THE COMMERÍMAL AND INDUSTRIAD DEVELOPMENT OF im-; GERAÍAN EAIPIRE. [FliOM THE SUMM.MÍV OK COMMERCE AND FINANCE KO]: .lANUAliA". 1899.] Treasury Department, Bureau of Statistics. Chief of Bureau. r MILITARY INFORMATION DIVISION, A. G, 0. SECTION. SUBJECT. j >1 o helf geography. THE GERMAN EMPIRE. DEVELOPMENT OP ITS COMMERCE. INDUSTRIES, AND CARRYING TRADE, 1677 COi^TEÎ>^TS. Part I.—General Statement of the Develop.ment. J. (¡eneral considerations. Pago Important effect of the g^o^Yth of foreign industries on the immediate future of British trade 1681 Detrimental effect on British export trade of high rates of freight ruling by land and sea in Great Britain 1081 Effect of the foundation of the German Empire on commercial progress 1G82 Bismarck's commercial work helped by the disposition of tin; people 1682 Changes in commercial piolicy 1682 Confiictiug interests of agriculture and industry 1683 Future commercial warfare aud the Paris Exhibition in 1900 1083 Anglo-German commercial relations 1681 Recent legislation leading to a closer consolidation of the Empire 1685 B, Commercial and industrial interests. Causes of commercial progress 1685 Tariff policy since 1871 1685 The tariff treaties of the nineties 1686 Prosperity of German commerce 1687 Development of trade, 1889 to 1897 1687 ' C. Maritime interests. The rise of maritime interests 1688 Development of shipbuilding and State aid 1688 British and German mail subsidies compared 1689 "Preferential" rates for materials for shipbuilding 1689 The future of shipbuilding 1689 British prospects for supplying materials for shiirs to Gorman yards 1689 The Navy bill of 1898, and reasons for its adoption 1690 The financial expenditure sanctionedfor a larger navy 1690 The material benefits to the nation by the increase of the navy 1690 1). Traffic inhrests. Development and capabilities of traffic 1691 Canals aud railways in Germany are both state undertakings ' 1691 Development of waterways; expenditure on canals 1601 Projected new canals of all kinds 1691 Idea of a mid-European canal joiuing'Rhino, Elbe, Oder, aud Danul)o 1(92 Attitude of agriculturists and industrialists toward canals 1692 The introduction of state railways on the Continent 1692 Reasons for establishing state lines in Germany 1692 So called "preferential" railway rates, and reasons for their introduction 1693 Results of the working of the state railways 1693 The development of light railways 1693 Views of the agricultural party on light railways 1693 Part II.—Additional Information and Statistics. 1. Commercial and industrial interests. Development of commercial interests IBP-l Protective tariff of 1879 and later history - 1691 Construction of present German tariff' 1694 "Autonomous" and "Treaty" tariff' duties 1695 The preparations for the 1901 commercial treaties 1695 Growth of German commerce, 1871-1896 1695 Development of trade in raw materials and manufactures, 1889-1896 1696 Movement in exportation of loading groups of industries, 1889-1896 1696 1679 1680 CONTENTS. Paie. Vaincs of trade to dillerciit foreign conntries, 1889-18i)0 1697 Results of trade-with foreign eountries, ]S,S!I-I896 1698 Trade of Germany with Great I'.ritain, 1889-1896 1698 German commerce rvith lîritisli Colonies and I'os.scssions, 1889-1896 1698 Comparison of trade of British and Gorman Emj)ires, 1889-1896 1699 Total imports and exports in Germany and Kngland compared, 1895-1897 1699 Trade of British and German Empires in 1897 1699 German commerce in 1897 rvith foreign countries 1700 Chaug-cs made in manner of compiling stal isl ics in Germany in 1897 1700 A'alues of leading industrial shares in Germany 1700 2. Maritime iiitcrcsls. History and details of iiostal subsidies to German steamer companies 1701 Other assistance given to shipbuilding directly and indirectly 1701 Levant and East African traffic; and result of the reduced through rates 1702 Amounts of British postal subsidies for stcaiucr eompanios to all parts of the world 1702 Growth of mercantile marine and capital invested 1703 Statistics of shiiibuiiding trades; census of 1882 and 1895 compared 1703 Statement of very large steamers built and bnilding which belong to Germany 1703 AVork of two leading shipbuilding yards in 1897 1703 Financial results for leading steamship companies in 1897 1704 Expenditure in Empire on now harbors, etc., in recent years 1704 The state of shipbuilding in 1897 1704 Minor facts showing development 1704 Preparations for the passing of the navy hill in 1897; published data 1705 The ohjects of tlie 1898 naval hill and contemplated strength of ilect 1705 Cost of new fleet and armaments 1706 Good prospects of paying ail expenses of new naval programme out of revenue 1706 3. Traffic interests. A. Canals: Cost and development of State canal system 1706 Data as to length, depth, etc 1707 New canals and estimated cost 1707 Projected German-Austrian canals 1707 Comparison of German and French waterways in 1895 1708 B. Railways: State railways predominant in Germany since 1879 1708 Extent of hroad-gaugo lines 1708 Capital expended on broad-gauge linos, and earnings 1708 Amount of rolling stock, and traffic carried 1709 Statement of Prussian state railways 1709 "Preferential" or "special" railway rates 1709 Manner of their application to assist exportation 1709 Levant traffic explained 1710 East African traffic 1710 Development of goods traffic for Prussia at "ordinary " and "preferential" rates 1710 Development of Levant, East Africa and oilier traffic 1711 Result of the woridng of the state lines 1711 Light railways; their extent and capital expended on them 1711 Ohjects of light railways 1712 State grants made to assist light railways 1712 Appendix. Annex No. 1.—List of existing commercial treaties between Germany and foreign conntries 1712 2.—Table of German trade with ail countries, 1889-1896; chief imports and exporta 1711 3.—Table of Gorman trade with Groat Britain, 1889-1896; chief imports and exports 1715 4.—Comparison of Briti.sh and German similar exports, 189.5-1897 1716 5.—Comparison of Gci'inan commerce in ail tariif classifications, 1896-1897 1718 6.—Table of leading industrial shares and tiieir increase in value, 1885-1897 1,710 A REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, MARITIME, AND TRAFFIC INTERESTS IN GERMANY, 1871 TO 1898, BY MR. GASTRELL, COMMERCIAL ATTACHÉ TO HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S EMBASSY AT BERLIN. [From Diploti: iiic aud Consular Reporta to the British Government, January, 1899.] Part 1.—A.-GENERAL STATEMENT OP THE DEVELOPMENT. A short accouut of the general lines of development and expansion of the German Empire since its foundation in 1871, and tracing the leading features of its commercial, industrial, maritime, and traffic interests up to 1898, may be of interest to the British public at the present time, wboii Great Britain and Germany are endeavoring to obtain, by a new treaty of commerce and navigation, a continuity of the friendly international relations which had previously existed during twenty-seven years under the old commercial treaty with the "Zollverein" of May 30, 18G5, and under the treaty of navigation with Prussia, concluded a few months later. IMPORTANT EFFECT OP GROWTH OF FOREIGN INDUSTRIES ON THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE OF BRITISH TRADE. It is of the greatest importance at the present time that, in the interests of our national progress, all classes of the population in the United Kingdom should devote a closer attention than hitherto to commercial and industrial development abroad, which tends every year to more seriously affect the material growth of British trade. Such expansion in foreign countries is not by any means altogether detrimental to English commerce, as some people affect to believe. On the contrary, it brings with it certain substantial benefits. But with powerful industrial rivals in the field, of whom Germany is now one of the most imxmrtant, it is essential that every effort be made to maintain, as far as possible, that superiority in special industries which has characterized our staple manufactured products during this century, and which has led to a partial monopoly of certain classes of goods, but which must necessarily diminish as other progressive industrial states arise and iiroduce commodities similar to those which were once oidy to be purchased in our own country. Under these circumstances it is most dexdorable to see any portion, however small, of British trade diverted to foreign competing nations, as has recently been the case through strikes among our jropulation, which react not only on those taking part in them, but on the whole country. In these days of keen competition, it is impossible to realize the amount of the indirect losses to commerce caused by unfortunate and iirotracted disputes between employers and workmen, which gratuitously hand over portions of trade to the eager foreigner, all too ready to gras^i them. If the disputants would but remember this point, they would be less prone to hasty action in such questions. DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON BRITISH EXPORT TRADE OF HIGH RATES OF FREIGHT BY LAND AND SEA RULING IN GREAT BRITAIN. It is needless to say that the development of foreign industry and commerce is equally important to all the industrial and commercial classes of Great Britain, and in order that there may be a continued and satisfactory expansion of British trade, it can not be too greatly impressed upon the British public that in the United Kingdom it is especially to traffic interests both by land and sea that particular attention must now be paid. It is most regrettable to find that instead of granting greater facilities for our own export trade, whereby the development of our national, commercial, and industrial interests abroad would be considerably furthered, many British railway and ship])ing companies have formed various combinations by which the British exporter finds himself conqielled to pay far higher rates of freight, both by land and sea, for goods sent by hini to many foreign countries than have to be paid to the same countries by his industrial and commercial competitors on the Continent and in the United States. Hence it is of the greatest importance that in Great Britain the export trade generally--and that of our staple products more particularly—should be more than ever facilitated in every possible way in order to be able to allow British industry and commerce to take full advantage of old and new markets on at least a perfect equality with foreign eompeting nations. Fresh evidence of this disadvantage under which our merchants unfortunately labor when endeavoring to combat keen foreign competition, has just been afforded by the report of the special commissioner, recently appointed by the board of trade to inquire into the prospects and conditions of British trade in South America, in which he says that one of the causes of the uonexpansion of our commerce in that part of the world is the fact that such cheaper shipping freights are granted from foreign ports. I68I 1682 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, EITEOT OF THE POtlNDATION OF THE EMPIRE ON COMMERCIAL PROGRESS. Einancial and agricultural interests are not included here, for they have been extensively dealt with in many reports issued by the foreign office in late years. Moreover, they are not subjects which to day so directly concern and affect the English nation as do the remarkable progress and untiring rivalry of the Germans in the daily extending and sometimes coiillictiug spheres of the commercial, industrial, maritime, and traffic interests of both countries. A cursory study of these four subjects only will afford ample insight into the actual status of the German Euipire as a new but powerful mercantile State, for it is, comparatively speaking, a new commercial nation since 1871. Previous to that time the want of united action, commercially even more than politically, did not allow of rapid expansion. But when in that year the numerous German States were merged more closely into a united Empire, under the German Emperor, an immense [lolitical work was accomplished. The immediate effects, however, on the possibilities of national development, especially as regards commercial and industrial progress, were, perhaps, greater still. BISMARCK'S COMMERCIAL WORK HEI.PBD BY THE DISPOSITION OF THE PEOPLE. After completing his famous political work. Prince Bismarck devoted himself to direct the national energies of the people to peaceful and commercial aims. He tried to instil into a united and regenerated Germany the commercial spirit and the vigorous energy of the old Hanse Towns, and he achieved a success beyond his most sanguine hopes. It may well be said that he completed his political work of consolidating the Empire by his indefatigable exertions in paving the way for a great commercial and industrial future. To-day is seen on all sides a prosperity hardly dreamed of by the most enthusiastic patriots twenty years ago. Putting entirely on one side, however, all that German statesmen have done to aid and direct the nation in its ambition to become a great commercial State, in addition to being a great political Power, nothing would have availed them in their laudable objects had it not been for the national and ingrained character of the German himself, which is so eminently suited to commercial enterprise, and which may be briefly described in one word " thoroughness." It is, undoubtedly, in the first instance to this " thoroughness " of methods in every department pertaining to commerce that the Germans have attained the position of a first-class merchant Power. This most valuable characteristic has permeated all classes of the people, and its effects can be seen in the manner of carry¬ ing out every private or national exterprise. No details are too insignificant to be considered in attaining a given end. No trouble is too great to take in mastering ininutiœ. There is no doubt whatever that in competing with other nations it has been rather in consequence of a mass of small innovations than by great changes that they have succeeded in their national aspirations of becoming the most important commercial power on the Continent and inferior only in the whole world to Great Britain and the United States. It may also be incidentally men¬ tioned here that, with regard to her whole merchant fleet of steamers and sailing ships, Germany similarly holds a third place. The combination of these two single facts will, perhaps, carry more weight of proof than anything else could to those skeptical English persons who still affect to believe that the alleged prosperity and consequent rivalry of Germany in commercial matters is purely relative and insignificant and not in the least positive and imjiortant, especially when considering the future of some of our staple industries, such as the metal and cotton trades. When it is more widely realized that in 1897 the value of German exports of domestic produce was £176,030,200, or only £58,189,508 less than the £234,219,708 worth of similar exports of British origin, and that the proportion thereof per head of the population is tending to rise in Germany and to fall in England, perhaps the British public will begin to devote closer attention to commercial and industrial development on the Continent. The actual value per head last year for the Germans was nearly £3 Cs., as compared with £5 17s. for us, the populations being respectively .53,500,000 and 40,000,000 in 1897. Another factor that is considered to have helped the development both of home industries and foreign trade is the great extension in Germany of the principle of association or cooperation among the commercial classes for every kind of mercautile enterprise. The smaller people, who are unable to incur great expense individually, combine for common ends to an extent not known in England. This system is often a marked contrast to the characteristic individual efforts of the Englishmen iu commerce. Both have advantages and disadvantages. But in the present days of keen competition there is a great deal to be said for more extensive cooperation where the individual eflbrt is insufficient for its immediate purposes. An instance of this principle is to be found in the remarkably well organized "export unions" in the Gorman Empire, which have done so much with their extensive organization to further foreign trade iu all parts of the world. The tendency to form industrial combinations has, in late years, had a great influence on the development of the country. CHANGES IN COMMERCIAL POLICY. The industrial expansion of the country has necessitated a gradual change of commercial policy, as is explained later. The policy, begun in 1891 and since maintained, has as its basis the general principle of securing by tariff treaties wider foreign markets lor German manufacturers, while admitting from abroad most raw materials for the 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1683 home industries free of all duty, and food stuffs for the people at reduced customs rates. How best to attain this end is now the main object of Germany's foreign policy. Her future position as a leading mercantile nation will depend very much on the attitude she may be able to assume on January 1, 1904, when the seven tariff treaties with Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Italy, Eouinania, Russia, Servia, and Switzerland will have expired, and when she can also bo free of almost all other existing commercial treaties of whatever nature by giving the notice stipulated for in each as to their expiration. On that date the German Government will therefore be free to negotiate afresh with nearly all the world on the basis of the masses of valuable information which they began to collect last year with the object of having reliable data to work upon when negotiating the new treaties to come in existence in 1904. The nature of this work and the progress made is noted liereafter more fully, but it may be brietly stated here that a new "autonomous" tariff is now considered desirable, both on commercial grounds and because of technical deficiencies as regards the present classification of goods, which does not suillciently specialize imported commodities. This is said to place the Empire at a disadvantage when dealing with the more highly specialized tarifis of other Governments. CONFLIG'iUNG INTERESTS OF AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY. One great difficulty that existed when the present seven tariff treaties were made under General Gaprivi, which has indeed always existed, and which will continue to exist in 1904, is the changing relative importance of agriculture and of industry as economic factors in national development. An account of this subject during the twenty-seven years of the existence of the Empire would term a history in itself. It must suflice to state hero that whereas the agricultural interest in 1871 were paramount, it is the industrial interests that have undoubtedly predominated in recent years. Moreover, the future of industry is assured, and will go on increasing year by year, whereas that of agriculture seems less promising, and will doubtless, for many reasons, remain comparatively more or less stationary, as in England. This new state of things has naturally brought about a great tension between the classes whose interests lie in the old-established agricultural occupations, and those whose interests are derived from the comparatively new¬ born industries. sharp line divides the two and makes it difficult for the state to reconcile, either politically or commercially, their divergent interests. Htatistics ta.ken in ISSU and 189,a show that the number of persons out of every 1,000 supported by agriculture in the former year was 425, whereas by the latter it had fallen to 357, and that meanwhile the contrary movement had taken place in industiy, for in 1882 355 xiersons out of every 1,000 were supported by industry, which figures had risen to 391 by 1895. The number of peoiilc sux)portcd by commerce had also increased from 100 to 115 in every 1,000 of the total population of the Empire. Such facts need no comments, and mark well the progress of events. At the present time the agricultural party are dissatisfied with the working of the tariff treaties, which, they say, uufairly benefit the industrialists at their expense by admitting foreign grains at specially low duties in order to secure better markets abroad for industrial produce. Tliey have even gone so far as to demand that these treaties should be canceled. It is now, however, quite understood that their claims will be fully recognized iu the new commercial treaties of 1904; and the Government has practically pledged itself to promote all interests alike, whether industrial or agricultural. Tlie inaiuteiiaiice of homo agriculture is also, from a military xioint of view, most necessary to the state in order not to be eutirelj' depeudeot on foreign food supplies. FUTURE COmiERCIAL VAREARE AND THE PARIS EXHIBITION IN 1900. During the past two years, 1897 and 1898, two subjects have been prominently before the German public in connection with commercial questions of the future. One is the work being done in preparation for the 1904 treaties, as mentioned above, and the other is the action being taken with regard to the Paris Exhibition of 190O. Both are intimately connected with the future sUitus of German trade in the next decade. The twentieth century will certainly be one in which commercial warfare will assume au im¡)ortancc never known before. Questions connected