ARTICLE IX. Laces and embroideries wholly or partly of silk from 600 to 800 marks. This proposed amendment, in connection with the declaration and argument of the German Government in support thereof, although not in itself a great innovation, is nevertheless highly interesting and important as indicating a determination on the part of that Government to adhere to the protective principle in the adjustment of the tariff. Respectfully submitted, FERDINAND VOGELER, UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL, Frankfort-on-the-Main, May 30, 1884. EXTENSION OF EUROPEAN TRADE IN THE ORIENT. REPORT BY CONSUL KIEFER, OF STETTIN, GERMANY. I have the honor to bring to the attention of the Department an article from the semi-official paper Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, copied into the New Stettiner Zeitung, of May 17, 1884, of which I inclose two copies. The article corroborates the ideas expressed in my dispatches No. 18, of March 8, and No. 32, of May 10, 1884, about the best method for the introduction of new articles into foreign countries, shows how Europeans are acting in this regard, and may prove of some interest and value to our own manufacturers. It reads, translated, as follows: A few years ago, as everybody knows, a number of manufacturers in Austria associated themselves for exporting purposes under the name of the Austro-Asiatic Company, which has sent out an expedition with samples to India. According to the reports received this expedition has met, wherever it appeared, as in Kurrachee, Bombay, Calcutta, and Colombo, with satisfactory, even in some places with really surprisingly favorable, results. It is nothing new at all that manufacturers go together and send experts as their representatives, but the fact is not appreciated by German merchants as it ought to be. Therefore it seems not to be superfluous to refer to the example given by said company, and to advise that it might be followed up. The traveling expenses and those of first setting up such an expedition, if divided among a number of partners, are according to experience not heavy at all, and will soon be refunded. Besides, it might be shown by this way that many articles of the German industries if exported will easier find a market, as it is usually expected. The imperial consuls in foreign countries, as it is generally agreed to, are very willing to give every information wanted about the countries and the people, to show the best ways and manners to be taken, to cause by their personal influence the introductions needed, and to find at the disposal of those interested all the knowledge of local conditions they have. They can aid very materially the business men, but they can sapply neither men nor their active work. This is the cause wherefore we want to recommend very earnestly the measures recently adopted by the Austrian manufacturers. I can only say "amen," and think, in my humble opinion, the same principle, if carried out in Europe, and especially in Germany, might prove equally successful here, and the same words-mutatis mutandisought to be told again and again to our American manufacturers. HERMANN KIEFER, UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Stettin, May 19, 1884. Consul. gether with the arguments ("motives" as they are called in the parliamentary language of Germany) of the Government in support thereof. The Government say: The reform of our tariff system, inaugurated by the law of July 15, 1879, has in a general way brought about the desired results, in this, that it has not only produced ă decided increase of revenue, which has greatly relieved the financial situation of the several German States, but has also strongly fostered the industrial activity of the nation. It would, however, contravene the public interests, which the tariff has to serve in the first place if legislation should, as is demanded in some parts, consider the tariff which has now been in force nearly five years as something nearly unchangeable. Such strict adherence to all the provisions of the tariff is forbidden, on the one hand, by the constant development of the manifold industries affected by the tariff'; while on the other hand, in many instances, experience alone has enabled a competent judgment as to whether the provisions of the tariff of 1879 have hit the right thing (das Richtige getroffen haben) as well in the classification of the articles as in the height of the several rates. The efforts of the confederated governments to reform the tariff in this sense have not lately been successful, inasmuch as the bills of April 27, 1882, and February 11, 1883, relating to changes of the tariff laws, have not obtained the concurrence of the Reichstag. The confederated governments have therefore desisted from reintroducing these propositions. In like manner other suggested changes of the tariff are, for the time being, withheld on account of the conflict of interests concerned therein (betheiligte Interessen) and of the want of sufficient experience, which can only be obtained gradually. The present draft of an amendment, therefore, confines itself to such pressingly necessary changes of the tariff laws as to which objections of the nature above indicated cannot be urged, and the adoption of which can now be recommended without detriment to more comprehensive measures for the further development of our tariff system hereafter to be considered. The changes proposed are as follows: The duty is increased onARTICLE I. (a.) Laces and embroideries from 250 to 350 marks. (b.) Prepared ornamental feathers from 300 to 900 marks. (c.) Spirituous liquors from 40 to 80 marks. ARTICLE II. Ultramarine (heretofore free) to 15 marks. ARTICLE III. The words "watch materials and watch-works of inferior metals" are to be superseded by the words "works for other but tower-clocks and watches and watch materials of inferior metals." ARTICLE IV. (a.) Embroidered and lace dresses from 900 to 1,200 marks. (b.) Artificial flowers from 300 to 900 marks. Artificial flowers, parts thereof, from 120 to 900 marks. ARTICLE V. (a.) Watches formerly 600 marks per 100 kilograms are now to be assessed by the piece, as follows: Watches with gold or gold-plated cases 3 marks per piece. Watches with cases of other metal 1.50 marks per piece. Watches, gold or gold-plated, 1.50 marks per piece, ARTICLE VI. (a.) Variegated needle-work from 100 to 150 marks. (b.) Linen laces from 600 to 800 marks. ARTICLE VII. Removes certain articles from the free list, viz, engraved metal plates and lithographic stones with drawings, intended for impressions on paper. ARTICLE VIII. (a.) Sparkling wines in bottles from 48 to 80 marks. (At present all wines pay 48 marks.) (b.) Cacao, in beans, raw, 35 marks; roasted, 45 marks. (At present all kinds are rated at 35 marks.) (c.) Chocolate, ground cacao, and surrogates of chocolate from 60 to 70 marks. 