It is interesting to notice with whom Liberia’s trade is carried on. Britain of course has always led; Germany comes second, Holland third, and other nations follow. Sir Harry Johnston says that in 1904 the total value of British trade with Liberia was £112,779, while the total trade of the British Empire with the Republic was £132,000; the £20,000 difference represent trade with Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast chiefly. On the whole it would seem that Germany is crowding Britain and bids fair to lead. A little table will show this clearly; the first statement shows the amount of British imports, exports, and entire trade for the years 1904, 1908, and 1909 in pounds sterling; a second statement shows the corresponding items for German trade for the years 1908 and 1909 in marks; a third statement changes the totals figures to dollars at the rate of five dollars to the pound and four marks to a dollar, which of course is only approximate. It shows, however, that Germany is actually crowding her longer established rival. (a) BRITISH TRADE WITH LIBERIA (Soler) Imports Exports Total 1904 £60,350 £62,710 £123,060 1908 74,348 75,137 149,485 1909 69,511 63,500 133,011 (b) GERMAN TRADE WITH LIBERIA (Soler) Imports Exports Total 1908 1,177,000 mks. 1,856,000 mks. 3,033,000 mks. 1909 1,095,000 mks. 2,282,000 mks. 3,377,000 mks. (c) ENGLISH AND GERMAN TRADE (1908-1909) 1908 1909 English $747,425 $665,055 German 758,250 844,250 The Liberian nation is to be made up of the Negro civilized to some extent in the United States and repatriated, and of the aboriginal tribes. At present it is composed of a small number of civilized and a large number of aboriginal communities in varying degrees of dependence. The problem is how to blend these into a national organism, an organic unity.--A. BARCLAY. THE NATIVE.