with trade are every day becoming more ]>rominent, and they occasionally even throw political ones into the shade. The competition for the world's markets must necessarily becomo keener as the struggle for existence becomes more severe. In Germany no effort will be .spared, either on behalf of the Government or of private persons, to avail them¬ selves of every possible means to establish the commercial relations of the Germaii Empire on a firmer and more impregnable basis than ever. The meams to this end have been most carefully considered by the State and are already being carried out with method and zeal on all sides. It must be considered as a most fortunate eirciunstance for the Germans that, at the Paris Exhibition of 1900, it will be possible for them to exhibit to the world—;iust three years before negotiating the new commercial treatie.s—the range and wealth of all their present productive power. The importance of impressing other countries as to their twentieth century possibilities in every branch No. 7 24 1684 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, of iiuTuiitvial production is evident, especially if they can, on that occasion, satisfactorily demonstrate to them their equality if not sujxuiority to Croat Britain in some directions. In any case it will be clearly shown at Paris— for the iirst time on a very larfie scale—how remarkable is the similarity of the bulk of German and Biitish products, i)articularly in textiles and in the melal industries. Tiie German Government has voted a sum of £250,000 for the expenses of the German exhibits at the Paris Exhibition, while the British Government has granted a much smaller sum toward the expenses of the British section. In England, unfortunately, the immense value of such internal ional exhibitions is not realized as it should be, and many British manufacturers are even opposed to exhibiting on such occasions. SmJi an attitude will be bitterly regretted some day when the folly of having lost such an o])portunity is at last realized. If, at this coming Paris Exhibition, the Biilish exhibits are allowed to be in any way inferior to the German, either in range or (piality—instead of being, as (hey ought to be, far superior—there Avill niost certainly result some injury to British trade. And this injury is all the more likely to ensue fiom the important fact that at this exhibition, for the lirst time, the same kinds of i)r()(lucts from diffei'cnt countries will be shown alongside one another, so that any deliciencies in British exhibits will be .all the more marked in the eyes of foreign customers. This new dei)arturc of not exhibiting cn nt(ts>:r the whole of one c.ountry's i)roducts in a separate section makes it all the more incumbent upon British merchants to strain every nerve to show their very best commodities of all kinds. Great Britain can no longer atford not to make every effort to maintain in the eyes of her foreign customers a "grai)hic" representation—such as that available at the Paris lixhiljition—of her twentieth-century capabilities of production, which are greater than the German, and which ought to be forcibly driven home to some minds that are beginning to doubt the fact. If this is not done in 1900 at Paris, such a splendid and public opportunity of doing it efíectually will not soon occur again, and ground once lost is not easily regained. ANGLO-GEKMAN COJIWERCIAE RELATIONS. Though the geiier.al commercial relations of Germany with foreign powers is too large a subject to include here, it is necessary to explain shortly the position in which the United ivingdom (including her colonies aud imssessious) now stands as regards the German Empire. The (mmmercial relations of the two countries had been governed ever since 1865 by the commercial treaty with the " Zollverein," dated May 30 of that year. Another treaty of navigation with Prussia of August 16, 1865, ran concurrently with it, as was provided for by a special clause. It was not until July 30, 1897, that Her Majesty's Government notilied the German Government (in accord¬ ance with the clause allowing of termination at one ye.àr's notice on cither side) of their decision to cancel the commercial treaty at the expir.ation of one year from that date. As is well known this stc]) was taken in order to enable G, of exports stands at £15,779,500—chielly to Austria,-llnngary, Switzerland, Great Britain, and Russia. German trade with all tlie British colonics and jxissessions in 1889 was valued at £11,182,900, being £7,518,000 for imports from and £3,00-1,300 for exports to tiiein. lu 1890 it stood at £20,801,750, being £15,270,700 for imports from and £5,525,050 for exports to them. The imports from the colonies consist almost entirely of raw materials tiecessary to German iralustries. In 1890, according to German statistics, the value of the international "s¡)ecial" trade of the two Empires with one another—that is, of Great Britain and her colonies and x'ossessions on the one side aTid Germany on the other—was almost the same, the difference being merely one of £1,077,500. The imports from the British Empire amounted to £42,842,350, as against a value of £41,104,850 for exports to it from the Germmi Empire. A comparison of the total "special" trade of the United Kingdom and Germany in the three years 1895-1897 (after due allowance for the changes in statistics on January 1, 1897) shows the following results: For England there are in 1890 and 1897 rises in tlie value of imports of £28,827,954 and £0,003,205, and in exports an increase of £14,255,535 in the former year and a decrease of £5,925,8-13 in the latter. For the Germans are found, in those years, increased imp)orts of £9,324,700 and £14,095,194, and for exports a rise of £10,301,500 in 1890, but a slight fall of £220,300 in 1897. The net results of this comparison of the total exports of the two countries is, therefore, in 1897, a balance of £5,099,543 (being £5,925,843 as compared with £220,300) in favor of Germany on that year's transactions. But this was owing almost entirely to the English loss of £5,248,000 in "cotton and cotton goods" in that year, a very large irart of which was caused by the severe fall in price for the enormous British exports of that commodity. C.—MARITIME INTEi;i2ST8. THE RISE OF MARITIME IKTERESTS. Among the many directions in which the German Empire has been pushing its economic expansion as a powerful European State in recent years, none is more remarkable than the line of development of its maritime interests, in the broad sense of the term, which includes shipbuilding, carrying power, and oversea commerce, together with its necessary protection as represented by a iiav,\'. tíea interests and sea power are the natural corollaries of trade interests and industrial power; and they to-day talio a leading place iu German politics, whereas up to quite recent times they were of very secondary importance to politicians, and still less to the nation at large. DEVELOPMENT OF SIIIPBUILDIRG AND STATE AID. It is, however, only since 1881 that, moved by national considerations, the German Government decided to foster the growth of shipbuilding; but the intention to do so did not take practical shape until the first subsidy bill of 1885. By this action they afforded material support to the colonial and commercial aspirations of the Empire. Though the principle then laid down has since been extended, it is almost entirely due to the energy of private individuals that such a liigh level of efliciency in this direction has been attained, that at the present time the German shipbuilding yards have been offered more orders than they can ]>ossibly carry out. There are now being constructed for the Hamburg-American Steamship Comi)any fourteen new largo ships of 144,980 tons, and a further nine of a tonnage of 78,380 tons are building for the North-German Lloyd. Together, therefore, the immense total of 223,300 tons of shipbuihling are now being built for these two companies, of which all but four ships of 31,300 tons are iaid down in German yards. And it is not only magnificent merchant sbip- Xiing that has been and is being constructed, but also large numbers of me]i of-war, both for the German navy and for foreign nations. In 1897 as many as eight were iaunclied. The German Government lias not, however, largely .subsidized or assisted Hie construction of ships, as lias been the case iu other countries. They have merely followed out their usual jiolicy of affording a very moderate amount of protection to the young or straggling home industry, in order to enabie it to have a fair chance of com- 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1689 peting \YÍtli already existing foreign competitors. Tlie most important form of subsidy is by postal contracts for mail services by quick steamers, tliongli it is frankly acknowledged that other important objects are kept in view throughout, such as the indirect advantages that ivould accrue to German trade, the gain to the Empire by the increase of material for forming an efficient naval reserve, the utilization of tiie fast steamers as cruisers in time of war, and last, but not least, the coveted means of favoring home industries. Conformity with admiralty requirements, the use of German materials and products as far as possible (including coal), and the construction of the new vessels in the shipbuilding yards of the Empire, are among the chief conditions of contract. BRITISH Axn GERIIAX HAIL SUBSIDIES COHPARED. These subsidies, which are only enjoj-ed by two steamship lines—the North-German Lloyd and the East-African Line—amount at the present time to £:124,.5()() a year for direct postal subsidies and to £l!),LAh for other separate payments for carriage of mail bags chieliy. to North America, by lines other than the two above mentioned. The total expenditure is, therefore, LAfî.T.ëO a year in Germany : whereas the similar postal subsidies paid to British com])a,!nes amount to £0.");í,27(i this year, and the sum expended by Her Tdajesty's Government for the right to use certain fast steamers as cruisers, in case of naval warfare, amounts to an additional £18,000 yearly. No such payments are made by the German Government to any of their lines of steamers, even when the ships are built on admiralty lines. But they ean be rei[uisitioncd under the law of June 13, 1873, for war purposes. To other German ship])ing eomiianies, of which there arc many, nothing is iiaid to assist their development, but they may occa.sionally receive payment for single mail bags carried out of the above-mentioned small sum. '■PREFERENTIAL" RAIX.AVAY RATES FOR AIATERIALS FOR SHIPBUILDING. There are, however, two other forms of assistance given, of which "preferential," or "special," railway freights for certain German materials for shipbuilding are the most inqiortant, inasmuch as their direct object is to oust the lu'oducts of rival industrial countries. This principle has been recently further extended in consequence of a direct combination of the leading shipbuilders and icon and steel works owners, who have obtained from the .State railways still further freight concessions for such materials. The other form of aid is that certain specified articles and requisites for the fitting out of ships are admitted duty free under A'arious decrees. These at present benefit the foreigner. A small indirect bounty on shipping is also afforded by the very low combined freight rates by rail and sea from inland parts of the Empire, via Hamburg, to ])orts in the Levant and East Africa, which induces shipment by two German steamer lines in jireference to transport by other lines. THE FUTI RE OF SIIIPBFILDING. But, independently of this artificial stimulus, the progre.ss of shipbuilding is yearly receiving greater encour¬ agement from the daily increasing improvement in methods of production and from the gradually extending facilities of carriage, which are the natural results of the industrial and commercial iirosperity. The new Dortmund-Ems Ganal will enable a cheaper transport of Yfestphalian coal and iron to the seaports, and it will thereby benefit the employment of home products, to the exclusion of foreign goods, in the construction of ships. And the further projected extension of the already extensive network of canals, at a cost, it is said, of perhaps £20,01)0,000, for a midland and other branch canals, joining from east to west the chief rivers of Germany, will certainly add to the possibilities of providing at a cheaper price the materials necessary for shipbuilding, now one of th.e most important national industries. The immen.se development of this industry is, be it noticed, almost entirely confined to steam tonnage. The large falling off in the sailing tonnage of the German mercantile marine is considered to be umsatisfaotory from the point of view of training crews for sea service, and it is partly on account of this consideration that the Government now do a great deal to develop the fishing lieets of the Baltic and North Sea. The iron and steel industries have now attained great proficien(;y in every kind of production, and are daily advancing further their standard of Avork. Aided by the Government, they will, probably, soon reach the point at Avhich they can supjily all the materials which are still coming from the United Kingdom for the construction of ships. A characteristic sign of the times is the fact that Krup]), the famous maker of ordnance, has recently acquired the "Germania" shipbuilding yard at Kiel, whereby he Avill be able to turn out men-of-war, complete throughout with fittings and armaments, all "made in GerinanjL" BRITISH PROSPECTS OP CONTINUING TO SUPPLY AIATERIALS FOR SHIPBUILDING TO GERMAN YARDS. Though the position of shiphiiildiiig in Germany is most satisfactory, and has received an unexpected impetus from the pa.ssing of the naval bill in the spring of 1898, whieli authorized an expenditure of large sums ou new men of-wmr daring the next six ycaixs, yet the Germans themselves acknowledge that they are still behind Great 1690 IMISCELLANEOUS. [JANL'AIÎY, Britain in some respects, and must not, on any account, rest on tiie laurels already won. Tlierefore a keener competition than ever must be expected by the British public in every branch of trade connected with shi])building, as, indeed, in all the metal trades. One of the advantages that has hitherto told in favor of the English manu¬ facturers of some materials required in the construction of ships is the more rapid delivery orders and the cheaper price. The great struggle on the iicrman side has been to equal tliis promptness in the execution of orders and to bring down the ])ricc. These objects are, no donbt, being yearly more nearly attained. Consequently it is of vital importance that English manufacturers should take far more care than ever before to maintain these two gradnally diminishing advantages in competing with similar German products. There is also a general conviction among Germans, which will have far-reaching and decidedly disadvantageous results in the course of years to hhiglish competition, that the condition of shipbuilding Avill only become quite satisfactory when the materials employed are exclusively of German production and manufacture. In conclusion, it Avill bo instructive to submit hero two recent proofs of the very high standard of production now obtaining in the German Empire: Eirst, during October of this year, the ''Schichau" Yard at Elbing (near Danzig) achieved the feat of building several torxiedo destroyers of USO tons and of 0,000 horsepower, Avhich, it is reported, on their trial trips gave a siieed of 40;J miles (or 05 kilometers) an hour, a speed, it is believed, hitherto uuequaled. Secondly, an instance of good workmanship is afforded by the fact that, also during October, 1898, at a trial range near Washington, it rvas proved, on the occasion of trials of heavy armor x)Iates to be used for new United States men-of-war, that those manufactured by Krupp's new method rvere superior to Harvey's, Avith which the ironclads of the United States are now armed. Brojecílles Avhich x>ierced a harveyized G-inch x)late failed to penetrate Krupp's xilato. And the opinion Avas ex^iressed that a Krupp 12-incli xilate was equal to any other armor plate of 13J inches in thickness. THE NAVY BILL OE 1898, AND REASONS FOR ITS INTRODUCTION. One of the most important economic moAmments now taking i)lace in Germany is the development of her maritime interests. The mercantile marine and "over-sea" interests had developed to such an extent that recently the Government obtained the consent of the nation to add largely to its navy. During the year 1897 continuous efforts had been made to bring this (piestion prominently before the public, and to point out the absolute necessity of a large increase of the navy in order to adequately protect Germany's growing maritime interests. The introductory statement of the bid x>resentcd to the Eeichstag in Kovember gaA'e great prominence to the folloAving considerations of general interest in connection with the iicav programme, namely, that during the last tAveuty years the increase of imports and exports, the rapid investment of capital abroad, the acquisition of colonies, the flourishing iisheries. and the rapidly-increasing population had greatly added to German "over-sea" interests, but that at the same time this expansion had brought Avith it the danger of a conflict with the interests of foreign nations, Avhich must be provided against by an increase of the navy, for any injury to these maritime interests would entail serious consequences ou the avIioIc country. THE FINANCIAL EXPENDITURE SANCTIONED FOR THE INCREASE OF TIIE NAVY. The bill, as eventually passed on April 10,1898, proAuded that the nonrecurring expenditure should not exceed £20,445,000, of which £17,835,000 was to bo devoted to the construction of ships and their armameuts. The German fleet will then be brought up to a total strength of 17 battle ships of the line, 8 coast-defense vessels, 9 large and 2G small cruisers, besides a variety of torpedo and other small craft. It is thought ami hoped that, in consequence of the faA'orable state of the revenues of the Empire, a total sum of £5,870,274 a year can easily be devoted exclusively to the annual naval budget of the next six years, by Avhich time the additions to the fleet are to be completed. THE MATERIAL BENEFITS TO THE NATION BY THE INCREASE OF TIIE NAVY. At the end of 1903 some £35,000,000 Avill probably have been expended; but in return it is contended that Germany will be in the strong position of being able to prevent any effective blockade of its coasts, which, by excluding neutral ships, would be disastrous to the nation in time of aa-arfare. And in times of peace there will be a very material addition of naval poArer, which can be exerted in different parts of the world in extending German influence and in protecting German interests. It must also bo remembered that, avíí ja a population increasing at tlic rate of 000,000 a year, it is absolutely necessary, from a German point of view, to provide security in the future for uninterrupted importation ami exportation, for that increase in numbers cau only be supported by tlic productiveness of iiidnstiies for the very existence of Avhich continuous imports of food and of raiv material, as well as regular exports of manufactures, arc absolutely essential in order to uphold the vitality of the nation. 1899.] MISCIÍLLANEOUS. 1691 D.