'All rates refer to 100 kilograms, equal to 220 American pounds. One mark equal to 23.8 cents. PREVENTING EMIGRATION FROM AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. REPORT BY CONSUL-GENERAL WEAVER, OF VIENNA. In my last annual report, dated February 25, 1884, I recited the fact that seventy peasants of Galicia with their families (as telegraphed from Krakan) had been stopped by the police at the railway station, and forced to return to their homes, although they were provided with prepaid tickets, which for the most part had been sent them by friends in the United States, and it was subsequently affirmed by the press, and as far as I know without contradiction, that the sale of the farms and homesof the peasants, which had been effectuated previous to their departure, was declared null and void by the competent Government officials. It would appear from the "clipping," which is herewith inclosed, together with its translation, cut from the evening edition of the New Freie Presse, of the 3d instant, that the policy of this Government remains unchanged relative to the emigration of its subjects. The translation of the article is here appended, viz: PREVENTED EMIGRATION. We are informed by telegraph from Krakan, as follows: A party consisting of several peasant families arrived here recently for the purpose of emigrating to America. As the men feared they might be arrested at the railway depot here by the police commissioner they went on foot to the next railway station, there to await the arrival of their wives and children coming from Krakan. The officials, however, who had been informed of the matter, prevented the departure of the women, in consequence of which the peasants were obliged to return to Krakan. At first they were disinclined to return to their homes in the district of Pilzno and Tarnon, as they declared they had sold their houses and farms and that they would not want to emigrate if they had bread at home. They also declared that they had received from their friends in America prepaid tickets for the passage to New York, as had several other peasant families who would shortly undertake emigration. The emigrants, after much persuasion, were induced to return to their homes. It can be readily understood that the primal motive forces driving these people to emigration are wretched poverty and universal military conscription; while, doubtless, on the part of the Government, the actuating motive is one of self-protection growing out of a stern military necessity. JAMES RILEY WEAVER, UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL, Vienna, June 7, 1884. CUBAN STATISTICS. STATEMENT PREPARED BY MINISTER FOSTER, OF MADRID. 1. STATEMENT OF COMPARATIVE COST OF ARTICLES OF PRIME NECESSITY AND PURCHASING POWER OF SUGAR IN CUBA, LOUISI ANA, AND DEMERARA. Sugar is the leading product of Cuba, and furnishes it its purchasing power for the commodities of life. A comparison of the cost of a few articles of prime necessity in adjacent territories where sugar is culti vated will illustrate the weight of the burden imposed on Cuba by its present commercial system. Louisiana, to the north, and Demerara, to the south, furnish good examples for comparison. Use is made of figures published in the newspapers of Havana, which are doubtless substantially correct. Flour. The cost of 100 pounds of flour is in Louisiana about $3, in Cuba $8, and in Demerara $3.50. To buy 100 pounds of flour it requires in Louisiana 42 pounds of sugar, in Cuba 228 pounds, and in Demerara 87 pounds, or a difference in favor of Louisiana of 443 per cent. and Demerara of 161 per cent. Meat. The class known as "tasajo" in Cuba and "carne de fincas," as applied to other countries, costs in Louisiana 8 cents per pound, in Cuba 11 cents, and in Demerara 8 cents, or in sugar for 100 pounds 114, 314, and 200, respectively. Lard. To purchase 100 pounds of lard it requires in Louisiana 143 pounds of sugar, in Cuba 486 pounds, and in Demerara 300, and about the same proportion for hams. Coffee. To purchase 100 pounds of coffee, a product of the island, 457 pounds is required, but in Louisiana only 214 pounds. Lumber.-One thousand feet of building lumber costs in Louisiana $15, and in Cuba $35, or 214 pounds of sugar in Louisiana and 1,000 pounds in Cuba. Labor.-Field labor commands about the same price in Louisiana and Cuba, but the labor of a workman for one month in Louisiana can be paid for with 285 pounds of sugar, while it requires 571 pounds in Cuba. And if we reverse the estimate, we find that a month's wages in Louisiana will purchase 666 pounds of flour and in Cuba ouly 250 pounds, and that in Louisiana it will buy 250 pounds of meat and in Cuba only 181 pounds. Cost of sugar production.-The Planters' Association of Havana has made the following calculation of the cost of producing sugar: 100 arrobas (2,500 pounds) of cane yields 54 arrobas sugar, first extraction.... $4 48 2 arrobas sugar, second extraction 24 molasses 1.00 62 2. STATEMENT OF PUBLIC DEBT AND ANNUAL BUDGET OF CUBA. In 1878-80 the loans or advances of three Cuban banks and other pressing obligations of the civil war were consolidated into a funded loan, running thirty years, having 6 per cent. interest, payable quarterly, and secured by the pledge of the Cuban customs and the subsidiary guarantee of Spain, amounting to. In 1882 the remaining and accumulated indebtedness was authorized to be converted into a kind of annuity fund. This indebtedness has been variously estimated at from sixty to eighty millions of dollars; adopting the minimum figure, say $75, 000, 000 60, 000, 000 Added to this is the annual deficit in the budget of from four to nine millions for three years, say. 18, 000, 000 Total approximate debt 153, 000, 000 On its exportation from the island sugar is subjected to a further tax of $2.30 per box, or $6 per hogshead. 17A-No. 42- -2 The loan of 1879 was issued at 95. At one time it commanded a small premium over its face value, but of late it has steadily declined, and is now quoted at 87 to 88 in Madrid. The Cuban budget of receipts and expenditures for the current year is as follows: For several years past the receipts have fallen short of the expenses several millions of dollars. For the current year the deficit is estimated at about $5,000,000. 3. COMMERCE BETWEEN SPAIN, CUBA, AND PORTO RICO. |