Trade Gaining

French foreign trade statistics for the first six months of the present year show an increase for imports and exports of 10% over the figures for the first half of 1913, and 40% over those for the corresponding period last year. The fact is all the more remarkable considering that France was able to buy quantities of British coal during this period without increasing her adverse trade balance of about 500,000,000 francs ($29,375,000).

IMPORT FIGURES

1923 14,689,459,000 francs

1922 10,635,521,000

1923 increase. . , 4,053,938,000

EXPORT FIGURES

1923 14,167,465,000 francs

1922 10,107,112,000

1923 increase. . . 4,060,353,000

On a tonnage basis the figures of 1923 show an increase over those of 1913:

Imports 3,892,910 tons

Exports 1,351,570 tons

Owing to the fall in the value of the franc, even over last year's quotations, the increased value of imports and exports, figured on a gold basis, is comparatively insignificant.