—TRAFFIC INTERESTS. DEVELOPMENT AND CAPABILITIES OF TRAFFIC. The growth of traffic by laud and sea has been remarkable since 1871, and nothing affords a better insight into German develoinnent. Probably few countrie.s have shown such a rapid development of carrying power. The capabilities of inland trafile in Germany may be gatiiered from the statement that the country possesses 28,5GG miles of broad-gauge railways and 8,017 of navigable, natural, and artificial waterways. Coth these branches of traffic have been energetically developed by the Government, especially since the i)olitical union of tlic German States in 18GG, under the leadership of Prussia. Previous to that date there was no mutually worked-out scheme either of waterways or railways. Each State of the old Germanic Confederation had worked more or less independently in these matters; and with the foundation of the German Empire in 1871 still further facilities fora uniform development of means of transport were secured. The German Government has systematically tried to establish in the country a combined network of water¬ ways and railways; and they have recognized the practicability of both working well together, the canals taking the bulky part of the heavy traffic which does not require rapid transport. As a result of these endeavors it is now specially claimed that nearly all the waterways of Germany have been rendered available for steamers, which is a most important point for modern traffic requirements. Without it canals are nowadays comparatively of little use. CANALS AND RAILWAYS IN GERMANY ARE BOTH STATE UNDERTAKING.S. There is a striking contrast, which is most characteristic of the two countries, between the way in which the network of canals arose in Great Britain and in Germany. In the former it was the result of imrelj^ private or individual efforts, whereas in the latter it has throughout been the outcome of State or public enterprise. And the same may he said of the railways since 1879. In the German Empire both are equally great State undertakings; and it is a recognized principle that their care and development is one of the most important fmictioiis of both the Imperial and of the Federated State Governments, who, working in unison, devote to these special objects all their energies and, what is more to the point, enormous suins of public moneys. On consulting the map of Germany one is much struck by the great facilities of water carriage with which she is favored. Tlicro is a very long seacoast, and a river and canal length of about 8,047 miles, of wdiich one balf consists of canals or canalized streams. In the United Kingdom there is also a large canal system of long standing, but with this great difference, that few of tlic canals arc available for steamers, while the contrary is the case in Germany. Statistics (latest returns, 1888) allot to England ;),S:j7 miles of canals. DEVELOPMENT OF WATERWAYS—EXPENDITURE ON CANALS. In the past immense sums have been spent on the German canals and on the canalization of rivers, and it seems likely that still larger amounts will be expended in the near future on extending the waterways. The sums allotted by Prussia for the creation of new or for the improvement of existing water communications during the period 1889-81 to 1899-93 amounted to £17,875,350, some of which has not yet been actually expended. There are other largo sums involved since that date in incoinxdeted canals. PROJECTED NEW CANALS. Of new projects there are many, of which the Dortnuind-Ehine Canal and the Great Midland Ganal (joining from the east to west the rivers Elbe, We.ser, and Khine) arc the mosc important. The first involves an expendi¬ ture of over £8,000,000 altogether, and the second is variously ostiinated at from £10,000,000 to £20,000,000, according to its eventual scope. The latter is intended to amalgamate the eastern and western waterways of the nation and to join the Dortimmd-Ems Canal a to the Rhine systeni, in order to give the latter river an outlet to the sea via a German port, instead of only through jiorts in the Ketlierlands. It will also place the Ehinc-Main- Daimbe connection in direct communication with all tlie streams of Xorth Germany. Indications arc not wanting to show that a greater ellbrt than e\-er before will soon be made to farther extend the waterways of Germany, among which may be mentioned the declaration of th.e minister of agriculture that the building of canals forms a part of his policy and the statement of the minister of public works that the assistance of the canals was absolutely necessary to the railways in order to be able to deal satisfactorily with the enormously increasing traffic. «This canal has been building for some time, and it is hoped that its entire length (030 kiloms.) will bo open for navigation in the spring or summer of 1899. No. 7 25 1692 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, IDEA OF A MID-EUROFEAN OANAL JOININO EIIINE, ELBE, AND ODER TO THE DANUBE. A far-reacliing scheme of international importance is also advocated by an "Anstro-German Society of Inland Waterways," and consists in the construction of a mid-European canal, which is intended to connect, by good, navi¬ gable canals, the Ehine, Elbe, and Oder with the Danube, and with perhaps a branch to join the Eussian canal system. It is pointed out that the opening of the Iron Gates to shipping removed the great impediment which formerly existed to an extensive mid-European system of through water traffic. The vista thus opened up of future possibilities to the advantage of central Europe is immense, and is a marked contrast to the idea that canals are rather things of the past than effective factors in the future for the rpiickening of a country's economic development. ATTITUDE OF AGRICULTURISTS AND INDUSTRIALISTS ÏOAVARD CANALS. The attitude adopted by the partisans of agriculture and industry, as regards canals, has been widely divergent. The agricultural party, generally, are opposed to the extension of the waterways on the ground that, although directly benefiting grain growers in the country by a cheaper carriage, it must in most cases also cheapen the transport of the inevitably large imports of foreign corn which enter the German Empire, thereby lowering the home [)rices to the general detriment of the home producers. And it must be remembered that, at any rate until the expiration, at the end of 1903, of the [)rincii>al tariff treaties of the Empire with foreign Power's, the German Government could not raise the import duties on grains so as in any way to comxiensate the agriculturists for any loss incurred. The much larger number of persons, however, whoso interests lie in the great industries are naturally strongly in iiivor of improved and extended waterways, for such improved communications would further lower the cost ol transport from the coast inland of the raw materials required for the industries and also the outward transport oí the finished products of those industries. Moreover, they have not to face the same danger as the agriculturists; for such raw materials as come from abroad arc, as a recognized xirinciplc, usually admitted duty free, and ol finished manufactures, the exactly similar foreign imports are not so very numerous, and those that are have to pay, on entry, a duty high enough to [irotect the German industries effectively from any serious competition. Such an extension of the radius of cheapier water communications in Germany will also further facilitate the exxiortation of industrial and mining products, principally coal, which will inevitably result in still keener com¬ petition with British similar commodities both in Germany and abroad in the markets of the world. THE INTRODUCTION OF STATE RAILWAYS ON THE CONTINENT. In view of the very imxiortant i>art xilaycd by German State railways and on account of the amount of attention that this question has recently received in England, a somewhat detailed account of its adoxition, working, and results is given in Part II of this report. It was in 1879, three years subsequent to the comxdetion of Bismarck's imxierial railway scheme, that Prussia finally adoiited the system of State railways as now understood by that term; and by doing so she set an examxile that was soon followed by other countries. The continental nations, like Great Britain, began with private rail¬ way companies; but, unlike her, they have mostly altered their views for various reasons. REASONS FOR ESTABLISHING STATE RAILWAA'S. In Germany the change to State lines was not only brought about by xiolitical and, especially, by strategical reasons, but also by the firm conviction that such a system was absolutely needed in order to give full scoxie to the aspirations of a new commercial and industrial German Emx>ire. And it must be said that Bismarck's railway Xiolicy, during the twenty years of its existence, has had au enormous success both as regards the development ol the network of the lines themselves and with respect to the marvelous effect that they, in conjunction with other economic factors, have had on the exxiansion of commerce and industries. The State railway system has this great advantage over private companies in develoxiing the country's resources, that those places which would bo left without means of transport by the latter system are not so left by the former; for the paying portion of the lines worked by the Government compensate for the nonremunera- tive sections, and the public generally benefit considerably. One of the xirincipal objects aimed at was a simxili- fication of freights, together with greater uniformity and cheapness. A monopoly of the magnitude of the German ¡State railways, extending over 29,381 miles of lines, has an immense power over the destinies of a country from many points of view. And when one also considers the State ownership of 8,617 miles of canals and other inland waterways, the power that can effectively be wielded for the common good of the nation can be to some extent realized. 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1693 SO-CALLED " TEEPERENTIAL " RAILWAY RATES AND TDE REASONS FOR THEIR INTRODUCTION. One very useful application of tliis power is to be found in the so-called " preferential," but better termed "exceptional" or "difíerential," railway tariffs, which imply specially reduced rates for particular kinds of goods with often certain limitations as to destination. The Prussian minister of public works, in October, 188-1, stated that the objects of snch reduced freight had been and in the future would be the following: 1. To assist agriculture and industries by granting low rates of transport for raw materials or "subsidiary" materials. 2. To assist German manufacturers in competition with foreign importers at home, and to assist German exiiort trade abroad. 3. To assist German x>orts in competition with foreign ports. 4. To look after the interests of German railways and waterways in competition with those of foreign nations. Moreover, he added that these "exceptional" tariffs would only be granted to foreign goods if no injury could thereby result to a home competing industry or enterprise, or if, by being so admitted and yet causing some injury, there were nevertheless some compensating advautagas on the German side. Under the latter head were included the "interests of German shipping, those of the home consumer, and those of the railways themselves." This power has been widely used in all the directions indicated to iiromoto the productive power of the Empire, as well as its maritime and commercial interests. RESULTS OP THE WORKING OP TUE STATE RAILWAYS. It is but fair to add, however, that np to the present time Germany has worked the State railways gen¬ erally (apart, perhaps, from some "preferential" rates) on strictly business lines, and many people hold the opinion that extreme " preferential" rates would not bo granted to any kind of goods if they involved a serious reduction in income, for it should be remembered that the surplus yield of these railways is one of the chief sources of revenue to the German State which, from a fluancial point of view, efl'ected an excellent piece of business by converting the railways into State lines, as also by sub:seqnently reducing the rate of interest on the railway loans from 4^ per cent to 4 per cent and to per cent. The actual capital expended on the broad-gauge system up to 1S9G-97 was £;")8i),180,GOO, or about £20,310 per mile. In 1897 the gross receipts were £79,399,850, the working expenses stood at £44,209,500, and the excess of the former over the total expenditure was £35,190,350, or a return ofO-,,% per cent on the invested capital. The Prussian railway debt for i)urchasiug private lines in order to establish the State system had been £351,183,539 altogether. Notwithstanding the many concessions already made by the state railways administration, it appears that some leading commercial and industrial men are of opinion that the general railway rates are not yet low enough to give full play to the productive powers of the country, and that even with further reductions the profits might be still larger from the increased commercial and industrial activity that would probably ensue. And, in conclu¬ sion, it must bo said that in Germany the system of state railways has been a great success. THE DEVELOPMENT OP LIGHT RAILIVAYS. In contradistinction to the broad-gauge railways, which almost entirely now belong to the state, the light rail¬ ways have always been and remain private enterprises, strongly supported by tlie agricultural party in Germany. That their efforts have been successful is shown by tlie fact that tliere are now 818J miles of such lines in the Empire laid down at a total cost of £3,823,050, or about £4,070 per mile. None of tiiese are state railways. Under the Prussian laws they were expected to bo built solely by private capital and with pecuniary assist¬ ance from various municipal associations ("Kommuiialverbände"), though eventually in 1895 the Government came to their aid with funds from the railway budget because these "municipal" contributions were so small. Up to tlie present £1,050,000 has been allotted by the Prussian state to further the construction of light rail¬ ways where they are necessary, but only on condition of there being no reasonable prospect of inivate companies obtaining a fair return on the capital to be invested. VIEWS OF THE AGRICULTURAL PARTY ON LIGHT RAIIAVAYS. The agricultural party contend that these narrow-gauge lines are very necessary in developing the agricultural resources of the countrjy and should form an important part of home politics. They urge that to a great extent industries follow the broad-gauge railways, which is not possible in the case of agriculture, the products of which must be carried by light railways in order to quicken the latent possibilities of agriculture. They point out that the Government should well be able with such a profitable system of state lines to aflbrd them assistance, although the yield of narrow gauges are small. They also contend that as the strategical interests are now fully secured by 1694 MISCELLANEOUS. [Januaky, the present extent of the broad-gauge system, a strong opposition should be directed by the agrarians against any further dcvelopnieut in that direction; but that every effort, on the other hand, should be made by them to obtain an increase of the network of light railways through state assistance. Part II.—1. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. UKVELOl'MENT OP COMMERCIAL INTERESTS. Aided by the state and protected by a moderate tariff' from severe foreign competition, German industries and commercial enter^ulses of all kiud.s came into existence, developed, and llouri.shed. This took place much more rapidly than in most other conntrie.s, partly because when the opiiortunity came the Germans benefited by the knowledge and exiierience of older industrial states which they took e.arc to study closely, and upon which they often improved. PROTECTIVE I'ARIPP OP ]o79, AND LATER HISTORY. After a period of so-called " free-trade" principles, jirotecfion was again adoiited in Germany with the intro¬ duction of the 1879 tariff, which effected many sweeping changes at the instance of both the agricultural and industrial parties. The grain and wood duties, abolislied in 180-1, were reintroduced, and a new petroleum duty was adopted. Those on coffee, wine, rice, tea, tobacco, cattle, and textiles were raised. Those on iron were restored; and others were placed on many new articles formerly admitted free. In J885 the tariff was again revised, especially in the direction of trebling the grain and of doubling the wood duties. Tliose on cattle, brandy, etc., were raised at the same time. The year 1887 saw anotlier general rise of duties. But, on the other hand, some reductions in the tariff for most-favored nations came about in 18.83 and in 1889 in consequence of the tariff' Ueaties made with Switzerland and Spain. Other reductions were made by the four tarifl'treaties of 1891 with Belgium, Italy, Austria-llungary, and Switzerland, and again in 1898 and 1893, when like treaties were respec¬ tively made with Servia and Bonmania. Increases in some duties took place in 1891 and 1895, such as those on cotton seeds, perfumes, ether, and honey. Such, briefly, has been the history of the present tariff, Vvdiich has, generally speaking, become more and more protective while making, in certain specia.l cases, some reductions in consequence of the above-mentioned tariff' treaties, which had also to be extended, by virtue of existing most-favored-natioii treaties, also to most European and to many extra-European countries. Difficulties often arise in individual states of the Empire as to the application of the general customs tariff'. Each state has still full power to interpret its ap]dication, and divergent decisions may easily arise as to the duty applicable to any article not spcciflcally described therein. It was partly on this account that, in February, 1898, new custom-house regulations were issued as to inl'ormation to be given beforehand as to duties chargeable at each custom-house. This measure was adopted by the German Government as a palliative, as it was fully recognized that it was not possible to entirely abolish " customs anomalies," as they were called during a debate in the Beich- stag, in which it- was also stated that a wish had been ex])ressed that que.stions aiising from customs duties should be submitted for settlement to the law courts. Thi.s the Federated states could not allow, as it would only lead to still more divergent dcci.sions. And it was stated that one single .siqircmc court for the Empire, having jurisdiction in such cases, would be most desirable, but that so long as the present constitution held good each state had complete control over the collection of duties and the interpretation of the customs tariff. The only appeal against such decisions lies to the .Bundesrath, or federal council, at which the representatives of each state sit. Negotia¬ tions have been attempted for the purpose of obtaining a supreme customs court for the Empire, but so far without success. CONSTRUCTION OF I'RESENT (lERMAN TAUIFF. It will be well to describe shortly here the German tariff. It is not an exccs.sive tarii'f; on the contrary, it is a moderate one, but effective enough in affording to the homo producer ample inotectiou against foreign competition, though this is not acknowledged by the agricultural section of the community. The principles of the present tariff' have, as was mentioned above, been in force since 1879, since when, however, it has often been altered. The whole of it did not come into force at once, but only that part referring to certain classifications, such as iron, tools, etc. Special dates were fixed on which certain other parts were to be applied; and it was not until January 1, 1880, that the whole of the remainder became effective. A gradual transition was thus brought about from the former "free-^ 'ade" jirinciples to xirotection. All the duties are on imports; there are none on exports. The German tariff is an extremely simple one as compared with those of other countries on the Gontineiit. There arc 43 sections, and under each of these there are found a moderate number of subdivisions. Nearly all duties are calculated by weight; that is to say, at so 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1695 mucE per 100 kilos., gross or net, certain tare allowances being made for some goods, according to the nature of the packing. These allowances are placed oi)pQSite the duties in the tariff and are so much per cent of the gross weight. "autonomous" and "treaty" tarief duties. There is one fixed rate of duty, known as the "autonomous" or general tariff, for all countries, except for those which have direct tari if treaties with Germany, or which, by virtue of a most-favored-natioii clause, indirectly enjoy the same privileged lower rates as those granted to tariff treaty countries. These lower duties, noted in the official tariff in italics, both for the article and the duty, form, however, a lower "treaty" or "conventional" tariff. Thns, though there is, properly speaking, no maximum and minimum tariff, it practically amounts to tliat as regards all goods mentioned in the tariff treaties, which only exist with the following countries: Greece (July 9, ISSl); Belgium, Italy, and Austria-Hungary (all dated December (i, 1891); Switzerland (December 10, 1891); Servia (August 21, 1892); Itoumania (October 21, 1893), and Kussia (February 10, 1891). There is also a tariff treaty with Japan of April 4, 1896, which comes into force on January 1, 1899, for a period of twelve years certain, but in it no concessions are made by Germany. But most-favored-nation treaties exist with all the other European countries, (a) except Great Britain (since July 30, 1898), Spain (since May, 1894), and Portugal (since February, 1892). ^Vith many extra-European countries most-favored-nation treaties also exist. PREPARATIONS FOR THE 1904 NEW COMMERCIAL TREATIES. The preparations for the negotiation of the new commercial treaties which are to replace those which expire on January 1, 1904, were begun in Germany as early as 1897. Immense trouble has been and is being taken by the Government to obtain thoroughly reliable data on which to work, as they were by no means content merely to elabo¬ rate a new tariff on the wide experience already gained from the working of the seven commercial treaties of 1891 to 1893. The steps taken to effect this end were as follows: A special committee was established at the Treasury to draw up a freshly classified tariff so as to enable the Government, when negotiating with foreign countries for tariff treatie.s, to handle separately many of the articles now grouped under one single rate of duty. This preliminary work was partly completed in the last days of September, 1898; and the newly drawn up classifications were then sent out to the Federated States for their approval and suggestions before being submitted to the representatives of trade, industry, and agriculture for their views. No altered rates of duty whatever ditJ'ering from the present tariff were then inserted, for they can not bo fixed or even discussed until much later, when the Imperial Government shall be in possession of all the new material they are now collecting. This committee consisted of 30 members, of whom 15 were nominated by the imperial chancellor and 5 each by the central corporations of German commerce, industry, and agriculture. One of their chief duties is to examine the possibilities of developing exportation and of substituting homo products for imported articles, while according due regard to the ultimate effects economically, especially as regards the woikinan's necessaries of life. Other special work for the use of this committee is also being carried out, such as a compilation of the commercial and navigation treaties from 1872 to 1897 -(a volume of such treaties from 1851 to 1872 had already been imblished), a detailed comparison of German tratle with other countries from 1880 to 1896, and a systematic cominlation of the customs tariffs of all nations. Complete statistics on production in Germany, a work hitherto unaccomplished, are also being obtained for all branches of trade, and some of these seem to be approaching comxiletioii at the present time. A private commercial information bureau in Berlin (called the " Centralstelle," for preparing data for the new treaties) has also started an organized system of collecting statistics, etc., with the object of assisting the Government. It published pamplilets written by able economists and others on different subjects connected with this work of drawing up the new treaties of 1904. development of german commerce, 1871 to 1896. The development of German commerce since the foundation of the Empire in 1871 is now traced. The alterations that have taken place in statistics are explained in this account of trade as they occur in date. Total " general " trade is not dealt with, as it is thought more satisfactory to treat only of " special" commerce. The total value of German trade in 1872 (i. e., of the Zollverein, but not at that date including Bremen and the greater part of the State of Hamburg and some other small portions of territory outside the customs union) was £279,131,000, or £163,100,000 for "special" imports and £116,031,000 for " special" exports. xVn earlier date can not be given for values, as prior to 1872 only quantities by weight of importation and exportation were given. a See Appendix, Annex No. 1, for complete statement of all treaties. 