The objects to which the capital was applied in 1897 are classified, as nearly as practicable, as follows: Customs Tariff of the United Kingdom. Articles subject to import duties in the United Kingdom, and the rate of duty levied upon each article according to the tariff in operation at the present time: Cocoa. - Raw, per lb., 1d.; husks and shells, per cwt., 2s.; cocoa or chocolate, ground, prepared, or in any way manufactured, per lb., 2d. Coffee.-Raw, per cwt., 14s.: kiln-dried, roasted, or ground, per lb., 2d. Chicory.-Raw or kiln-dried, per cwt., 13s. 3d.; roasted or ground, per lb., 2d.; coffee, chicory, or other vegetable matter applicable to the uses of coffee or chicory, roasted and ground, mixed, per lb., 2d. Fruit (Dried).-Currants, 2s. per cwt.; figs, fig-cake, plums, prunes, and raisins, 7s. per cwt. Tea, per lb., 4d. Tobacco, per lb.-Unmanufactured: containing in every 100 lbs. weight thereof 10 lbs. or more of moisture, 3s. 2d.; containing less than 10 lbs. of moisture, 3s. 6d. ; manufactured: cigars, 5s. ; cavendish or negrohead, 48, 6d.; cavendish or negrohead manufactured in bond, 4s.; snuff, containing in every 100 lbs. weight thereof more than 13 lbs. of moisture, 3s. 9d.; not more than 13 lbs. of moisture, 4s. 6d. ; other manufactured tobacco, 4s. Wine, per gallon-Not exceeding 30 degrees of proof spirit, 1s. ; exceeding 30 but not exceeding 42 degrees of proof spirit, 2s. 6d. With an additional duty of 3d. per gallon for every degree or part of a degree beyond the highest above charged. The word "degree" does not include fractions of the next higher degree. Wine includes lees of wine. The duty on sparkling wine imported in bottle, in addition to the duties in respect of alcoholic strength, 2s. Beer of the descriptions called mum, spruce, or black beer, and Berlin white beer, and other preparations, whether fermented or not fermented, of a character similar to mum, spruce, or black beer, where the worts thereof were, before fermentation, of a specific gravity not exceeding 1.215 degrees, for every 36 gallons, £1 3s.; exceeding 1.215 degrees, £1 12s. 10d. Beer of any other description, where the worts thereof were, before fermentation, of a specific gravity of 1.055 degrees, for every 36 gallons, 7s.; and so on in proportion for any difference in gravity. Spirits or Strong Waters.- Spirits of any description (except perfumed spirits), including naphtha or methylic alcohol, purified so as to be potable; and mixtures and preparations containing spirits, per proof gallon, 10s. 6d. perfumed spirits, per gallon, 17s. 3d.; liqueurs, cordials, or other preparations containing spirits, in bottle, entered in such a manner as to indicate that the strength is not to be tested, per gallon, 14s. 8d.'; and so in proportion for any less quantity. Chloroform, per lb., 3s. Id. Chloral Hydrate, per lb., Is. 3d. Confectionery, in the manufacture of which spirit has been used, in addition to any other existing duty, per lb., 1⁄2d. Ether, Acetic, per lb., 1s. 10d. Ether, Sulphuric, per gallon, £1 6s. 2d. Ether, Butyric, per gallon, 15s. 8d. Ethyl, Iodide of, per gallon, 13s. 7d. Soap (Transparent), in the manufacture of which spirit has been used, per lb., 3d. CUSTOMS DRAWBACKS. Coffee.-On roasted coffee exported as ships' stores, a drawback equal in amount to the import duty on raw coffee shall be allowed. Tobacco.-Upon tobacco containing 14 per cent. of moisture manufactured in Great Britain and Ireland upon which the duties of Customs shall have been paid, on the same being by any licensed manufacturer exported as merchandise or deposited in any bonded warehouse to be used as ships' stores, and packed in whole and complete cases, each containing not less than 80 lbs. net weight, and in proportion if the moisture exceeds or is less than 14 per cent., drawback shall be allowed. Snuff. Upon snuff manufactured in Great Britain and Ireland, on the exportation thereof or on deposit in the Queen's warehouse to be abandoned, provided the quantity of inorganic matter contained therein does not exceed the proportion of 18 lbs. in every 100 lbs., exclusive of water, drawback shall be allowed. If the snuff contains more than such proportion of inorganic matter, a deduction is to be made from the drawback in respect of every pound of the excess above such proportion. FRANCE. Area and Population. The present area of France is 204,092 English square miles. By the census of 1891 the population was 38,343,192, while that of 1896 shows 38,517,975, or 188.7 population per square mile. The number of foreigners residing in France (census 1896) constituted 2.66 per cent. of the whole inhabitants, or Lu27,491 persons, of whom, at the census of 1891, 465,860 were Belgians and 286,042 Italians. DISTRIBUTION BY OCCUPATIONS. The number of French citizens abroad in 1891 was 517,000; the home residents are classified according to the following employments: The French are remarkably non-migratory, as will appear from the following figures of emirrants for a series of years: 1882. