Bogota. They operate some 20,000 spindles and 200 looms, and make narrow gray sheeting, drills and thread. Besides these there are four under shirt mills — one at Cartagena, another at Bar ranquilla, and two at Medellin. There are also hosiery machines at Cartagena and Buga.
Textiles form the largest single item of im ports into Colombia, and of these cotton goods are by far greater than all others. In 1908 the total value of cotton goods imported amounted to $6,616,602, the value of the goods received from each country and the percentage share of each being as follows: Great Britain, $3,929, 674, per cent 59.5; United States, $1,477,082, per cent 22; Germany, $425,540, per cent 6.5; France, $312,135, per cent 5; Spain, $135,084, per cent 2; all other countries, $337,087, per cent 5. In 1913 the value of cotton goods re ceived from the United States was almost the same as in 1908, amounting to $1,453,774, in 1915 it dropped to $846,793, but in 1916 it was more than three times as much, reaching $2, 607,192. Of course this great increase was the
result of the disturbance of trade caused by the European War. Colored cloths are the chief item of imports, followed by bleached and unbleached cloths.
Venezuela.— Cotton is grown to a limited extent in Venezuela, most of which is raised near Valencia and consumed by local mills. The staple is strong and silky. and about one and five-sixteenths inches in length. Besides the cotton of dorriestic growth consumed in the mills, a small quantity was exported prior to . the European War, the total in 1908 being 396. 885 pounds, which was mostly taken by France, some going to Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. But that the crops of very recent years have been too small to meet local requirements is evidenced from the fact that within the past year the surtax of 25 per cent of the duty on imported cotton has been removed, and now the import tax is only 3.43 cents per pound. There are four cotton factories in Venezuela, operating about 19,000 spindles and 500 looms. They employ 1,800 hands and con sume about 6,250 bales of cotton annually. The mills are located in Caracas, Valencia, Maracaibo and Cumana. These mills make gray goods, coarse wearing cloths, plain sheet ing and hosiery.
The cotton-goods trade is the most import ant. in Venezuela, and one in which the United States appears to the worst advantage. Of the total value of this trade in 1908, amounting to $4,191,270, Great Britain furnished such goods to the value of $2,545,536; Germany, $681,530; and the United States, 307,973, the latter's share being only a fraction over 7 per cent. Our share in this trade in 1910 was 7.7 per cent; 1911, 8 per cent; 1912, 10.3 per cent; 1913, 22.6 per cent; 1914, 12.5 per cent; and the first six months of 1915, 20.9 per cent. The items of most importance constituting this trade are in the order named, prints, drills, madapol lam, undershirts, checks and plaids, gray shirt ing, white shirting, hosiery, etc. The imports of cotton goods has been considerably affected by the European War, the value having fallen from $3,907,726 in 1913, to $2,460,525 in 1914. and since 1914 still less than this as indicated by the imports of the first six months of 1915. The exports of cotton goods from the United States to Venezuela in 1915 were valued at $413,203, and in 1916 at $1,114,606, an increase of $701,403, or 170 per cent.