1696 MISCELLANEOUS. [Januaby, It will bo rcinombcrod thai " special " means, in the first case, imports for home consnmptiou, and, in the second case, exports of domestic produce. In German statistics they include bullion and specie, which have been deducted in all figures quoted in this report in order to make them comparable with Engdish statistics. By 1887 " special " trade had risen to a total of £312,000,000, being £150,235,000 for imports and £155,705,000 for exports. It must, however, be noted that in 1880 considerable changes in the method of collecting statistics of imports and exports were made, so that exact comparisons with the early years of the Empire are not possible. It is only since 1889, after the incorporation of Bremen and the greater part of the state of Hamburg into the "Zollverein," that correct coinxiarisons can be made with trade in late years—that is, up to the end of 189C only, for 1888 and 1897 form complete breaks in continuity. In 1889 the total "special" trade was£359,090,000, being £200,755,000 for imports and£158,.335,000 for exports. By 1S9G it had become £371,930,000, or £200,0.35,000 for imports and £105,895,000 for exports. Another complete break in continuity uniortunately occurs on January 1, 1897, on which date,for the first time, a large iiortion of "improvement"' traffic was added to "special" trade returns, which had formerly not been included in it, so tha.t for any years before and after that date no correct comparisons can be made (as fully explained in Foreign Office Beport No. 2010, Annual Scries, 1898). The Gennan imperial statistical office published in .June, 1898, a statement comparing 189G and 1897 trade as a whole and for each class of goods, but not for trade with each foreign country, in which all the newly included "improvement" trafiic for inland account was allowed for. But the lately issued complete statistical volume on trade with each foreign country has no comparative table on this subject, except for enabling a comparison of the total trade in imports and exports with each country in 189C and 1897, but not for different classes of goods to each. Nor is any further comxrarison, I believe, to be issued, so that for the coming years one cannot even com¬ pare farther back than the year 1897—a very unfortunate circumstance to those interested in the statistics of the development of trade in Germany. In 1897, after making due allowance for the above-mentioned change in statistics, the total " special " trade was £405,483,550, being £229,453,350 for imports and £170,030,200 for exports. The differences involved by tliis change amounted to large sums. There was thereby arbitrarily added to the total " siiecial " imports £4,482,9.10 and to total "special" exports £5,310,500. After allowing for these differences the result of trade in 1897, as compared with 1890, was an increase for Germany of £14,095,194 for imports, but a decrease of £220,300 for exports. The above figures give an idea of the immense general development of foreign commerce since 1871 and up to the present time. DEtrELOPMENÏ OP ÏEADB IN KAVV MATEIIIALS AND IN MANUFACTURES, 1889 TO 1890. The figures for " special " trade in raw materials and manufactures during the seven years 1889-1890, which are strictly comparable, are most interesting. The value of inqiorted raw materials for industrial purposes was in the former year £88,375,000, weighing 20,802,272 metric tons, and in the latter £94,300,000, weighing 27,482,,'!,32 tons. Meanwhile the value of exported raw materials of German origin was £33,245,000, weighing 15,284,035 tons, and £38,600,000, weighing 21,404,.520 tons. This shows thatboththe importation of foreign raw materials necessary to the home industries and the exportation of German raw products required by foreign industries had immensely developed. Turning to manufactured articles, the value of imxiorts fell from £49,035,000 in 1889 to £46,900,000 in 1896, while that of exports rose from £104,935,000 to £115,000,000 in the same period. There is in the above two comparisons ample demonstration of the satisfactory state of manufacturing industries, which have of course not only developed an increased export value of about £10,000,000 during that time (when prices for manufactures generally have been falling), but they have also to an enormous extent replaced the formerly imported foreign manufactured goods, which latter, even supposing a like population in 1889 and 1896, fell by over £2,600,000 in the nine years. But as a matter of fact the increase in population in that lieriod was about 4,000,000, whose wants in manufactured articles had evidently also been supplied by the German home industries, and their value must have been immense. The increase in imports of food, including cattle and other articles of consumption, was from £61,465,000 in 1889 to £74,100,000 in 1896, while the exports of a similar nature rose from £20,060,000 to £25,780,000. MOVEMENT IN EXPORTATION OF LEADINO GROUPS OF GERMAN INDUSTRIES, 1889 TO 1896. It is well worth mentioning here also the movement in exportation of certain large groups of German indus¬ trial products between the same two years. The figures were for the textile, felt, and clothing trades £8,530,000 and £7,775,000 respectively for raw materials and £45,710,000 and £40,100,000 for manufactures; for machines, tools, and other instruments, £7,505,000 and £10,420,000 respectively; for all metal industries (excepting only the 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS, 1697 preceding category and precions metals): for ores, £720,000 .and £575,000; for rough "nouprecious" metals, also coined (in this are included pig iron, broken and scrap iron, iron loops or blooms, rough rails, and ingots), £2,945,000 and £2,715,000; for roughly worked-up articles (in tliis are included bar and fashioned iron, wheel tires, plowshare iron, wire, plates, sheets, and rolled, etc., of zinc, lead, tin), £4,370,000 and £0,335,000; and for manufactured metal articles £9,050,000 and £11,885,000; for food and other articles of consumption, £4,295,000 and £3,895,000 respec¬ tively for raw materials and £14,170,000 and £17,445,000 for manufactured products; for the chemical and phar¬ maceutical industries, £1,020,000 and £1,815,000 respectively for raw materials and £11,335,000 and £10,220,000 for manufactured articles; for the products of the glass, clay, stone, and asbestos industries, £1,550,000 and £2,115,000 respectively for raw materials and £3.580,000 and £5,035,000 for manufactures; for the products of the leather, oilclotli, and hide industries, £1,070,000 and £2,105,000 respectively for raw materials and £10,185,000 and £8,005,000 for manufactures; for ornamental articles, millinery, and toys, £4,250,000 and £5,045,000; and for literary work and art productions, £3,950,000 and £0,035,000. On studying the chief changes in imports and exports of the Empire from and to all countries we find the following results: For value of imports the principal increases were £8,042,850 (-f 2,505,549 metric tons) for grain, flour, potatoes, etc.; £2,081,050 ( + 138,548 tons) for timber and wood of all kinds; £1,038,000 for tobacco; £1,760,400 for eggs; £1,420,450 for copper; £1,358,700 for linseed; and £1,264,450 for skins and hides. The chief decreases of value were: £2,997,300 (but +23 tons) for silk of all kinds; £2,130,950 (but +30,372 tons) for raw wool; £2,059,400 (but + 48,182 tons) for cotton, raw and waste; and £1,077,550 (but +227,974 tons) for iretroleum. For value of exports the principal increases are: £3,675,500 ( + 400,672 tons) for all kinds of sugar; £2,204,000 for machinery of all kinds; £2,002,050 for books, maps, engravings, etc.; £1,954,450 for fine iron and steel wares; £1,528,550 for dyes; £1,322,300 for coals; £1,051,300 for eoka; £995,300 for rough ironware; £700,000 for paper; £509,100 for leather; £427,000 for cotton (raw and waste); and £300,750 for glass and wares thereof. The chief decreases of value consist of £3,744,750 iu silli manufactures; £1,279,950 for leather wares (except gloves); £624,550 for wearing apparel; £585,100 for woolen manufactures; and £378,650 for ail kinds of spirits. VALUE OP GERMAN TRADE TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES FROM 1889 TO 1896. During this samo seven-year period, 1889-1896, " special" trade stood as follows with the countries mentioned below : COUIÎÏEY. IMPORTS. EXPORTS. 1S89 1890 1889 1896 & £ £ £ Great Britain 33,201,850 27, 505, 650 32, 330,850 35, 639,800 Kussia 20, COO, 550 31,410,050 8,710,500 11,579, 700 Au.strla-IIiiDirary 26, 492, 350 27,312, 600 15,950, 300 19,981,200 United Slates 15, 873,450 26, -115, 200 19, 751, 800 19,102,500 France (a) 13, 509,950 11,470, 750 1 10,407,350 10, 000,550 Belgium 16, 780. 050 8, 600, 300 6, 859, 050 8,396, 850 nolland 1-1,218,000 7,340, 800 12,451,300 13, 082, 000 Switzerland 9,019,300 0, 027, 550 8, 521,450 11,027, 300 Italy 7,427, 850 6, 599, 950 5,075,000 4,179,200 aluclade.s Tunis and Algiers. For German '-special" trade with Eritish colonies and possessions the figures were in the same years: COUNTBY. IMPORTS. ' EXPORTS. 1889 1S96 ¡ 1SS9 1896 £ £ £ £ British Fast Indies 4, 763, 700 8,558,150 1.325,100 2.458,950 British Australasia 1, 722, 900 5,160,200 1,062, 750 1, 462, 350 Cape Colony and Natal (n) 681,050 1, 055, 950 375, 950 782,250 British West Indies 299, 550 S54,700 82,750 56,400 British North America 51,400 147,700 817,750 765,100 alncliulos Bccliuanaland, Basutoland, etc. 1698 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, RKSUI/rS OP TRADE WITH POEEIGN COUNTRIES, 1889 TO 1896, lYc thus sec that Geriuan tiadc, during the above period and with the ahove meiitioiied Europeau countries, was most satisfactory. On analyzing these ligures we lind that, as regards imports, the increases were only from the United States, with £10,5! 1,750; from Kussia, with £5,403,500, and from Austria-Hungary, with £850,250, all three being countries producing on a largo scale grain and other food stuffs, and making a total of £10,795,500, chiefly of imported food for the growing German i)opulation. From the other six countries there is a total decrease of a value of £25,100,000; and, bo it noticed, this reduction is all from nations whose chief imports into Germany are manufactures, clearly thereby showing the great development of German similar industrial products. That sum total consists of the following redactions: Of £8,125,750 from Lelgium; of £0,27],200 from Holland; of £5,690,200 from Great Eritain; of £2,093,200 from France; of £2,091,750 from Switzciland; and of £827,900 from Italy. The very large falling off from llelgium and Holland is, no doubt, also due to less transit trade from other nations (Great Britain, for instance) via those tn'o countries, as Avell as to less imjiorted goods from Belgium and Holland themselves. TRADE OP (iERWANV "WITH GREAT DIUTAIN, 1889 TO 189G. Great Britain's loss of imports into Germany, valued at £5,696,200, from 1889 to 1S9C is to be accounted for by the following reductions: £921,550 for wool and wares thereof; £897,900 for groceries and other articles of consumption; £801,050 in cotton and cotton goods; £765,250 in drugs, pharmaceutical necessaries, and paints; £600,750 for copper and wares thereof; £394,950 in oils and fats (excluding petroleum); £233,850 for caoutchouc and india-rubber goods (but the quantify increased by 495 tons) ; £223,100 in skins and hides; £222,600 for corn and other agricultural produce, and £201,900 for coals, lignite, coke, etc. (but the quantity had increased by 905,326 tons). The only imports that had risen much from Great Britain were £289,850; for tar, pitch, resin, and aS2)halt; £104,950 for linen and wares thereof, and £126,300 for machines and vehicles. As regards exports we iind, on the one hand, merely three reductions, namely, of £890,400 to Italy, of £589,300 to the United States, and of £400,800 to France, or a total of only £1,886,500; while, on the other hand, the value of the sura total of increased exports is £15,779,500, consisting of £4,033,900 to Austria-Hungary, of £3,405,850 to Switzerland, of £3,302,950 to Great Britain, of £2,869,200 to Ilussia, of £1,536,900 to Belgium, and £030,700 to Holland. The bulk of this increase is, of course, of the manufactures and products of all the new industries that have developed so widely in late years. It is remarkable that the movement is especially marked to those nations which are themselves great industrial countries. The increases in German exports to Great Britain in the period under review consisted chiefly of £1,595,400 in groceries, of £1,118,950 in hardware and ironmongery, of £601,100 in drugs, apothecary's wares, and xiaints, of £568,650 in iron and wares thereof, of £344,450 in xtaper and cardboard, of £332,500 in fats and oils, of £326,000 in clay wares, of £218,050 in clothes and undcrlincn, of £179,050 in brush wares, of £172,300 in cotton goods, of £163,850 in glassware. There is only one great decreased export to England, and that is of £1,491,000 for silk goods; but there are also reductions of £250,000 for zinc goods, of £230,150 for cattle, of £189,650 for woolen goods (though the quantity increased by 1,244 tons), and of £177,800 for wooden articles (though 18,001 more tons in weight). GER3IAN TRADE AVITH DRITISII COLONIES AND POSSESSIONS, 1889 TO 1896. On turning to German commerce with British colonies and posses.sions in the same seven-year x)eriod,^we note the following points: From all of them the imports had increased by a value of £7,758,100, consisting of £3,794,450 from the British East Indies, of £3,437,300 from Briti.sh Australasia (which includes New Zealand, Tasmania, etc.), of £374,900 from the Capo and Natal, of £96,300 from Britisli North America, and of £55,150 from the British West Indies. For exports to them, the increases were three—£1,133,850 to the East Indies, £406,300 to the Cape and Natal, and of £399,600 to British Australasia, or a total of £1,939,750; and the decreases were two—£52,650 to British North America, and £26,350 to the West Indies, or a total of £79,000. Here is clearly seen the preponderating importance of British colonial imports into Germany over German exxmrts to the colonies, though the latter are still increasing. This is explained by the importation from them of the immense and yearly increasing quantities of raw materials, such as wool, hides, etc., absolutely necessary to the industries of the German Empire, which they could not possibly do without. This being its chief character, it is also admitted duty free. That small part which does not consist of such raw materials, and which is subject to duty, is of little importance to the colonies. 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1699 COMPARISON OF TRADE OF BRITISH AND GERMAN EMPIRES IN 18S9 AND 1890. Now, on comparing the trade of tlic two Empires together in 1889 and 189C—that is to say, of the Empire of the Federated States of Germany on the one side, and of the British Empire, consisting of the United Kingdom and all her colonies and j)ossessions, on the other—we obtain the following conii)arison: The value of German imi)orts from the British Empire in 1889 was £40,780,150, being £33,261,850 from the United Kingdom and £7,518,600 from all the colonics; by 1896 it had become £42,842,350, being £27,565,650 from the former and £15,276,700 from the latter. The value of German exports to the British Empire in 1889 was £36,001,150, being £32,336,850 to the United Kingdom and £3,064,300 to all the colonies; by 1896 it had become £41,164,850, being £35,639,800 to the former and £5,525,050 to the latter. It will therefore be observed that though the imports from the British Empire as a whole have risen by £2,001,900 from 1889 to 1896, the imports from the United Kingdom (chiefly manufactures) have diminished ( — £5,096,200), while those from the colonies (chiefly raw materials) have increased rapidly ( + £7,758,100), and that the total German exports to the British Empire (chiefly manufactures) have risen by £5,103,700, those to the United Kingdom having increased considerably (+£3,302,950), and those to the colonies having also developed ( + £1,860,750), but very much more than the former in proportion to the total trade involved. Another point to notice is that the international "special" trade between the Britisli and German Ein])ires had up to 1896 approximated more and more to the same total value. In 1889 the difference was £4,779,300 in favor of the former, the figures being £40,780,450 on the British side, and £36,001,150 on the German side. But by 1896 this difference had been reduced to £1,677,500, still on our side, the figures being £42,842,350 for imports from the British Empire, less £41,104,850 for exports to it from the GcT'inan Empire. The actual value, therefore, of the (ierman and British commercial interests involved in their international trade in 1890 was almost identical, the difference being merely one of £1,077,500. This différence for the year 1897 has, however, been increased to one of £2,501,750 in favor of the British Empire. COMPARISON OF TOTAL IMPORTS AND EXPORTS FOR GERMANY AND ENGLAND, 1895 TO 1897. It is instructive to compare (excluding, of course, precious metals) the total imports for home consumption and the total exports of domestic produce for Great Britain and Germany in recent years. The results (after duly allowing for the change in statistics on January 1,1897) are these: For Great Britain the figures given for imports for homo consumption (which do not exist in English statistics) are total imports less reexports, so as to get them approximately in order to compare with German "special" imports. For imports for home consumption we have, then, for 1895, 1896, and 1897, respectively, for Great Britain, £356,747,287, £385,57.5,241, and £391,638,506, and for the German Empire £206,033,450, £215,358,156, and £229,453,350. For exports in domestic produce we then have in the same three years: For Great Britain, £225,890,016, £240,145,551, and £234,219,708, and for Germany, £165,895,000, £176,256,500, and £176,030,200. The net results are, therefore, the following: 1. During 1890, for imports, an increase of £28,827,954 for Great Britain, and of £9,324,706 for the German Empire, and for exports a rise of £14,255,535 for Great Britain, and one of £10,361,500 for Germany. 2. During 1897, for imports, an increase of £0,003,205 for Great Britain, and one of £14,095,194 for the German Empire, and for exports a decrease of £5,925,843 for Great Britain, and one of only £226,300 for Germany. The loss to us of £5,925,843 in 1897 was, it will be remembered, largely due to a reduction in value of £5,248,000 for cotton and cotton goods, partly owing to fall in prices. The German values given here in this comparison are, of course, founded, as in Great Britain, on the prices of 1897. The net difference in favor of Germany over Great Britain for 1897 as regards exportation from both was £5,099,543 (being — £5,925,843 versus — £226,300). TRADE OF BRITISH AND GERMAN EMPIRES IN 1897. 