Trade and Commerce

• 1913-1934: value of British Exports to the world decreases from £525m to £378m
• 1913-1934: Value of British Exports to Empire declined from £195m to £166m
• 1913-34: Imperial exports as a total of British exports went from 51.7% to 53.4%
• Cotton exports 51.7% (1913) to 53.2% in 1934
• Railway carriage export, 58.4% (1913) to 68.3% in 1934
• Consequence of the Ottawa Conference 1932: 10% general tax on all imports but the Dominion were exempt. They also agreed to give each other's imports preferential treatment.
• British imports from Empire - £193m in 1913 to £257m in 1934
• British imports from Empire: 24.9% (1913) to 35.3% (1934)
• Wheat imports: 48.5% (1913) to 63.3% (1934)
• Cocoa imports 50.1% (1913) to 90.7% (1934)
• Raw Rubber 57.2% (1913) to 78.7% (1934)
• British Exports to Dominions 17.5% (1909) -> 25·9% (1935)
• Exports to India + Burma: 11.9% (1909) to 8% (1935)
• Total Empire exports: 35% (1909) to 41.3% (1935)
• British imports from Dominions 14.3% (1909) to 24.3% (1935)
• India + Burma imports: 7.5% (1909) to 6.5% (1935)
• 1909-1935: Total Empire imports 26.9% -> 41.2%
• 1/3rd Britain's overseas assets were sold to pay for WW2
• Colonial Development and Welfare Act - 1940 - Wrote off some colonial debts + provided grants/loans of of up to £5m.
• Colonial Development and Welfare Act - 1945 - Increased the aid available to the colonies from to £120 mill. Required the colonies to create action plans.
• In 1956, 58% of Britain's overseas investments were in Empire companies/governments.
• 1948-1965 changes in exports and imports: 45% -> 30% Commonwealth imports. 46% -> 28% Commonwealth exports
• 1967: Harold Wilson's Labour Government decided to love the value of the pound from $2.80 to $2.40 - a 14% cut.
• In 1948, the CDC (Colonial Development Corporation) est. developed self-sustaining agriculture, trade and industry. Renamed Commonwealth Development corporation in 1963.
• West African Exports went from ₤43.1m in 1946-> ₤228.5m in 1956
• Asia exports ₤191m in 1946 -> £819.6m in 1950
• Total colonial exports = £319.6m in 1946 -> ₤1.485b in 1956
• failures- Tanganyika ground nut scheme founded in 1948.
• What was the value of British exports to India in 1914?

  £150m (20% of British Exports)