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 1889. 1890. 1891. 1892. French.. 4,858 4,011 6,100 6,063 7.314 11,170 23,339 31,354 20,560 6,217 5,528 Others... 54,567 53,148 31,349 30,424 35,618 60,949 71,336 57,801 51,952 51,598 33,618 These figures do not include the emigration to Algeria. 1893. 5,586 23,629 State Finances. The following official figures represent the yearly expenditures of the French Government from resources derived from taxes and loans, but do not include the "budget sur ressources spéciales": 3,375,761,428 3,287,908,973 3,416,117,018 3,434,020,477 1897 (budget estimated).. 3,392,554,662 3,392,554,662 3,321,007,350 1898 (budget estimated).. 3,361,878,936 3,361,878,936 3,422,632,679 NATIONAL DEBT. The following table shows the interest and annuities to be paid under the various heads of the public debt, according to the budget estimates of 1898: The agricultural lands of France comprise 36,977,100 hectares under crops, fallow, and grasses and 8,397,131 hectares under forest. The following statement shows the chief crops and the acreage of each crop for the years named: 74,083,334 188,215,605 198,317,045 184,895,085 1 hectolitre = 2.8375 bushels; 1 hectare = 2.471 acres; 1 quintal = 220.46 pounds. 5,521,269 The imports and exports and cider production are for the ten first months. Silk culture is carried on in 27 departments of France-most extensively in Drôme, Gard Ardèche, and Vaucluse. In 1896, 145,310 persons were employed in this industry; the production of cocoons was 9,318,765 kilogrammes; 315,300 kilogrammes of cocoons were exported, valued at 2,932,290 francs, and 2,807,500 kilogrammes of raw silk, valued at 62,567,250 francs. (1 kilogramme = 2.2046 pounds avdps.) At the date of the latest official data (1893), the productive equipment of France, so far as respects her textile industries, was as follows: Number of The following statement of the imports and exports of cotton yarn and cloth, and woolens and Blks, affords some indication of the status of these industries, expressed in millions of francs: -Cottons --Woolens -Silks -Imports -Exports Imports- Exports Imp'ts. Exp'ts. Year. Yarn. Cloth. Yarn. Cloth. Yarn. Cloth. Yarn. Cloth. Tissues. Tissues. 22.5 39.1 2.8 95.5 131.4 Foreign Commerce. In the following statistics of imports and exports of merchandise "General Trade " includes all goods entering or leaving the country, while "Special Trade" includes only imports for home use and exports of French origin, expressed in francs: -Imports 2,439 2,280 2,273 1,060 1,035 1,191 The chief divisions of "general" and "special" trades were, in millions of francs: "General Trade." 1890. 1893. Food products.... Raw products... Manufactured g'ds.. -Exports- 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897. 1890. 1893. 1894. 1895. 1,452 1,480 1,455 1,393 1,458 1896. 1897. 1,062 1,002 967 1,030 1,100 1,021 1,133 1,199 1,195 4,795 4,919 4,929 5,137 Total........... 4,437 3,854 3,850 3,720 3,799 3,956 3,753 3,236 3,078 3,374 3,400 3,59 The chief articles of import and export in the "Special Trade," expressed in millions of francs were as follows: Coal and coke.. 172 167 174 189 Parisian articles. Timber, common.. Oil seeds... Hides and furs, raw.. Coffee... Copper.. 34 Machinery. 57 Modes & artific'l flowers Skin and leather goods. Copper...... Pottery, glass, & cryst'l. Paper & its applicat'ns. Brandy, spirits, lique'rs. Timber, common.. Sugar, refined. Machinery... Fixed oils other than olive... Iron and steel, cast.. Tot'l (all other incl'd). 3,850 3,720 3,799 3,956 Table fruits... Fish.. Cotton wool.. Horses and mules. Coal and coke... Tot'l (all other inc'd). 3,078 3,374 3,401 3, Chief imports for home use and exports of home goods, to and from the following countries, millions of francs: 271 323 18 18 13 153 145 17 154 154 161 16 118 131 11 247 27 26 92 11 83 10 19 The principal articles of import from the United States for the year ending June 30, 1897, w Agricultural implements, $623,956; breadstuffs-corn, $2,113,628; oats, $912,325; copper and manu |