'The detailed figures for the trade of the British and German Empires in 1897 are the following (after making due allowance for the change of statistics on January 1, 1897): Imports from the British Empire are £42,067,000, being £27,089,400 from the United Kingdom, and £8,587,900 from the British East Indies, £4,283,050 from British Australasia, £871,500 from the Cape and Natal, £420,450 from the West Indies, and £208,700 from British North America. No. 7 26 1700 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, Exports to tlie British Empire are £39,505,2.00, being £34,2(52,400 to the United Kingdom, £2,232,650 to the British East Indies, £1,533,000 to Britiish Australasia, £836,950 to British North America, £636,350 to the Cape and Natal, and £63,000 to the A'est Indies. During 1897 the total imports from Great Britain had risen by £123,750, but exports to Great Britain had fallen by £1,377,400, Avliile imports from the British colonies had decreased by £899,100, and the exports to them had also diminished by £222,200. GEEMAN TRADE WITH EOREIGN COUNTEIEfS IN 1897. The leading characteristics of German trade in 1897 with Great Britain and her colonies have been given above, and the figures for commerce with the other chief foreign countries are now added. The total " special" trade with all nations for imports was valued at £229,453,350, or £14,095,194 more than in 1890, and for exports the figures were £176,030,200, or £226,300 less than in the former year. The value of " special" trade was as follows for the countries mentioned below: COUXITIY. lïussia Aiistria-Huii;iary Viiitod StatoM France Belgium ITollaiid Switzerlaiul Italy EXPORTS. 180; 1890 1897 189G £ jC £ £ 34, 3 U, 000 31,410, 050 11,504, GOD 11,579, 700 29, 000,760 27,342, GOO 19,951,750 19, 9S4, 200 32, 581,250 20,415, 200 19,341,650 19,162, 500 12, 000,500 11,470,750 10,323,550 10, OGG, 5.50 9, 058, 350 8,660,300 9, 250, 450 8, 396, 850 8, 970,500 7,946,800 13,009, 600 13,082, 000 7,150,400 G, 927,550 12,270,150 11,927,300 7, 288. 050 6,599,950 4,296, 300 4,179,200 In 1897 the large increase of £14,095,194 in imports is mainly accounted for by a rise of £6,166,050 in importation from the United States, of £2,903,950 from Bussia, of £1,658,150 from Austria-Hungary, of £1,032,700 from Holland, and of £688,700 from Italy. The value of exports in 1897 to all countries remained as a whole extraordinarily stationary, as is shown by the net result of a decrease of £226,300 over 1896. The only important exceptions are an increase of £853,600 to Belgium, and a decrease of £1,377,400 to Great Britain. IMPORTANCE TO TRADE STATISTICS OF CHANGE MADE IN DRAWING THEM UP IN GERMANY IN 1897. It is much to be regretted, as mentioned before, that no comparisons with 1896, other than those given above for the whole trade to and from each country, can be made, as the complete ofticial volume of imperial statistics (issued in October, 1898) does not, under the figures for each Jiation, distinguish the value or quantity of each customs classification, or of each article included for the first time in 1897 in "special" trade, and which had previously becTi excluded from it. The figures that are given for 1897 include all the new additions in "improvement" trade. Tiiey are, therefore, not given here, as it affords no standard of comparison whatever with all the statistics of previous years. The only other information on this subject was issued in June, 1898, for the whole trade of Germany as regards classes of goods, but without distinguising the amount of trade with each individual country, the substance of which was published in the EAreign Office Beport No. 2138, Annual Series, 1898. That such a complete break in statistics should occur is most unfortunate, especially as it prevents any detailed comparisons in different kinds of goods of lingland's trade with Germany, as between points -before and after January 1,1897. Eor the future, therefore, in reports on Anglo-German commerce, comparisons can only be carried back to the year 1897, and not to 1896, nor to any previous year. And in conse(]nence of this said change the total trade of Germany with each foreign country, both for imports and exports, will have been arbitrarily and permanently enlarged, not by increased commerce but by this alteration in collecting statistics, a point that will always have to be carefully borne in mind when reading reports on trade since 1897. VALUES OF INDUSTRIAL SHARES. In order to show the flourishing state of industries in the last 14 years, I have appcudedin the Appendix, Annex No. 6, page 72, a table of the chief industrial shares quoted on the Berlin Stock Exchange. Their price in 1885, 1890, 1895, 1896, 1897, and 1898 are there given in December of each of those years. The highest and lowest 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1701 quotations during that month are stated. It will there be clearly seen what a remarkable advance has been made from 1885 to 1898, and the table contains much valuable information to all those interested in the material progress of the German Empire. 2. MARITIME INTEREST.S. niSTORY AND DETAILS OF POSTAL SUBSIDIES TO (OORilAN S'IIíAMSHIP COMPANIES. The question of subsidizing German steamship companies for the purpose of carrying mails has only come uii in recent years with the growth of the mercantile marine. A sum of £324,500 a year is now paid for postal subsidies, being £279,500 to the North German Lloyd Company and £45,000 to the Hamburg East African Company. Mail bags sent by other lines are paid for separately; but such payments only amounted to £19,250 in 1897. The first subsidy bill was not passed until Jlarch, 1885, and it became law on April G of that year. The object of this subsidy was distinctly stated to be " for the starting and maintenance of regular postal service" between Germany and East Asia. And in presenting this bill it was forcibly represented that English and other foreign steamer companies, already running to the East, were heavily subsidized for mail purposes. A sum of £220,000 was then granted, during 15 years, to the North G erinan Lloyd Company for fast postal services : to East Asia, £85,000 ; to Australia, £115,000, and to a branch Mediterranean line, £20,000, which sums have been estimated to be equal to a subsidy of 18 jier cent for the Asiatic and to one of G per cent for the Australian line on the value of the German exports carried to those places at that date. The proposed subsidies for lines to West and East Africa were then rejected. But on January 21, 1890, a grant of £45,000 a year was sanctioned for the Hamburg East African Company for a period of 10 years for a postal service to Delagoa Bay via Suez, Aden, Zanzibar, and Mozambique. One of the special conditions of the 1885 contract with the Lloyd Company was that the new ships must be built in the country, and materials produced in Germany were to bo used as far as possible. Only German coal was to be burnt, unless with the special sanction of the imperial chancellor. Eepairs to vessels were also to be executed in home yards when possible. The plans of the new ships were to be approved by the chancellor. In case of the mobilization of the navy the Chancellor was empowered to use the ships on the subsidized lines on certain payments, or to buy them outright for full value, under the "war services" or "Kriegsleistuugen" law of .lune 13, 1873. No vessel could be sold to a foreign power without special permission from the Government. These conditions have all been maintained in later contracts. And, though it appears not to be expressly stated in them, it is to be presumed that all the new ships have been built in conformity with admiralty requirements. The only official declaration on the subject would appear to have been one made by the representative of the admiralty (before the commission of the Eeichstag, which met early in 1898 to consider the new subsidy bill for a fortnightly service to China), who then stated that "the managers of the North German Lloyd had undertaken in writing to carry out, as regards new ships and crews, all the admiralty requirements, and also, as far as possible, when reconstructing vessels." So that there seems to be some uncertainty as to whether this was also the case prior to the year 1898. In 189G there was further agitation for a subsidy of £75,000 a year to establish a fortnightly service to China; but this project was not carried through until April 1.3,1898. This bill also empowered the chancellor to continue the former subsidies to the North German Lloyd, conjointly with this new one, for a further period of 15 years. So that the present contract runs to the year 191.3. In the first 189G draft bill for the last granted subsidy it was fully acknowledged that the indirect advantages therefrom to the nation would be as great as the direct, and it was pointed out that the success of German shipbuilding and the transfer of orders for ships from British to German yards dated from the institution, in 1885, of these postal subsidies. It was estimated that, though the Lloyd Company had in the nine and a half years received £2,950,000 for mail subsidies, it had expended nearly £3,000,000 {a) on the products of Germany, rvliich would otherwise have been expended abroad. During the first 10 years, in spite of the subsidy, there wms a financial loss of some £31,000. The line is now, however, paying well—a dividend of 5 per cent in 1897—and has an immense future before it. It is presumed that German commerce to the East has been somewhat helped thereby, for since the date of these subsidies the export trade from 1885 to 1895 doubled in value to China, more than quadrupled to Japan, and trebled to Australia. And the increase in imports from those places has been still more favorable. OTHER ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO SHIPBUILDING DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY. Assistance of another kind has also been given to shipbuilding by the customs tariff law of May 24, 1885, which decreed that "materials destined for the construction, repairing, and outfitting of seagoing vessels, inclusive a £830,000 for building, £ 170,000 fur repairs, £141,000 for extraordinary repairs, and £1,500,000 for coals, etc. 1702 IMISOELLANEOLTS. [Januaky, of orcliniii-y gear, were to be admitted dutyfree.'' A law of July 17, 1889, on ''Eegulations for sliipbuilding," carried out the above provisions, and specified what articles conld be admitted free. And another law of IMarch of that same year on "liegulations for harbors and ports" gave a list of certain imports, destined for the fitting out of sea or river ships, rvhich were to be admitted duty free. Valuable help has also been allbrded by the so called " preferential," but better named " differential " rates on the State railways for the transport of certain (lerinan materials for the construction of vessels. An important step to advance the employment of home in preference to foreign materials was taken in December, 1897, when a meeting was held at Altona of tire representatives of the chief sliipbnilding yards, of the ])rincipal steel and iron works and rolling mills producing materials for the construction of vessels and of the State railways concerned, at which it was decided that both the former would—in the event oí' the railways assisting them—incur certain present sacrifices in order to cooperate to exclusively use (lerimin materials íti shii)building in direct opposition to Ibitish competition for these supplies. A like attempt had already been made, but un.successfully, in November, 1895, at a similar meeting at Hanover. Conscfiueutly, during 1898, further preferences in the mattei' of freights have been accorded on the state railways to certain materials used in the construction of vessels. LEVANT AND EAST AFIUCAN TEAFFIC, AND RESULTS OF THE REDUCED TnEOUGII RATES. Additional, but small indirect assistance is also obtained by the very low combined rail and sea freights to the Levant and East Africa & (as far as Durban, and to stations of the South African Eailway from Johannesberg to Pretoria, via Delagoa Bay). One of the fundamental i)rinciples laid down in 1884 by the minister of public works in a letter to the railway council was that " preferential " tariffs have been and would still be granted in the future "to assist Herman ports in competition with foreign ¡¡orts." The establishment of these rates is equivalent to a small bounty to the two German steamship companies running to those places. The service to the Levant began in June, 1890, in connection with the Levant Steamship Line of steamers, tliat to East African irorts began in April, 1895, in connection with the East African Steamship Company. It will be remembered that the latter compa,ny has been also receiving since January, 1890, a direct mail subsidy of £75,000 a year. The Levant Steamship Company, however, receives none. The results of this policy of creating traffic by these two steamship companies are given below from the official returns of the working of the Prussian state rail ways in 189Ö-97, which were laid before the Prussian House of Deputies in January, 1898: 1. For goods exported and subjected to (he competition of other countries. From German stations to Levant l^orts and to stations of the Oriental and Bulgarian Eailways via Hamburg by Levant Steamship Company- These Levant reduced rates are still lower than those in force merely to Gorman ports for direct exportation by sea. Introduced June 15, 1890. Before these rates started there was much less traffic. In 1892-93, 12,721 tons were sent at a cost of £8,550 Cs.; in 1890-97, 10,202 tons went for £5,933 13s. 2. For goods exported and subjected to the competition of other countries. From German stations to East African i)orts, and to the Transvaal, via Hamburg, to increase exports of German industries. Introduced April 1, 1895. Before these rates were introduced there was much less traffic. In 1895-90, 3,589 tons were sent at a cost of £1,555 lis.; in 1890-97, 4,959 tons went for £2,809 7s. Such rates are most beneficial to German exporters, and give them, in certain South African markets, decided advantages in competing with British ex^rorters to those places. Hence it will be seen that the amount to which shipping is subsidized in Germany is moderate, but it is enough to effectively stimulate and encourage national enterprise in this direction. AMOUNTS OF BRITISH POSTAL SUBSIDIES TO STEAMER COMPANIES TO ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. In order to enable comparison with the German postal subsidies, I now give a summary of similar British payments takeu from the estimates for the year ending March 31, 1899. The total payments for actual carriage of mails is £823,52(1, including, however, £170,250 for services in the United Kingdom and £25,000 for the Dover-to-Oalais service. There are in this total sums of £253,450 to steamer companies for services to North and South America, and to the West Indies. Other similar payments are £78,900 to African, £115,000 to Asiatic and Australian lines, and £00,000 to services for mails from Canada to China; £4,000 is jiaid for the foreign and colonial parcel service. The actual advance in the matter of maritime interests that Germany has been able to achieve in late years from a statistical point of view will be a study of deep interest. 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS, 1703 GROWTH OF GER:\[AN MERCANTILE MARINE AND CAPITAL INVESTED. In 1871 tlie tonnage of German ships was 982,355, of which only 81,991 belonged to steamers. By January 1, 1897 (after allowing for the difference of measurement introduced in 1895), it had risen to about 1,050,000, of which 1,039,200 were steam tonnage (by the new system of measurement 1,187,577 and 889,970, respectively). The four steamship companies at Hamburg in ISST had a share eapital of £1,525,000. Ten years later that of the existing ten steamer lines "was £3,273,750. Including the Lloyd Company at Bremen, the total becomes £5,273,750 for 1890. At the end of that year the whole book value of the Hamburg steamer iieet was nearly £7,000,000, and, adding £1,700,000 for 20 large steamers then building, the cost of the fleet would be about £8,700,000 at the end of 1897. For Bremen a further £1,450,000 may be added. It has been estimated that the book value of the whole German merchant steamer fleet at the end of 1897 was, perhaps, nearly £15,000,000. The G(u-nian mercantile marine is now the third largest in the world, and appears to be second as regards sfeain tonnage, and fourth as regards sailing tonnage. It is notable that nearly the whole advance has been made in the North Sea fleet. That of the Baltic has retrograded. Statistics show that the fleet there has fallen in tonnage from 419,000 tons in 1871 to about 270,000 in 1897. It is entirely a Brussian fleet, and has never enjoyed any .state aid. Some people think that German statesmen should now endeavor to aid it by abolishing the system of " customs credits and of private warehouses for grain, for the great cause of decline is said to lie in the reduction of the transport of corn, a result of the ])rotectionist policy that has in late years been a.ssumed by the Government as regards that commodity, iu conse¬ quence of which the Baltic ports have suffered greatly. STATISTICS OF SHIPBriLDlNG TRADES IN CENSUS OF 1882 AND 1895 COMPARED. A good idea of the advance made may be gathered from a comparison of the census of 1882 and 1895, for the shipbuilding trades of Prussia only. In the former year there wore l.l.lCl workmen employed, while in the latter there were 25,313. Of works with over 1,000 men there were in 1882 only three, and iu 1895 six, which six now emitloy an average of 2,ö32 men each. Similarly for the Emi)ire, the number of men emiiloyed in the former year was 22,524, and, in the latter, 35,330, and the amount of horsepower employed in the machinery ttsed in the yards is said to have risen from 1,121 to 8,550. Germany now possesses splendid shipbuilding yards, of which some of the most famous are: The 5'ulcau, at Stettin; the Schichau, near Danzig; the Germania, at Kiel, and the Blohm und Voss, at Hamburg. At the Vulcan works there has lately been erected a floating dry dock of a capacity of 12,000 tons. STATEMENT OF VŒRY LARGE STEAMERS BUILT AND BUILDING BELONGING TO GliRMANY. It was stated in October, 1897, that out of the 12 steamers then existing in the world exceeding 10,000 tons 8 were under the German flag, and that only 2 each belonged to England and to the L'nited States, respectively. Out of those eight German shijis, all but one had been built in home yards. The Lloyd Company are also going to build four further ships of over 10,000 tons each for the new fortnightly service to China, which will soon bring the total for the German Empire to 12 r es.sels of that large size. The following data are instructive, and show the total ships and their tonnage now being built for two German steamship compaincs: For the Hamburg-American Line there are now being constructed 14 ships and four small craft (of 3,200 tons) with a total tonnage of 148,180. Nine of these steamers are over 10,000 tons, and all of the 14 except three are laid down in German yards. The North German Lloyd Company in Bremen are also building iiine new steamers of 78,380 tons altogether. The two companies are, therefore, between them, building 23 large steamers of a total registered tonnage of 220,300. WORK OF TWO LEADING SHIPBUILDING YARDS AT HAMBURG AND STETTIN. Two examples of the work accomplished in single yards in 1897 are now quoted. The Vulcan, at Stettin, delivered, during that year, ships to the value of £977,503, and the orders in hand amount to £880,700 altogether, which will keep them fully employed up to the year 1900. These orders cover for the Hamburg-American Com¬ pany a twin-screw steamer of 1-4,000 tons, 080 feet long, of 33,000 horsepower, and having a speed of 23 knots; and for the Lloyd Line, for their new fortnightly service to China, four steamers, each 500 feet long, two to be delivered in fifteen to eighteen months and the other two ten months later. From March, 1877, to March, 1897, this Vulcan yard had launched, besides many merchant vessels, IG men-of-war, of which five were armor-plated battle ships. 1704 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, ïlio well-known finn of Blolim und Voss, sliipbuiklers at Hamburg-, daring 1897-98, delirered five steamers (and one set of engines) of 84,994 gross tonnage. There remained on the stocks 11 steau)ers of 83,529 tons and 1 line-of-battle ship " B " (a triple-screw armored vessel) for the German navy. Some 3,083 persons were employed in these works. And although over £5,000 was paid for the state insurance of workmen against illness, accidents, incapacity to work, and old age, yet there was (after placing considerable sums to the reserve fund) a surplus of £16,907 (it had been £35,212 in 1896-97), which gave a dividend of 5 per cent (in the previous year it had been 8 per cent). FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR LEADINO STEAMSRir COMPANIES IN 1897. The financial results of the loading German shipping companies in 1897 will have an interest for English readers, in view of the small dividends now earned by most British lines. The North German Lloyd (capital £4,050,580, made up of £2,000,000 original shares, of £1,050,580 4 per cent bonds, and of an additional £1,000,000 of shares which were added in 1898) paid 5 per cent, the Hamburg-American (capital £2,250,000) paid 0 per cent, the Kosmos Com])any (capital £400,000) paid 71 per cent, the Hamburg South American Company (capital £375,000) paid 12 per cent, the German East African Line (capital £250,000) paid 3 per cent, and the Hamburg-Australian Com])any (capital £200,000) j)aid 8 x)er cent. EXPENDITURE IN EMPIRE ON NEAV HARBORS, ETC., AND DEVELOPMENT OF PORTS. Enormous sums have also been spent since 1S88, when Hamburg, Bremen, and Altona joined the "Zollverein," on new harbor accommodation for the increasing shipping. Some £15,000,000 alone have been spent by the state of Hamburg on such work; at Bremen, Vegesack, and Bremerhafen, £5,700,000; at Altona, £450,000; at Geeste¬ münde, £800,000; at Danzig, £400,000, and at Stettin, £1,450,000, in addition to the sum of £028,000 recently spent there (in 1897-98) on a new free harbor. The development of the ports of the Empire on the North Sea has been remarkable, as is shown by the single instance that Hamburg now ranks directly after London and before Liverpool as the second most important port in Europe. The Baltic ports have not prospered to an equal extent, though it is hoped that the newly opened free port at Stettin may still further improve the trade of that rising x)lacc, and that the completion of a deeii-water canal for small seagoing shi^is thence to Berlin will also make a great difference to its future. At the last meeting of the Colonial Council (in November, 1898) it was decided to build a dry dock at Dar-es- Salaam, in German East Africa, which also serves to show the wonderfid hold that inaritimc expansion has taken upon the country.(«) THE STATE OF SHIPBUILDING IN 1897. During 1897, 79 ships were launched from German yards, in which figures are included only vessels of over 100 tons burden. This represents a total tonnage of 185,000, of which the bulk was for passenger boats, 40,000 for eight men-of-war, and 2,000 only for sailing ships. Besides this, 13 other merchant shii)s of 32,000 tons were built abroad for German account. Other kinds of sea craft, such as ice breakers for Eussia, xietroleum shixis, and fishing steamers have also been turned out by the Germans. The fact that the Emx)ire can now supply the x>i'Hicipal xiart of her own requirements in vessels of all descriptions, is considered by the German nation to be most satisfactory, when the well-merited standing and renown of British yards and the advantages they enjoy in the matter of low prices for iron and coal, are recalled. These facts will give some idea of the great prosjierity and immense capabilities of modern uxi-to-date German shixibuilding yards, which appears not to be yet fully realized in Great Britain. And it is important not to forget that there have, altogether, been built a large number of men-of-war, both for the German navy and for foreign Governments. It is said that, since 1895, they have delivered 24 to foreign countries, and that there are at x>resent orders in hand for 22 more. And now that the new navy bill xirovides that such a large number of ships are to be built in German yards, there will be an immensely increased activity. It is reported that out of 50,000 tons of men-of-war built lately in Germany, 23,000 were constructed by private and .27,000 by Government yards. MINOR FACTS SHOWING THE DEVELOPMENT. Full particulars of the shipping trade from a xmrely German xmintof view were given in a xirecis, drawn ux) by me in December, 1897, of the "Maritime interests of the German Empire," xiublished by the imperial Government at the end of that year, in connection with the new navy bill. Information of all kinds is there given. Only a few other minor facts are added here to complete this subject. aTho 1899 estimates of the Empire allow a tirst installment of £15,000 for this clock. 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1705 Several new lines of steamers are being started from Hamburg to different parts of the world. In November of tbis year it was even announced tliat a Hamburg firm is about to establish on the Yangtze River in China a fortnightly service of steamers with large steel-built ships. It is thus that the Germans hope to establish their first steamer communications on that important river, whereby one of the richest tea districts of China will be tapped. The tonnage of seagoing vessels entering Hamburg under the German iiag rose from 2,913,913 tons in 1896 to 2,982,421 in 1897 ; and it surpassed that of British ships for the first time in the former year. The total tonnage of ships entered at that port was 6,445,107 in 1896; by 1897 it had risen to 6,708,070. The balance sheets of eleven Hamburg Marine Insurance Companies showed a total subscribed capital of £116,637,467 in 1895, which by 1896 had risen to £136,727,031. PREPARATIONS FOR NAVY BILL OF 1897—PUBLISHED DATA. ^Vith the view of preparing the public for an increase of the navy, which was the leading topic of 1897, the Government published collected statistics on the growth of the maritime interests of the Empire, which embraced the following and other points of interest: The population from 1872 to 1897 had grown from 40,000,000 to 53,000,000. The foreign trade had increased enormously, and of the whole about two-thirds was sea-borne commerce. The trade of Hamburg alone had more than doubled during that period. Germany had ceased to exjiort grain, and had become a large consumer of raw materials, while exporting masses of highly manufactured goods, tlius making her very dependent on foreign countries both for her supplies and for markets for her industrial i)roduce. The trade under the German flag had, since 1873, increased with European ports from a yearly total of 6,000,000 to 12,000,000 tons, and with non- European places from 1,000,000 to 6,000,000 tons. A special publication was also issued to show the backward state of the German fleet. The general conclmsions at which it arrived were—that the Empire was behind all other great powers, except Austria-Hungary and the United States, as regards a navy; that the expenditure for national defense, inclusive of the public debt, was extremely low when compared with that of foreign nations; and that, excepting in Russia, the contributions to public expenditure in Germany were less onerous than in other great European nations or in the United States. Comparing Great Britain and Germany in 1896 and 1897, the Ibllowing figures were given: For the former, there was an expenditure of £21,823,000 for the navy and of £18,050,000 for the army, as compared with one of £4,493,400 for the navy and of £31,749,750 for the arm.y for the latter country. Calculated per head of the population in 1897-98, Great Britain paid for national defense £1 6s. 8d., and Germany only 14s. 8d. according to that publication. Adopting the principle that the tonnage of the merchant fleet ought to determine the national expenditure on a fleet, the following figures were presented: In England in 1897-98, with a total tonnage of 34,004,000, £21,823,000 was spent on the navy, or 12s. lOd. per ton, whereas in the German Em2iire, with a total tonnage of 4,648,000, £4,493,400 was expended, or 19s. 4d. per ton. But the value of such comparisons is not very self-evident, as so many other factors have also to be taken into consideration when considering such çLuestions. THE OB.JECTS OF THE NAVY BILL, AND CONTEMPLATED STRENGTH. As to the point of naval power, the introductory statement to the bill pointed out that its object was primarily a fighting fleet for the protection of the country's coasts, and that the size and number of the vessels had been especially calculated for this object. And great stress was laid on the fact that the small total strength contem¬ plated would not xiermit of more than a fleet tor sallying purposes in case of war with leading naval powers. The aim of the bill, as finally passed on April 10, 1898, was to obtain the following strength for the navy, apart from torpedo boats, torpedo destroyers, training ships, etc.: 1. Seventeen ships of the line, 8 coast-defense vessels, 9 large and 26 small cruisers as a fighting fleet ready for sea; and, 2. A further reserve of 2 ships of the line, 3 large and 4 small cruisers. This was considered a minimum of the requirements if the Government were really to be put in the position of properly carrying out their obligations. On April 1, 1898, there existed, of ships already built or then building, 12 ships of the line, 8 coast-defense vessels, 10 large and 23 small cruisers, thus leaving to be built 7 ships of the line, 2 large and 5 small cruisers. The number of coast-defense ironclads was considered to be sufficient. To the protection of German maritime commerce 6 large and 14 small cruisers are to be allotted, of which it is said that 7 will go to the China seas, 4 to American waters, 4 to the African coasts, and a few to Central and South America. 1706 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, COST OP NEW FLEET AND ARMAMENTS. The total cost of this new programme for the six years 1898 to 1903 is stated in tlie final bill not to exceed a total of £20,415,000 for nonrecurring expenditure, being £17,835,000 for the construction and armaments of the new ships, and £2,610,000 for other nonrecurring expenses. It is added that the recurring expenditure will not involve an increase of more than £215,000 every year in the naval budget. A special clause provides that, should the sum total of recurring and special expenditure in the Admiralty Department exceed in any financial year £5,876,271 Lis., and if the natural resources of the Empire do not snfiice to cover the excess, such surplus shall not be covered by raising or adding to the indirect imperial taxes, the burden of which falls on article.s of universal consumption. The Government also declared that if extra taxation had to be raised under this bill the Federated Ktates of the Empire would take care that such taxation should fall on those best able to support it. At the above rate of expenditure it is probmble that at least some £35,000,000 will be spent altogether in the next six years on the naval budgets of the Emi)ire. This bill also imovides that the successive estimates shall contain provisions for the reidacing of old by new ships, for it lays down the [ulnciple that means for this shall be provided on the basis that the life of battle ships and coast-defense vessels is twenty-five years, that that of a large cruiser is twenty years, and that that of a small cruiser is fifteen years. The original naval bill was for a period of seven years' proposing an expenditure of £5,875,000 in 1898, and varying up to £7,525,000 in 1903, after which year it was to decrease to £7,485,000 in 1904. GOOD PROSPECTS OP PAYING ALL EXPENSES OP NEW NAVAL PROGRAMME OUT OP REVENUE. In the prosperous state of the country's finances it is expected that this large expenditure for the navy may be met out of the ordinary revenue; and if not, the loan that might be necessary could only be a small one yearly. The past financial year (1897-98 a) has shown for the Empire an excess of actual revenue over the estimates of about £4,650,000. There have been increases under all heads, except from the stamp tax. The actual revenue from duties and taxes was £36,671,000, or £4,014,000 more than the estimates. The total revenue was £44,550,000. It will thus be seen that, except in the case of unforeseen circumstances, the prospects of not exceeding the current revenue in the next year or two by the increased naval budgets arc very promising; and should this unfortunately occur, ample provision has been made to protect the working and poorer classes from the efiects of any taxation that might be rendered necessary thereby. 3. TRAFFIC INTERESTS. A. CANALS—COST AND DEVELOPMENT OP THE STATE CANAL SYSTEM, 1880-1892. The natural advantages offered by Germany for water carriage are already considerable, but have been vastly increased by enormous expenditure. The Government has always done a great deal to extend the navigable waterways, and the Central Society for Developing Itiver and Canal Traffic has, ever since 1869, been a powerful advocate of such extension. It is not possible to ascertain the exact sums spent or to distinguish in recent expenditure that portion devoted to canals only from that spent on the improvement of the navigable waterways. The object of the Prussian Government in improving them has been to provide for the cheap conveyance of bulky goods which are not suitable for transport by rail, and to enable larger vessels to make use of the existing network. The total sum proposed to be expended on this work in the programme, adopted at the beginning of the period 1880 to 1892, amounted to £4,498,900. In the thirteen years between 1880-81 and 1892-93 the Prussian Government spent £5,140,700 "for maintenance of canals, locks, buildings, etc. (excluding new works and repairs)," £3,425,600 under the head of "extraordinary and nonrecurring expenditure," and £3,111,450 in other extraordinary expenditure, chiefly for the larger works of the canalization of natural waterways, and for new canals or the widening of old ones, and of constructing bridges, roadways, etc. The total under these three accounts came to a total of £11,677,750. A sum of £6,197,600 was also specially voted, which comprised £2,991,250 for the Dortmund-Ems Canal (law of July 9, 1886); £261,350 for the improve¬ ment of Brandenburg waterways (law of March 12, 1879); £630,000 for building the Oder-Spree Canal (law of July 9, 1886); £160,000 for the canalization of the Lower Spree and a third navigable canal through Berlin (law of June 6, 1888); £1,075,000 for improving the navigation of the Oder; £80,000 for ameliorations on the Lower Oder, and £1,000,000 for improving the navigation of the Lower Vistula. It was claimed by the Government in 1890 that the made waterways are now almost all able to admit steamer traffic. a To March in each year. 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1707 In 1894 the majority of agriculturists were opposed to rather than in favor of an extension of the network of canals, and this antagonism seems still to hold good to-day. Their one great objection is that an extension, though benefiting home agricultural products, at the same time cheapens the cost of freight for importations, esitecially of grains, which compete then all the more injuriously with German agriculture. DATA ON LENGTH, DEPTH, ETC., OP CANALS. Of the present 8,647miles (13,925 kilometers) of natural and artificial waterways in Germany in 1898, 67 per cent consist of rivers, 16 per cent of canalized streams, and 17 per cent of canals actually built. As regards depth, 14 per cent are navigable for ships drawing If meters (5 feet 9 inches), 14 per cent are good for a draft of IJ meters (4 feet 11 inches), 51 per cent are navigable for vessels drawing 1 meter (3 feet 3 inches), and 14 per cent are good for a draft of 75 centimeters (2 feet 5 inches). Of the total 2,820 miles of canalized streams, 1,869 miles lie west of the Elbe, and of constructed canals, 1,4504 miles. In 1892 there were 1,530 steamers plying on German waterways, an increase of 84 per cent over 1882, and 21,318 other craft. The average capacity of the steamers had risen during that period from 131¿ to 1691 tons, and that of sailing vessels from 92? to 127 tons. NEW CANALS AND ESTIMATED COST. A new canal is the Dortmund-Ems, begun in 1886, which was estimated to cost £2,900,000, but the sums already spent appear to amount to £4,200,000. A Dortmund-Klune canal was proposed in 1894, and was estimated to involve an outlay of £2,750,000. This is to be a continuation of the preceding canal. It is now reported from Hamburg that this scheme, but in an extended form, will be submitted to the Government, and will cost about £6,400,000, with a further £1,700,000 for branch canals. The projected Great Midland Canal has been variously estimated to cost from £8,000,000 to £10,000,000 for merely connecting the Ehine, Weser, and Elbe, and perhaps the Oder also. The general line of direction is almost due east and west from a line a little north of Düsseldorf, on the Ithine, to Frankfurt, on the Oder, and via Berlin. Some canals already exist on part of this route. It is now rejmrted that a bill embodying this project, in a further extended form, will be laid before the Pnrssian House of Deputies ("Landtag") this autumn, and that the enormous sum of £20,000,000 will be asked for to carry it out. This scheme is said to comprise (1) a midland canal (Bhine- Weser-Elbe); (2) a canal for large ships from Stettin to Berlin (Odcr-ITavel-Spree); (3) the "Masurischer" Canal (in East Prussia),* (4) the Klonditz Canal (Upper Silesia); (5) the "Teltow" Canal. Such an extensive scheme as this would benefit the corn growers of the Eastern provinces, and also the industrial districts of the West, by affording the immense working population there cheaper bread. But the intermediate agricultural districts of Central Germany would doubtless suffer somewhat from lower grain prices, though themselves benefiting from the consequent reduction in inice of manufactured articles from the Western industrial districts through the cheaper carriage. There is also a projected independent Elbe-Kiel Canal, in order to convert the port of Kiel into an iin^rortant outlet for inland trade. The "Kaiser Wilhelm" Canal, recently opened, shows by the already considerable and increasing traffic, particularly of vessels employed in the German coasting trade, that, quite apart from its great strategical value for the Empire, this new waterway is becoming an important factor for its sea-borne commerce. PROJECTED GERMAN-AUSTRIAN CANALS. There is an "Austrian and German Society of Inland Waterways" that has existed since 1896. It advocates a mid-European canal, which is to be effected by the following three projects; (1) A Danube-Oder Canal; (2) a Danubc-Moldau-Elbe Canal; (3) a Danube-Main Canal. If these projects are ever carried out they will greatly facilitate the trade of the German Empire to the southeastern portion of Europe, and will enable its products to be there sold at an even lower price than has hitherto been possible. The following considerations enter into this plan : For the immense trade of the East to reach Germany now, and vice versa, the distance from the Suez Canal by sea is 3,316 kuots to Hamburg and 3,596 knots to Stettin, whereas from Port Said to the mouths of the Danube it is only 950 knots, and thence to Stettin about 1,000 knots. This iiroposed route via the Danube, therefore, means only a distance of 1,850 knots, instead of 3,596 knots. Besides saving in distance, there is economy of time, power, and expense. This is sufficient, it is said, to convince people of the possibility of attracting to the inner districts of the German Empire a still greater portion of the world's trade by the building of large canals which would satisfactorily join the Ehine, Elbe, and Oder with the Danube. Germany should, consequently, it is said, when the question of canal extension arises, consider not only the improvement of her own inland water communications, but also the far more important point of improvement in international means of transport. Plans have already been made for connecting the Danube with the Elbe, No. 7 27 1708 MlfáCl'iM.ANEOl'S. [January, Oder, and Weichsel. One project is a Wenna-rrerau-Oderberg-Krakau line to join -with the Oder and Weichsel, with a prolongation through Galicia to Brody and Petrikow, to Join the Bnssian canal system. Another is tha proposed Prerau-Pardubitz line, to Join the Elbe. A third is tliat connecting Wenna with Bndweis, by which a Junction with the Elbe would be effected through the Moldan via Prague. The oldest Austro-German canal in-qjcct is the Joining of the Bhiue, Main, and OaTinbe by the Ludwigs Canal, which goes from near Bamberg, on the Main, by Niiremberg, into the Altiniihl, and then into tlie Danube. The existing canal is too small, and would have to be enlarged, or another constructed for heavier tratfic, and the Main, from Frankfort to Hamberg, would have to bo canalized. Such a connection, propci'ly executed, has been estimated as costing about £6,000,000. COVIPATJTSON OP OEU^rAN AND PRT.NOTt WATERWAY'S IN 1895. A comparison was made in 1895 of the French and German strictly inland waterways. For Germany there were 8,2421- miles iiroperly navigable, and a farther 4,029 miles fit for tloating rafts and very light craft, being 1 kilometer of rvaterway for every 27 sriuare kilometers in the country and for every 2,630 persons. In France there were similarly 10,122 miles, being 1 kilometer to every 32 square kilometers of territory and for every 2,360 persons. The former country had 754 locks and the latter 2,510 locks. Such ligures of mere mileage are, however, unsatisfactory, for the waterways good for iloaf ing rafts are far more used in the former than in the latter country. It is thought that for waterways naY'igable for ships up to 100 tons Germany had then 8,011 kilometers and France 4,734 kilometers; for those up to 150 tons, the former had 2,047 kilometers, the latter 1,648 kilometers, and for vessels up to 300 tons the iigures 'uere .■'>,259 kilometei's and 3,713 kilometers, respectively. The German network had, in 1885, covered by the "tonnage-kilometer"' method of calculation about 4,800,000,000 on a length of 10,000 kilometers; whereas F'rance, in 1895, had only covered 3,706,000,000 of " tonnage kilometers" on a length of 12,284 kilometers. In 1895 some 6,000,000,000 to 7,000,000,000 "tonnage kilonieters" were probably covered in the German Empire. B. RAILWAYS—S'J'ATE RAILWAYS PREDOVIINANT IN GERMANY SINCE 1879. The state railway system of Germany affords a subject of much interest, especially as it is predominating, if not almost universally adopted, in the Em[>ire to-day. It was Belgium that first constructed and managed a state railway. Certain German states, such as Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, etc., soon followed the Belgian example. In Prussia the movement came much later, but in 1849 that Government had constructed various lines. In many European countries there gradually came to be adopted the theory that former private railways should pass into the hands of the state, which, in many cases, had already been compelled to largely assist them in different forms. The control of continental governments over these [¡rivate companies also seems to have been very extended, and this probably made the change all the more easy at the end of the seventies, when Prussia took the lead in this respect, and in 1879 set to work to turn the chief private German lines into state railways. EXTEN'I' OF BROAD-GAIICE LINES. Official statistics for 1896-97 give the length of the broad-gauge railways in the Empire at 28,566 miles (46,1F1¿ kilometers), and in Prussia separately as 17,159 miles (27,663 kilometers), and of these lengths the former has 10,082 miles and the latter 0,430 miles of double (or treble) tracks. Of this total of 28,506 miles, 2(i,564 J miles were owned by the state, leaving only 2,0014 miles of line in the possession of private companies. Even of this small remainder, a part rvas leased to and rvorked by the state. It is thus seen that, in dealing generally with railways in Germany and their attendant considerations, this small proportion of private lines can well be disregarded. By far the largest relative i)roportion of private companies'lines is found in BaYmria, with about one-seventh of the whole. CAPITAL EXPENDED ON P.ROAD-GAUGE LINES, AND EARNINGS. In 1887-88 the total length of broad-gauge-lines in the Empire was only 24,270 miles (39,082 kilometers), so that the advance to 28,566 miles (46,1144 kilometers) by 1896-97 was very large. Narrow gauges are referred to later. The actual capital expended on the broad-gauge lines ui) to the end of the working year 1887-88 was £495,107,350, or £12,755 per kilometer, equivalent to £20,400 per mile; by 1896-97 it had increased to £580,186,600, or £12,600 per kilometer, equivalent to £20,310 per mile. In those two years the gross receipts had been £54,590,300 and £79,399,850, respectively, being in the former case £14,694,850 from passenger and 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1709 £37,536,650 from goods traffic, and in tlie latter case £22,230,650 from passenger and £53,563,550 from goods traffic. The working expenses amonnted to a total of £29,318,250 in the former year and to £14,209,500 in t!ie latter. The excess of gross receipts over expenditure is given as follows: For the same two years, £25,272,050 and £35,190,350, respectively, being 5.17 and 6.15 i)er cent on the invested capital. amount of rollino stock and traffic carried. In the year 1896-97 there were on the broad-gauge railways 10,350 engines, 32,.391 passenger carriages, and 346,792 goods Avagons. There were carried in '•personen-kilometer''—that is to say, the conveyance of one liassenger over a distance of 1 kilometer—15,111,166,000, besides another 6,165,000,000 which consisted of the conveyance of persons belonging to the army for which no special payment was made. The number of "ton kilometers"'—that is, the transport of 1 metric ton (1,000 kilometers --2,201.6 pounds) over a distance of 1 kilometer—Avas 26,072,089,000. The rapid development of traffic, especially in the last few years, is sIioaami by the fact that from 1881-1891 the amount of goods carried rose from about 107,000,000 tons to about 171,000,000 tons; but Avithin the subse¬ quent years, 1895-1898, it rose to 217,500,000 tons. The improvement in the eleven years Avas 621 per cent, but that in tlie last three years Avas 25 per cent. During the fourteen years the total liad, therefore, more than doubled. The number of officials employed Avas 170,718, and of other employees there were 208,978, making a total of 379,090 for the actual working of the lines, and in addition there Avere 4,059 officials and 58,660 workmen enqiloyed in the Avorkshops, or a total of 62,719. The state railways, therefore, give employment to 442,415 persons. British statistics for the United Kingdom lor 1896 on raihvays afford the following data, that it is Avell to mention here in order to enable a rough comparison with the figures for German railways given above: There were 21,277 miles of line open, and the total capital paid up was £1,029,475,335. The traffic receipts were £85,290,200, or £4,009 per mile. The working expenses were £50,192,424. The number of persons employed Avas 465,112. For a complete account of the working of the Prussian state railways only in 1896-97 the reader should consult my report No. 444, Miscellaneous Series, published by the Foreign Office in February, 1898. The leading points are merely giA'CU here. That report shoAved the invested capital on broad-gauge lines to be £3.54,339,320, an increase in capital of not less than £4,774,030 over the previous year. Tlie total gross receipts Avere £54,972,497, showing a rise in one year of £3,001,494. The total expenditure was £29,777,499, being an increase of £1,279,931 over the previous year. The excess of receipts over expenditure Avas therefore £25,194,998, as compared AAutli one of £23,473,434 in the previous year. The Prussian railway debt in 1895-96 amounted to £201,499,861 ont of a total originally raised of £351,183,539 for purchasing private lines, on Avhich there was paid for interest £10,168,164 yearly, or at a rate of about S-j^iier cent. net rf.sults of state railavay avorkino froai 1882-83 to 1895-96 in prussia. The excess of receipts over expenditure from 1882-83 to 1895-96 (thirteen years) has been £198,308,576, of which £120,148,244 hadlieen applied as interest on the railway debt. After ])aying off £660,000 to meet deficits in the state expenditure, the net remaining surplus of £77,560,332 Avas distributed thus: For general state pnrpo.ses, not connected with railway expenditure, £47,358,840; for paying oft' the state debt, £26,138,068; for canceling debt incurred by the .state for railway purposes, £3,063,424, and for forming a fund for increasing working stock, enlarging lines, and for unforeseen expenditure, £1,000,000. "preferential" railaa^ay rates. On the .subject of differential," often popularly called " preferential," tariffs a complete report for Germany was published in a Blue Book (Commercial No. 2, of 1898, and presented to Parliament in July, 1898, pp. 20 to 94) Avhich should be consulted for all details. It is a system usually applied in practice to raw materials and commodities of low value in proportion to their bulk, and which only as a rule comes into operation for 5 or 10 ton truck loads. Where such concessions are made it is often AAuth a a icAv to larger returns through increased traffic, though in many instances it is merely to assist special branches of trade and industry, especially in effecting cheap exportation. iioav applied to assist exportation. Instances of special assistance to exports, so as to be able to compete abroad, are found for coals to German ports, to Eussia, to Eoumauia, to Austria, to Belgium, to the Netherlands, to Italy, and to France; for manures (so-called "Distress" tariff) for the relief of agriculture; for ores to German industrial centers and for exportation; for pig and other special kinds of similar iron to foreign countries, especially to enable competition with English 1710 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, iron; for iron and stnel productif, to aid exports generally to most countries; for grains, to assist inland places in exportation; for spirits and alcohol, to aid exi)orts especially to foreign ports and Gerinau colonies; for increased exportation of yarns and tissues to Italy; for glass to Cerinan ports for exportation by sea and especially to Italy; for sugar to Switzerland to assist coinj)Ctitiou there with Austrian sugar. A study of the reasons for the introduction of " preferential" rates of this nature given in the remarks column of my translation (in above-mentioned Iteport No. 11 Commercial, 1898) of the official statement of all such rates in force in late years is most instructive as illustrating- the methods em[)loyed by the German Government to combat foreign competition. There are also other s])ecial seaport freights to aid the development of Gcn inan ports. (See pp. 73 to 78 of Bhre Book.) But besides the above-mentioned rates tliei-e are .also other special deviations from ordinary railway freights (pp. 79 to 8.1 of Blue Book) for trahie with the "Danube dislricts outside Germany," with the "lower countries of the Danube, including Turkey, Roumania, Servia, etc.," with "Russia, except Poland," with "Italy and South Austria," and those more generally known, to the Levant and East Africa via Hamburg. "levant" traffic explained. The so called "Levant" traffic comprises an arrangement between the state railways and the German Levant Steamship Line (Deutsche Levant Linie) for direct carriage of goods at very low rates from all German stations to the Levant, which Includes ports of Turkey, of Bulgaria, and of Roumania, the Piricus, Odessa, Smyrna, Malta, Alexandria, and others in the East, and stations on the Turkish and Bulgarian railways. Two different tariffs are published, one to the " stations of the Turkish and Bulgarian railways," and the other for the above-mentioned places. Besides the reduced sea freights of the Levant Steampship Company, there are the reduced rates of the Turkish, Bulgarian, and Prussian railways. (For Ihe latter see p. .S-1 of Blue Book.) The farther the distance of the place of dispatch is from Hamburg the lower is the unit rate charged. The object of these "preferential" rates is officially stated to be "to increase, in comiietition with other countries, the exportation of similar German products to the Levant by means of a direct service from Gernmn places of manufacture, and dispatch to the point of destination bejmnd the seas, and on the basis of reduced freight charges for the direct forwarding." EAST AFRICAN TRAFFIC. After the pattern of the Levant tariff, a so-called " East Africa tariff'" (" Deutscher Ost-Afrika Verkehr") was organized on April 1, 1895, in cooperation with the German East African Steamship Line, and a special through preferential tariff was started for goods from the stations of the Prussian and other German state and private railways to the ports of Tanga, Pangani, Saadaui, Bagamoyo, Dar-es-Salaain, Zanzibar, Kilwa., Lindi, Mikindani, Ibo, Mozambique, Quiliraane, Chinde, Boira, Delagoa Bay (Lourenço Martpies), and Durban (Port Natal), and also tp the stations of the South African Railway from Johannesburg to Prifforia \ ia Delagoa Bay. The preferential tariff I'ates of the Levant traffic are, with very few small exceptions, also in force for this direct service to East African ports, etc. The German East African Steamship Company have cooperated by granting specially low sea freights. development of good.s traffd! at ordinary and at freferential rates. As regards Prussia, the following table sliows the increase in receipts on the ordinary tariffs and on the preferential rates section in late years: Receipts of Goods Traffic.—Ordinary and Preferential Rates. CLASS OF TARIFF. 1890-9; ' IS9.-,-9e Amount. Percent.^! Anioiint. Percent. T. Goo(1.8, " grantle ■■ find " petite vite.sso,'" at ordinary rates 22,855,449 9 II. Goods, " grande" and •• petite vitesse,'" pre.l'crentiiil and otlfcr special rates ! 11,530,412 7 Total of I and II I 34, 39-1, 8G1 16 CG. 45 21,753,522 13 33. .55' 10.809,779 14 32,503,302 7 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1711 DEVELOPMENT OF LEVANT, EAST AFRICA, AND OTHER TRAFFIC. The developmeut of traffic in some goods, to which the more important preferential rates have been granted in late years, is now shown, according to official Prussian railway statistics. 1. For goods exported and subjected to the competition of other countries. From German stations to Levant liorts and to stations of the Oriental and Lnlgarian railways, via Hamburg, by Levant Steamship Company. The Levant reduced rates are still lower than those in force merely to German jiorts for direct general exportation by sea. Introduced June 15, 1890. Before these rates started there was much less traffic. In 1899-93, 12,721 tons were sent at a cost of £8,550 Cs.; in 1896-97, 10,262 tons went for £5,933 f.'i.s. 2. For goods exported and subjected to the competition of other countries. From German stations to East African ports, and to the Transvaal, via Hamburg, to increase exports of German industries. Introduced April 1, 1895. Before these rates were introduced there was much less traffic. In 1895-96, 3,589 tons were sent at a cost of £1,555 lis.; in 1896-97, 4.959 tons went for £2,869 7s. 3a. For iron ores, etc., to blast furnaces, introduced May 1, 1893: 2,519,589 tons in 1893-94; 3,623,734 tons in 1896-97. 3b. For coke to blast furnaces, introduced May 1, 1893: 2,363,303 tons in 1893-94; 3,573,585 tons in 1896-97. 6.«. Iron and steel of Special Tarifts I and IL Introduced November 1,1893. From all German iron industrial districts to the ports of Baltic and North seas, arid to stations on the coast; 390,446 tons in 1894, 426,209 tons in 1895, and 532,435 tons in 1896. 7. Iron for shipbuilding. From German iron industrial districts to ports on Baltic and North seas. Introduced November 1, 1895. In period November 1, 1894, to October 31, 1895, 14,490 tons carried before this rate began. Then in the period November 1, 1895, to October 31, 1896, 48,892 tons for £23,354. 8. Goal. From Silesia to Stettin aiid Swinemünde and dependent stations. Introduced March 1, 1896. In period April 1, 1895, to February 29, 1896, 510,382 tons carried before this rate began. Then in 1896-97, 558,344 tons for £257,008 lis. In concluding this review of the working of the Prussian state railways in 1896-97, it will be of interest to mention that the railway debt in 1895-96 amounted to £261,499,861 (out of a total raised of £351,183,539), on which there was paid for interest—at about a rate of 3.89 per cent—£10,168,164. RESULTS OF THE WORKING OF THE STATE RAILIVAYS. As regards the working of the state railways as a whole, they seem to have answered extremely irell; and their "preferential" rates certainly appear to have effected the desired objects. The public would also seem to have been satisfied, though there were great complaints, es¡)ecially last year, as to want of rolling stock and consequent dearth of transport facilities in certain districts. The Government, however, now claim that they have added so much new rolling stock that this drawback Avill not again occur. A charge made against the railway administration in late years is that they have sometimes departed from the original and true principles of the state system by working rather with a view to revenue for the Government than with strict regard to the necessities of the public. The correctness of this allegation has always been energetically denied. LIGHT RAILWAYS—THEIR EXTENT AND CAPTTAI. EXPENDED ON THEM. The question of light railways, which are never state lines, has been attracting more and more attention in Germany as an important means of a.ssisting agriculture. In 1887-88 there were in the country 4364 miles (703 kiloms.) of such lines with an expended capital of £1,805,300, which by 1896-97 had risen to 8184 miles (1,318 kiloms.), with a capital of £3,823,050, or about £4,670 per mile (£2,900 per kilom.). In the latter year the gross receipts were £362,250, and the expenses £213,150, leaving an excess of earnings over expenditure of £119,100, being a yield of 3,'j per cent on the invested capital. Their rolling stock consisted of 284 engines, 747 passenger carriages, and 6,325 goods wagons. Of "Pcrsonen-kilometer," 100,132,000 were carried, and of "kilometer-tons" of goods, 60,319,000. It is contended by the Agrarian party that the cost of construction of these narrow-gauge lines, namely, £4,670 per mile, is much too high, and that it is due to the expenditure of unnecessary sums in buildings and other accessories. 1712 MLSÜKJ-LANEÜÜÖ. [January, Or.JEdTS OF IJGIIT lîAlIAVAYS. Tlio light railways of rrussia arc regulated by a law of duly 28,181)2, which kei)t in view the special object of attractiug- private capital to this useful agricultural uiulerlaking, which has, of coui'sc, ouly taken place in such districts as afford a [¡roiuisc of a fair return on the money invested. This was not the case with hues started merely with the object oi' developing the adjoining lauds. It was ehmr from the very beginning that it was ouly possible to build such lines with certain help. Hence the power given in the law on light railways to the provinces to allot part of their revenues for the furtherance of such lines. Although some i)rovinces, such as Hanover and Westphalia, at once made extensive use of this ])ower, it was not much employed elsewhere until state aid was actually given to these railways. STATE GRANTS TO ASSIST EIGJII' l.'atlwavs. By the law of April 8, 189.à, £250,000 was granted for this purjiose, and a further 2 100,000 was added thereto by the law of June 3,1800. Thesit sums wei ii to be api)lied to create such light railways as were deemed necessary in the interest of the public, but which could not be built otherwise than with state aid. bp to 1807 some £350,000 had been granted or ])romised in dillbrent forms ol" sulisidy; and these grants were made to railways having an aggregate length of G25 miles. In only one case, ajiparently, have these subsidies been accorded without stipulating for a return of interest. A law of June 8, 1887, provided among other things a further sum of £100,000, thus bringing the total up to £1,050,000 for the furtherance of a narrow-gauge network in the interests of agriculture. In connection with this latter law, £400,000 was at the same time granted for the building of grain warehouses to be erected on the light railways in order to assist agriculture. Annen No. 1.—Statemiont of the OOAIUEKC'IAL IlELATTONS OF Cor NTKIES BY TBEATY. THE German IAipire -wiTn FoREicrN There are three distinct classes of commercial treaties existing between the German Empire and foreign countries, which are as follows : 'g\." Treaties in which mutual tariff concessions have been made, and in which most-hivored-natioii treatment has been granted on both sides. "B." Treaties which contain no s])ecial tariff agreement, but only the right to most-fa\'ored-uation treatment, either by treaty or by the decision of the federal council, after due authorization by the Beichstag (example, Turkey), among the other usual subjects of agreement.// "0." Treaties in which Germany has granted neither most-i'a\ ored-uatiou treatmeni nor tariff concessions. Note.—Tbo comuierci.il relations ol'Groot Britain and lier eolouie.s willi Germany arc dcsi-rilicd on liages 11 and 12 ot I'.art I. Briefly, they are iiowmorclygcncr.il most-favorcd-nation trcatiiient on Imtli sides, ivitli the one exception of Canada. This mutual arrangement is only temporary and Iicgan on July Jl, ]8!)S (on the expiration ol' the old commercial treaty of May "0, lsi;."i, witli the "Zollverein"' and of the treaty of navigation of Angiist l(i, 1805, with Prussia), and can only extend up to .Inly 30, ISi'd, under tin: special law of May 11, 1898, which empowered the Reichstag to grant, at it.s diserelion, such most-favored-natiou trc.itment np to July of next year only. A.—Treaties (with Tariff Concessions by Germany and ÍMo.st-Eavored-Na'iton Clarses) in Force on January 1, 189!). ii.uc or siiiiiaturi". Au.stria-Uungary Belgium Groe« e Italy Boumaiiia Servia Switzerland Due. Der. July ¡ ' Ih-r. Oct. l"cl). Aug. Dec. C. 1891 > a. 1891 9, 1884 i C, 1891 21, 1899 1(1, 1891 21,1892 10, 1.^91 Date oí' Icnuinatioii. December 91,19UIJ (il' 1 ,\ eai'.s ju'iA ious ' iiotii'C be gi\ en). I >ce«:iuber 91, 1909 (11' i year'.s re vio us notice be given). At 1 year's notice Dceen)bcr9l, 1909 01 1 y«ar's previous notice be given). Dcceiulicr91, 1909 (if 1 year's previous nolice bo given). December 31,1909 (if 1 year's j)rcvioiis notice be given). Dec« uiber 91, 1903 (if i year's previou.s notice be given). Dc«'cinbcr 91, 1909 (if 1 year's lirevious notice be givou). Jieniarks. C.mic into force rebruary 1,1892; can continue after Docomlior 31,1903, and until expiration of 1 year's pre^ ious not ice lt Ikuador Traiue Guatemala Honduras.. Japan Liberia .. Morocco . Mexico Netlierlands and colonies . Nicaragua Orange !"i'<'c Slate Paraguav. Per.^ia ... Salvador. Sweden and Xoi'wai" Dato of signaturo. Date of termination. Sept. 19, 1S57 At 1 year s notice. [Treaties of 18G2,1890, and 1878] .. (Old treaty) 18G2. July 23, 1892 At less than 1 year's notice. At 1 year's notice [Various old treaties] July 19, 1392 March 12, 1912 Mar. 28, 1887 May 10. 1871 Sept. 20, 1887 Dec. 12, 1887 Apr. 4, 189G Tarid' (only ou the side ot Japan) January 1, 1011; rest Jul}'' 17, 1911 (if 1 year's previous notice bo eiven). Oct. 91, 18G7 June 3, 1890 Dec. 5, 1882 Dec. .91, 1851 Deb. 4, 1S9G Apr. 23, 1897 July 21. 18S7 June 11, 187.3 Jan. 12. 188S Remark.s. At 1 year's notice Can not bo terminated. At 1 year's notice At 1 year s notice At 1 ycai's notice. Indeiinito At 1 year's notice. At 1 year's notice April 7, 1907 (il' 1 year's previou.s notice be given). May 17. 1901 (if 1 year's ])revious notice be given). May 18, 1908 (if 1 yeai's previous notice be given). At 1 ycar'.s notice August 22, 1899 (if 3 year's previous notice be given). ^'aricus old treat ie.s. Tonga ! Nov. 3, 1876 Tuni< Türke "Cuitc-d Statc.s Zanzibar Jan 22, 1885 Ko^■. 18,1S9G March 22, ITGlo (part¬ ly in force still) ; An- gust 2 6, 1890 (prac¬ tically not in force on Turkis h side). No pi-Qvisions as to termination At 1 3-ear'.s notice Indefinite ■Mra-chl2, 1912 (tariff only on Turkish side). July 4, 1901 (if notice of revision be given 1 year previously). Made for 8 years certain. Then at I year's notice. Sec treaties with J'nrkey. Denounced Augu.st 27,1800, hut cventVially prolonged. Is now again put into I'uree, hut the foi-mer iioli<'c of 1 j'ear to terminate it is reduced to less. Made for 10 years certain ; I'rom April 12, 1894, date of ratification. Then at 1 year'.s notice. See " State papers " for details. Came, into force April 1, 1893. Modification.s are allo'wahle at end of 7th and lltl] years. Made for 10 yeai'S certain; from March 29, 1888, date of I'aliiication. Then at 1 year's notice. The Frank i'ort treaty of peace of May 10,1871, placed the commercial relations with Germany on a permanent most-favorcd-nalion basis. Made for 10 years certain; from June 22, 1898, date of ratification. Then at 1 year's notice. Made for 10 years certain ; from July 2, 1888, date of ratification, Then at 1 year's notice. Tlic tariil'part comes into force on January I, 1899; hut the rest only on July 17, 1899. To last 12 years certain from date of coming into force. Article XVIT, on reciprocal protection of patents, trade-marks, etc., came into force, however, on No\ ember 16, 1896. At 1 year's notice after expiry of 12 years. Made for 12 years certain; from July 3, 1868, date of ratificatiou. Then at 1 yeai's notice. Ratified July 10, 1891; 5 years later, moditications may be mutually agreed upon. Treaty continues in force until such revision occurs or a now conven¬ tion is concluded. Made for 10 years ccitaiii ; from July 26. 1883, date of ratification. Then at 1 year's notice. Ratified May 7, 1852. Good to January 1, 1851. After that, treaty to continue good until expiration of 1 year's previous notice to terminate. Mad(> for 10 ycar.s ; fi'om April 7, 1897, to date of ratification. Coutinue.s afte that until expiration of 1 year's pcvious notice to terminate. Came into force 2 months after ratification, i. e.,oii May 17, 1898. Made for 3 yea; s certain. Continues after that until expiration of 1 year's previous notice to terminate. Subsequent modifications allowable by mutual consent. ^vfadc for 10 yeaiM from May 18, 1888, dale of ratification. To cx))irc only on expiration of 1 year's previous notice to terminate. Diado for 10 yeai's : from August22,1889, date of ratification. The convention of tlii.s date renewed the old 1870 treaty which had been terminated by Sal¬ vador on March 25, 1880, it therefore ceased April 1, 1881. See "State Papers ' for details. Came into force 1)11 November 1, 1876. Tliere are no provisions as to its ter¬ mination. Came into force 1 inoiitli after date of ratification (June 24,1886), i. e., on July 24, 1S86—for lOyear.s certain. Continues after that until expiration of 1 ycar'.s previous notice to terminate. No provisions, apjiai'eiitly, as to termination. 'J'lie 1890 treaty came into fore e March 1. 1891, for 21 years certain; hut later censed to tiavo much force in practice. But mutual most-favored-nation treatment is accorded. Modifications arc allowed at end of 7lh and 14th ycai'.s. Tariff, however, not yet in force and was indefinitely suspended. The old 8 ]>er > eut ad valorem duties are still levied. A commercial treaty between the United States and Prussia was signed in 1828; and it contained a most-favored-nation clause, It appears doubtful if this applies to the Empire. Most-favored-nation treatment usually mutually accorded, Came into forct'on August 10, 1836; ratified July 5,1886. Revision allowed at end of 15 years, if 1 >c;u's notice be given on July 5, 1900. If not, then treaty considered to bo ¡irolouged for another 10 years longer. «Between Prussia and Turkey originally- 1714 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, C.—Treaties (containing neither Tariff Concessions Treatment). iiy Germany nor'Most-Eavored-Nation Cliinii Congo State . Korea Samoa Siam Date of sig¬ nature. Sept. 2. 18G1 Nov. 8. 1891 Nov. 20, 1883 .ran. 21, 1S79 Feb. 7, 18G2 Porpetnnl. rorpiîtiuil. I'orpetnal. rerpctual. Perpetual. Can not be revoked. Can not lie rovok'ed. Can not be revoked. Projiosals to reviso must, be notified 1 year beforeliand. "\^'as ratified within tlio linio jirovidcd Jbr by Article XII. Can not bo re\ oked. Any proposals l;o revise must be notified 1 year before- liand. Notes on above tables.--B. Tronties.—Tlierc liad al.so liecn treat iea giving rnost-CavorcMl n.nlion treatment will) Costa Pica (c.\pircd November 30, 1897); with San Domingo (expired January 20, 1807) ; witii Ci'e;it Prilain, luclndiiig her colonies (expired .i iih'30, 1808) ; with Ilawaii (annexed to United States in 1898, and notice was given that all ticaties terminated, but (hat the old tarilfs v ould teniporaiily continuo lo be aiiplied); with "Madagascar (annexed to France as a colony in 1896), and with Uruguay (expired July 31, 1897). Jxelations ^cith United States.—to commercial treaties with Cermany, liiere are none, exci pL with the individual Stales. Ina speech in the Peichslag, soino years before bis retirement, Prince Bismarck mentioned the United Stal es as one of the coniil rios cnjo} ing the niost-favored-nal iorf beneüts, stating tliat, as the old treaty with Prussia of 1828 was in force, it was impossible to make a distinction between Prussia and tho Pmpiro in the ease in point. As the mattcrnow stands, Germany says that (he treaty of 1828 with I^russia hn.s iirnolieiilly been extended to the whole of the Empire, while the United States have taken no positive position in the matter, neither directly conlirming noi^ contradicting this view. Annex No. 2 (A).—Table of German Trade with all Countries, 1889 to 189G, Values and Quantities, Chief Changes in Imports (Arranged Alphabetically). IMPORTS FROM ALI. COUNTRIES. VALUE. Com]>arison, : JSOOr. 1889, j I'or values. ! QÜANTITV. < 'om ;i!ii i>on, l -')0 V. 1389. for quantities. 1SSÎ) 1390 1SS9 1S9G Ä £ I £ ' Tons. Tons. Tons. 1,476, 800 2, 253,150 '1- 778, 350 i 365. 895 602,159 -P 236, 264 Clover seed, etc 772, 400 1,175,250 + 402, 800 : 18,774 29,870 - h 11,096 Coal 3.183,800 3,033,400 — 128,400 j 4,436, 558 5, 470,752 H-1,020.194 Coffee (raw) 9. 964,100 9,461,700 — 499, 400 1 113.323 129, 890 -h 16, 568 Copper (raw and scrap) 1,452,500 2,872,950 -1 1,420,450 1 29, 642 59,2S4 -1- 29, 642 Cotton (raw and waste) 13. 990,1)00 11,910, 500 —2, 059, 400 ; 260, 912 309, 094 H- 48,182 Cotton yam 2,906, 600 2, 842, 650 — 03, 950 ; 21.926 22, 464 + 538 Cotton manufactures 6-17,850 933,200 H- 30,3. 350 ; 1, 514 2, 975 + l,4Cf 2,061,900 3,828,300 , 1, 7C6, 400 ; 48,515 89,029 h 40.514 1,915,000 1,560,400 — 345.600 58, 923 54,186 — 4. 737 Grain, flour, potatoes, etc 20,100,400 28, 743, 230 B, 642,850 3,149, 446 5, 654, 995 42 505, 549 Grease 2, 379,430 2,268, 350 — 110, 900 1 07, 541 91,948 4- 24, 407 Barrels. Barrels. Ba •reis. Herrings 1,598, 130 1,272,450 - 32.3 700 121,738 121,033 ~ 105 Tons. Tons. Tons. Hides and skins (raw) 4,474,300 5, 738, 750 -1 1, 264, 4.30 • 86,761 105,101 18,340 1,015, 900 1, 031!. 000 1- 20,100^ 1,935 1,973 ■, 38 Iron ore 882.150 1. 741, 300 + 859,150 1 1,234,783 2, 580, 705 - 1 331.917 Iron, pig »54.100 797,900 — 150,200 1 337,731 322,501 — 15.230 Linseed »93,800 2,357, 500 H-1, 358, TOO i 103,979 289, 387 1N5,408 Machinery and locomotives 1, 602, 250 1,810, 500 -i- 238,250 1 45, 789 59, 077 + 13, 838 Metal wares of all kinds 1,592, 950 1,832, .500 + 239,550 ! 70, 344 86, 034 , 4" 15,690 3, 167, 950 3, 303, 900 -p 223,930 333, 160 450, 407 + 117,241 Ob, petroleum (crude and refined) 4,066, 830 2, 989, 300 -1.077,550 025,668 853,642 227, 974 Oil cake 1,423,930 L183,300 -i- 59,550 218,363 310, 835 + 92, 322 Palm kernels, etc 1,114,400 1,333,700 219,300 105, 009 137,208 4- 32,199 Silk and floss silk, raw, waste, and cocoons 8, 561, .500 5, 567, 200 —2, 997, 300 3,284 5. 307 4- 23 Timber, staves, osiers, box-tree wood, etc 7, 268, 700 9,349,750 -1-2, 081, 050 3, 246,873 3,385,421 j- 138. 548 Tobacco (leaf and manufacturcil) 4,122,800 5, 760, 800 -4-1,038,000 46,103 53,334 + 12 229 AVine in casks and bottles 2, 410, 700 1,994,9;I0 — 415,800 74,552 66, 793 __ 7, 754 "Wool (raw) 13,987,200 11,850,250 - 2, 130, 950 139,S72 170, 244 4- 30. 372 Woolen yarn 5, 631,450 5,704,200 + 72,750 21.597 23, 992 4- 2. 395 Woolen cloths and stuifB 624, 800 056, 550 -i 31.750 1,429 2,017 4- 583 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS. 1715 (B).—Table op German Trade with all Countries, 1889 to 1890, Values and Quantities, Chiep Changes in Expori's (Arranged Alphabetically). EXPORTS TO ALL COUNTRIES. VALUE. ^ Comparison, 1896 V. 1889, 1 for values. ¡ QCANTITY. Comparison, 1896 V. 1889, for quantities. 1889 1890 ' 1889 1896 £ £ £ Tons. Tons. Tons. 916, 500 79 t, 25C — 152,250 90,114 78, 450 — 11,688 Butter (margarine) 002,350 709, 7.50 + 107,400 6, 693 7,100 407 Coal 4,771,850 6,093,050 ' 1,322.300 ■ 8, 847, 202 11,598, 757 + 2, 751,555 719,150 1,800,450 -t 1,051,300 ; 812, 569 2, 216, 395 -1- . 403, 820 Cotton (raw and waste) 1, 459, 800 1,887,700 -1- 427,900' 30,182 52, 538 + 22, 350 Cotton yarn 9G1, 400 811,500 — 149,900 6, 810 6, 965 + 125 Cotton Tiiaiuilauturos 8. IIG, GiH) 8, 337, 650 + 221.050 26,317 34,343 + 8, 026 Dyes, aniliiu' and similar 1,918, 050 3,440,600 +1,528 550 6,974 10, 232 + 9, 258 Glass, Bud wares tbercof 1,832,900 2, 139, 650 + 306,750 78, 137 116,588 -H 38,451 Grain, dour, potatoes, etc 2, C55, 200 2,020 .550 + 26.5,350 355,319 402, 560 107. 241 1,151, 100 977,800 , — 173,300 12,996 9, 867 — 3, no Instruiuents (musical) 1,973,400 1, 899, 400 — 71,n(]!] 12,265 13,809 1 + 1, 544 Iron, pit! 4G0, 300 385,800 — 83,500 ir.6, 434 140,419 1 — 15, 935 Iron bars (malleable) 1,244,100 a I, 434, 800 : 190.700 165,831 a 250,461 ¡ 93, 630 Iron wares (coarse) 5, 207, G50 C, 262, eat 11. 850 18, 950 + 7,100 14, 099 30, J 4 4 -f 10,14.5 Straw and bast wares R, 250 21. 150 + 12,900 213 295 + 82 Glasswares U7, G50 473, G50 + 320, OCÛ 4, 327 C. 184 _ + 1,857 3.338 800 1,847,800 —1,491,000 2,147 1,438 — 709 ATood.and wares thereof 1, 3G8,100 1, 190, 300 — 177, 800 51,517 09,518 + 18,001 3-:o, 350 174, 300 — 140,050 4,001 2, 081 — 1,323 Stone, and vares thereof 117 400 Gl, 050 1 56, 350 2, SIS 3,412 J- 594 W(u)l, and wares thereof 2, GUI. SOU 2, 472, 150 1 ISO, G50 9,325 10. 509 H- 1,244 770, 100 520, 100 ! 250, 000 1 3G, .5i;:s 20,337 — 7,171 a.nnex No. 4.—Comparison of British and German Similar Exports, 1895 to 1897. Trade, i. e., op Domestic Produce.) 1. exports of cuti'ox and (r)tton (ioods, in £1,000. (Onla' Special I Great [ Britain. German Bmpiro. Inci'f'a'^e or iiicrrase oi| ilocreasc for (lecrcaso for I EngU'iid. I Gcimany. ! ISO.') I 54, 47)3 18Ü0 ' 59,;>09 1807 ' 5>,nni n,G47 1],174 10, (507 + 4, 854 —5,248 -473 -507 The Gernian exports, by weight, iiave been, in the three years: 1S95, 90,927; 1S9G, 90,133, and (89,819, less 3,850 in iinprovenicnt " traffic) 85,999 metric tons in 1807. 2. exrokts oi'^ wool AXD woolen avaees, in xpooo. Increase or , Im-ruasc or (Iccrcaso lor for England. | Ccnnaii,). V KA\l. Great Britain.a German Empire. £ £ 1895 20, 595 16,814 1890 IB, 987 10,547 1897 17,517 10, 272 —1,GU8 -1,470 -2G7 -275 a Baiv Avool aildcd to inalio a coinparison villi (¡crniuu stalistics possible. 3. exports of coal, lignite, coke, etc., in £1,000. YEAR. Groat Britain. German Ihiijiiro. Increaso or decrease for, England. Increase or docn'asofor Germany. £ £ £ ct 15, 433 «15,150 ft 10, CM 7,288 8, 084 — 277 -f796 1897 8,712 -1-1,503 -1-628 aValiio of coal shipped for use of steamers engaged in the foreign trade is not included licre, as it ia not considered to he an ordinary export. 1899.] MISCELLANEOUS, 1717 Annex No. 4.—Compakison oe British and German Similar Exports, 1895 to 1897, etc.—Contiimecl exports of coal, lignite, coke, etc., in 1,000 tons. YE.AE. Great Pritain. German Empire, a Increase or deorcnso fur England. Increase or decrease for Gorinany. 1895 ii33,101 h 34, 2G2 h 37.102 12,8SG 14, 039 14,833 189G + 1,101 +2, 840 -1-1,183 + 704 1897 a tons. h líxclusivo of coal shipped for use of steamers in foreign trade. 4. EXPORTS OF CHEMICALS, :\[EDICAL I'UEI^ARATIONS, ETC., IN Xl^OOO. YKAE. Groat Eiitain. German Empire. Increases nr deci'eavf |(i; J-+gland £ Incronse or (leerí a -ü l'or í iermauy. 1895 £ 8, 288 8, 242 8, G74 £ 14,940 15.839 15,992 £ 189G 1897 — 46 +432 -l 899 + 153 5. EXPORTS OF LÍXEN AND LIXF.X" GOODS, IN Xi.OOf. Incrcasc or Inercaseor VJOAT. (, reat I (.c-rmau i,„. ,1,,. f,„-I Lr.tam. i Linpire. , ,„.„„any. I 1895. iy;)0. 1Ö97. £ £ 5, 351 1, 257 5, 030 1, 190 4, 774 1, 222 -921 25G 58 +23 (). EXPORTS OF SILK GOODS, IN £1,000. 1895 189G 1897 Y'EAE. Great ]4ritain. £ 1,435 1,423 1, 340 rn.'Ksi.^c or Iiid'casc oi' dccrcasii lor (1(m rrasc ¡oi JCiiolaiid. j (icruiiuiy. £ I & —12 —83 —GIO -843 7. EXPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL, IN £1,000. YEAR. Iron and Iron and steel— ironvrma; — Great Gm man Briluiu. Jhnpn.e. Tunease nr (lemea-^e I'm" Enalaml. Im',vas,oi (¡(•i I e.i-.e (iir ! ¡ ei many. £ ! £ 19, C80 ! 13,1189 29,801 j 3 9,877 24, 039 1 15, 730 £ £ 1 4, 121 + 833 -1 1, 788 —], 110 8. EXPORTS OF MACHINES, ETC,, IN £1,000. iMacliini'S Implemcnl.-«,j I ami I inacliincs, i rncrca-^c t.r Iiicrca.ni'nr iiiilhvurk— and \-cIi ii las den caMc I'm dem »'ase I'ur < J rent ' —(iernian Kngland. (joniiany. llrilaiu. Empire, (a) 1805. 189G. 1897. £ £ 15,160 7,917 17,014 8, 020 10, 282 8, 897 1-1,80-1 - 732 + 73 ^ 877 a Tho aiini of £40,250, value of ships esported and added for first time in 1897, is deducted from llie German total, so as to be comparable villi 189G ; i. e., £8,938,000, loss £40,250, ciiuals £8,897,759, 1718 MISCELLANEOUS. [January, Annex No. 5.—Gojipari«on of German Commerce in 189G and 1897 for all Customs Tariff Classifications. Num¬ ber in tarltf. CLASSIFICATION. 1896 "SfEClAl 1897 " IMPORTS. Increase or ilrerease, 1897 Ü. 1896. £ £ £ 1 "Waste, remains, etc 3,162,150 3,486,450 + 324,300 2 Cotton, and goods thereof 15,73», 950 10,251,150 -h 511,200 3 Lead, and wares thereof 407,150 480, »50 4- 79, 800 4 Brushwaro and sieves, etc 149, 900 110,250 __ 33,650 5 Drags, apothecary's wares, colors, etc 11,684,250 11, 077, 400 — 6, 850 C 2, 410, GOD 3,18», 400 + 778, SIJÜ 7 Earths, orc.s, precious metals, asbestos, and wares thereof 18, 635, 550 10,731,000 — 1,901,550 8 Flax, and other vegetable materials for spinning 4,235,000 511,800 9 Corn, and other agricultural iiroducts 37,132,3(10 39,005,750 M- ],873,450 10 Glass, and wares thercuf 547. 900 500,rdO •1- 12, 950 11 Hair of horses, and human, etc., fcatliers, bristles 2, 542, 200 4, 0!>2, 300 + 2,150,100 12 Hides and skins 7, 774,150 8, 800, 05O U" 1,085, 900 13 Wood and otlicr materials for car\ ing, and wares thereof 12, 8(;8, 250 15, 701,3t'0 + 2, 893, 050 14 Hop.s :un. 4:>() 411.800 T 20, 350 15 Tools, ma<'hincs, and vehicles 5 2, 037, 250 2, 430, GOO ■h 399,350 16 Calcuder.s 11.2.50 18,800 7, 5.30 17 Caoutchouc and gutta-pereha, and wares tliereof 2, 2.55, 200 2,458, 900 + 203.700 18 Clothes and undcrliucn, read}' made, and millinery... 53». 350 498, 150 — 40. »00 ' 19 Copper, etc., and wares thereof 3,591. 150 4, 448,800 + 857, 050 20 Candles 1,954,400 1,959,850 + 5, 450 21 Leather, and wares thereof 2, 654, 200 2,743,950 H- 89, 750 22 Linen yarn, linen, and other linen ware.s 1, 310, 450 1,398,700 4- 79, 2.30 23 Ornamental wares, watches, etc 5, lOO 0, 050 + 950 24 Literaryand art objects 2, Oil, 450 2,151,0,50 109, G' O 25 Groceries, confectionery, and other edible articles 30, 350, 40O 31, 208, 850 4- 858, 450 26 Oil, not specially mentioned, and fats C, 443. 4ÜU 7, 582,100 + 1,138, TOO 27 Paper and pasteboard 631,500 COS,000 + 36, 500 28 Fur skins 91,000 111.450 + 20,450 29 Petroleum 3, 739, 550 3.133,950 — 605, 600 30 Silk, and wares thereof 7.161,850 7, 394, 500 -h 232, 6.30 31 Soaps and perfumery 91,550 04,850 + 3,300 32 Playingcaids 350 400 + 50 33 Stonc.s,aiul wares thereof 1,659,700 1,806,930 + 147,250 34 Coals, lignite, coke, peat, and "peat coals '' 5, 70», 050 6, 355, 950 -h 640,900 35 Straw and hast wares 372,500 450, 3ÜU -h 83,800 36 Tar, pitch, resins, asphalt 1,930,250 1,898, 750 — o o o 37 Animals and animal products, not specially mentioned. 5, 829,700 6. 325, (100 d- 495, 300 3Í8, 750 381,450 1 32, 700 ' 39 Cattle 6,997, 050 7,552,150 + 555,100 40 Oilcloth. American cloth, oil silk 48, 650 45,200 — 3, 450 41 Wool, and wares thereof ■ 20.688,400 18, 958,300 _ 1,730,100 42 Zinc, and warc.s thereof 289, 450 394,400 + 104,950 43 Tin. and wares thereof 871, 0.50 790, 900 ~ 83,150 In improve- oit trailic u 1897.a 90-1, 250 2,'iO 237, 350 30,150 1,400 440, 250 4, 900 13, 350 2,300 10. 3.50 1,850 C2, 700 24,700 'SPECIAL" EXPORTS. 2,457,100 140,800 2, 900 3, 850 57.900 79,800 1,100 189C 1S97 Iiicroaso or decrease, 1897 V. 1896. £ £ £ 527,100 739,150 + ' 212, 0.30 11,174, 200 10, 607,950 — 506, 250 583,400 771,700 + 188. 300 1,033, 350 419, 000 — 614,350 15, 83», 400 15,092, 700 + 153,300 16,877, 000 15,730,500 — 1 140, 500 14,265,150 10, 590. 550 — 3. 668,600 1,501,930 1,206, 700 35.3, 230 3. 882. 900 5. 299,300 -f 1,416, 400 2,130,630 2,173, 450 d- 33,800 1, 408, 900 2, 003, 950 + 1 225, 050 3, 581, 000 4, 040,400 + 405, 400 4,801,000 5, 024, 450 -f 162,850 077, 800 1, 103, 800 + 210,000 8, 020, 030 8, 938,000 d- 917, 350 18, 100 25, 350 + 7, 250 1, 5:;2. 530 1,840,500 -h 277, 9.50 7,374,400 6,342,900 — 1,031,500 4,435, 900 4, 270, 400 — 165, 500 G, 302, 830 G, 608, 800 d- 245,950 7, Ol», 900 7,171,400 d- 151,500 1,109,250 1,222,050 + 23, 400 32, 900 24,950 — 7, 950 0, 002, 030 6, 330, 330 d- 330, 700 18,489,100 17, 497,300 — 991,800 l,4-t9, 350 1,310,950 — 132,400 5,035. 300 4, 720, 850 — 308, 450 157,GOO 197,500 d- 39, 900 63, 300 52, 350 — 10,9.50 7,654,700 6, SOG. 600 — 848,100 084,630 630, -150 — 34.200 15,000 12,730 — 2. 850 1,207,950 1, 122, 830 _ 145,100 8, 0S4, 050 8, 712, 700 + 628. 050 228. 400 208, 500 — 19,900 505. OÜO 404,100 — 40, 900 382, 350 511,000 + 129. 250 3,041,400 2. 952, 650 — 8S. 730 1,133,850 1,040,200 — 93,650 63, 500 61,600 — 3, 900 16, 547, 750 16,272.050 _ 275, 700 1,437,500 1,4)2, 450 — 45, 050 208, -150 250, 300 d 41,850 a TLo " iinprovoniont traifjc" noted above for 1897 is only detail in Keiiort Xo. 2040, Annual Series (published by Porei¿;n h In tilia category (No. 15) tbere is included, for 1897, for £40,250. lliat p'.rtion .. OflicL in j\iarcli the lir.st time, Í the whole 1898). the value of '■iinprovcnieut" trado wliicb is for "inland account, " as explained in ships. That of ships imported was £98,550; that of ships exported was 1899.] MISCELLANIOOTJS. 1719 Annex No. G.—Table of Chief Industrial Shares, with their Quotations on the Berlin Stock Exchange from 1S85 to 1898. (IIiohest and Lowest Prices are given during each Month opposite the two dates quoted.) NAME OF SriAliES. ISS,I Dulc. I'riri liiSEiarckhiUtc ! 'I Bochum Gus.8t:ihl. 'l Doc. (I Dec. ^ Dec, l| Dor. Bruiinsclnveiiior Kuhlen . üíaiks. 110 103 128i 122 28 Doimcrsmavckhütte. I Dec. f! Dor. ■V Dec. SOI 281 331 DonnorsmarckhiUte coin ertii'te. Ilarkoit krück'cn Dor. ■I Doc. ( Doc. ■V Dee. Uarpcncf Ilibcriiia ' Dec. Dibeniia junge Action ^ 31 i 43 8 j 522 31 77 14 ; 80i I 97^, lloerJoi iiUo llocnler rriorUiit.s Ai íicn. / Dec. 14 24.60 ■I Doc. 10 222 Laurahütío Massci.'^r. (I I I V i| Doc. 31 87i jj 11 ! 94.90 i Í "l i Dec. I Bielefeld Maschinen Düssohlorfor Eisen Fabrik. Ilallesche Maschinen Ilannovcrsche Ma.^oiiinen.. Loewe Earkort Prioritäts Action . Doc. Dec. 28 197.60 10 232 (■ Dec. ■Il Dfc. /j Dec. ^ Dec. 215.80 217.10 103i 103i 1S90 Date. Price. Dec. Dec. Doc. Duc. Dec. Doc. Dec. Doc. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Doc. Dri'. 1)CE. Dec. Dec. Doc. Doc. Dec. Dec. Doc. Di'f. Dec. D.m . Dec. Dc'. Dec. Dec. Dec. Doc. Dec. Doc. Dec. Dec. Dec. 30 1 30 3 30 12 30 1 30 I I ! 30 j 1 I 30 1 ] 30 1 30 1 30 1 30 1 30 7 30 1 30 1 30 10 30 1 30 1 30 1 19 1 Marks. 173 1GÖ 159. 90 153i 85 831 ni 108 1332 126^ 108^ 201 191 177 170 ICI 32 33 GTi 692 1392 1312 99 832 141 138 1302 1422 3322 329 127 117 310 302 1492 1-40 Date. Piice. Dec. 28 Dec. 10 Dc.e. 21 Dit. 3 Ko'.. 2.) Dec 0 Dec. 3 ^^arks. 1S02 188 1412 1562- 105 146 lîli I 80» Date. Price. Dec. 31 Doc. 1 Dec. 31 I)(c. 14 Dec. 31 Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Dec. 1 San:c as above Dec. Dec. Dec. Dt < Di'c. Dec. 131 1292 158 172} 158 IGT l>:niic as above De-- Dec Dec. 19 Dec. 3 Dec. 23 Dec. 6 Dec. 21 Dit. 3 Dec. 16 Dec. 4 Dec. 21 Dec. 4 Dec. 24 Dec. 19 Dec. 28 Dec. 9 Dec. 21 Dec. 3 Dec. 22 Dec. 21 121 9. 9U I I 93 103 I 149.90^ es j 72.1 ' 2692 174 191 396 405 183.} 190 315 332} 1542 152 JDn/.v 224 220} 166} 159 1301 128} 1602 15.') .Saine as above. Dee. 10 De.-. 31 Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Dec. 1 1312 1352 176 IGG 180} 170-180 I ^ Saïuo a.s above. Dec. 31 Dec. 1 I)( e 31 Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Doc. 1 Dec. 11 Dec. 23 Dec. 31 Dec. 7 Dec. 31 Dec. Il Dec. 31 Dec. 1 Dec 31 Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Dec. 1 Dec. 28 Dec. 7 Í 807 J80S Date, i Price. : Date. Priee Dec. 11 Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Dec. 18 Dec. 31 Dec. 1 Dec. 31 I^cc. 4 D.l- 11} l'n 125 163} 156} 133.} 141} 306 342 199 194} 454 446 220 216 421 391 i.n 1562 Mark"!. 230} 2042 201 138} 136} 165 161 Same as above. Dee. 31 Dec. 3 Dec. 31 Dec. 20 Dec. 31 Dec. 3 135 132 194 188 2092 204 Kov. 17 Kov. 1 Kov. 21 Xov. 2 Kov. 11 Nov. 1 Xov. 17 Xov. 1 Marks. 201 209 212 2172 142 14C2 176 184 Same as aliovo. Xov. 0 I Xov. 1 I Xov. 17 ' Xov. 9 Ni)v. 17 X'ov. 1 buiic as aljove. Dec. 31 ' Dec. 20 Dec. 31 Dec. 20 Dee. 31 Dee. 4 ; Dec. 31 Die. 14 Dec. 31 Dec. 22 I Dec. 31 I 1.CC ' Dec 1 Dit j Dec I Dec 1 31 4 31 9 Dec. 31 Dec. 11 Dec. 31 Dec. 3 82 i 133} 1302 184. 40 177. 10 134 120 363 350 275 241 560 00 4 207 255 465 459 1552 1552 129} 128 ICD 173 188} 192.2 Snme as above. Xov. 9 Xov. 1 Xov. 17 Xov. 1 Xov, 17 Xov. 1 Xov. 17 Xov. 1 Xuv. 17 Xov. 1 Xov. 21 Xov. 4 Xuv. 11 Xov. 3 Xov. 17 Xov. 1 Xov. 17 X'ov. 4 X'ov. 21 Xov. 9 9. 30 9.10 161 170} 202} 211 132 140} 3172 280 286 437 412 298 313 480 505 / a.o OFfcrOFAî A;,,,.. i 216828 I WAR DEPArti '/IENT