TRADE AND COMMERCE OF REVAL.

REPORT BY CONSULAR AGENT GLEHN.

I herewith have the honor to transmit my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1883, which year was unfavorable to agriculture on account of climatic influences, caused by prolonged cold weather in the spring and continued rains during the summer. Commerce bas naturally also suffered in consequence, and in every branch of trade in my consular district this has been felt more or less; the past year must therefore be considered an unfavorable one.

Wheat is not grown to a great extent in this province, and the crop of this breadstuff, which was only a middling one, does not influence export trade. Of rye there was an average crop but of very poor quality. Barley, on the other hand, was of very good quality and plentiful, and export trade has benefited by it as well as distilleries at advantageous prices. Oats also were of good quality, and on the whole abundant at prices from 4.50 to 5 rubles per tschetvert. Potatoes, however, which are indispensable to our distilleries and form the principal food of the lower classes, have yielded a very insufficient crop, as it is estimated at only half of the preceding year, and the quality also was very inferior, containing starch of not sufficient strength for distilling purposes, and therefore caused great losses to distilleries.

As these take such a prominent place in our local industry, the suc cess with which they meet naturally reacts on the general welfare. The crops in the interior of Russia having been on the whole abundant, the distilleries here had to compete with Russian distilleries at a great disadvantage, and in order to meet this a forced export of 474,280 wedros of rectified and raw spirits during the winter months to Germany was effected, thus keeping up the price at 75 copecks per wedro.

The total transactions of trade have been about the same as the preceding year, the figures showing a slight decrease, which must be accounted for by the competition of the port of Libau, now favored by the war of railway tariffs which is carried on between the more southern railways and our Baltic Railway.

The total amount of imports is as follows: In 1883, 82,502,482 rubles, against 86,137,402 rubles in 1882; decrease, 3,634,920 rubles.

The greatest part of these goods is for the interior of Russia and its capitals. The duty, paid in gold, on all import goods amounts to 5,210,999 rubles in 1883 against 5,765,825 rubles in 1882; decrease, 524,826 rubles.

.

Rubles.

61, 255, 710 9, 352, 175 11,882, 521

12, 070

82,502, 482

The total amount of exports was 17,717,926 in 1883, against 17,449,212 rubles in 1882; increase, 268,713 rubles.

The largest portion of this went to England, representing a value of 6,189,305 rubles. Next to England comes Holland, for a value of 5,347,660 rubles. The rest went to Germany, Denmark, and France. There was no export to the United States from this port.

From the United States was imported:

The navigation was opened on 16th (28th) April, and has not since been interrupted. There arrived in all 757 ships representing 370,126 tons register; departed, 749 ships, representing 361,761 tons register.

There arived from the United States under American flag 2 sailing vessels of a burden of 1,898 tons register, and 81 vessels of other nationalities (of which 19 were steamers and 62 sailing vessels) of a burden of 63,849 tons register; 78 contained cargoes of cotton; 4 of maize; 1 of drugs; 4 sailing vessels, of a burden of 4,243 tons register, left this port for the United States, all in ballast.

The above figures again prove the lamentable fact that American ships cannot compete with other nationalites, as the American flag gradually disappears entirely in our port.

Since the opening of the Baltic Railway, in 1870, the trade of Reval has become of such importance that our port proved of insufficient size, and it was decided to enlarge it by 5 docks, of which one was com pleted in the course of 1883. It covers a surface of 260 square fades (1 fade 7 English feet). Its depth at the water is 23 English feet, and a space of 5,000 fades has been paved for the loading and discharging of vessels.

LIGHT-HOUSES ON THE COASTS OF THE BALTIC.

According to the opinion of captains, the coasts of the Gulf of Finland are well lit up. The administration of the Baltic light-houses is situated at Reval; its chief, Rear-Admiral Bajenoff, has erected during the last years several light-houses of much importance on the coast of Kurland and Livonia, as also a fog-signal of great power, and worked by steam, on the point of Domesness. In Estonia he has directed his special attention to diminish the dangers of the under-sea rocks of Neckman's Ground (west of the island of Dago), just on the passage of vessels to the Gulf of Finland. These dangers have now been almost paralyzed by two light-houses, one at Ristna, on the Isle of Dago, with a revolving red light, and the other at the Cape of Tokana; the latter a firstclass light-house. On the successive appearance of these lights to the navigator he is sure to avoid the rocks of Neckman's Ground, and disasters have now greatly diminished in frequency.

The light-house at Odinsholm, which appears next to Tokana, has

been raised and the light intensified. Next autumn an electric light of first class will be placed on the coast of Kurland at Pissen, near Sakenhausen, between Domesness and Libau.

UNITED STATES CONSULAR AGENCY,

E. VON GLEHN,
Consular Agent.

Reval, May 25, 1884.

COMMERCE OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

REPORT BY CONSUL-GENERAL WEAVER, OF VIENNA.

The commercial movement of this Empire during the first quarter of the present year has recently been made public, from which I collate the following items as possessing sufficient interest to warrant transmission.

The value of all exports for the period specified aggregated the sum of 151,900,000 florins,* against 179,400,000 for the first quarter of 1883, being a decrease of 27,500,000 florins, or 14.2 per cent. This diminution resulted mainly from decreased exports of grain, sugar, and other articles of consumption, occasioned by short crops and unfavorable foreign markets. On the other hand, however, the imports increased from 150,600,000 florins in the first quarter of 1883 to 163,700,000 in 1884, being an increase of 13,100,000 florins, or 8.7 per cent. As the balance of trade in the first quarter of 1883 was 28,800,000 florins in favor of Austria-Hungary, and as for the first quarter of 1884 the balance was against her to the amount of 11,800,000, it will be seen that a change of 40,800,000 florins has transpired.

The following table presents the changes in the values of the imports and exports during the first quarters of the last six years:

The duties collected during the first quarter of 1884 amounted to 12,053,969 florins against 11,916,748 florins during like period of 1883, being an increase of 137,221 florins, or 1.1 per cent. The currency in which these duties were paid shows a decrease of 1,306,545 florins in gold against an increase of 1,443,776 florins in silver, to the end that while the volume of the latter augments that of the former decreases. average premium on gold during the quarter was 20 per cent.

The

The export premiums paid, being excise duties refunded on sugar, beer, and brandy during the quarter, was 6,397,015 florins against

*The average value of the Austrian paper florin for the quarter ending March 31, 1833, was 40.65 cents, and for the quarter ending March 31, 1884, 40.17 cents.

9,596,617 florins in same quarter of 1883, being a decrease of no than 33 per cent., and on sugar alone 2,729,287 florins. The amou 1884 was less than for any year since 1880, the diminution resulting the sharp competition of German sugar-producers, which, it is affi is producing nothing short of dismay upon the Austrian sugar ma The following table gives the chief articles of export, showin most important changes during the first quarter of 1884 when com with same period of 1883:

The following table gives the chief articles of import, showing the r important changes during the first quarter of 1884 when compared same period of 1883:

The foregoing articles are mostly raw materials, imported for manufacturing purposes, and pay little or no entry duties. The importation of manufactured articles paying entry duties and manifesting any noteworthy increase was very limited, comprising mostly beer, woolen and linen yarns, cotton and woolen textiles, sole-leather scraps, plate-glass, wrought iron, engine-boilers, silver watches, fans, and articles embossed in wax. The importation of grain, mostly rye, corn, and oats, increased 290,459 metrical centners against a decreased exportation of 1,283,242 metrical centners, although by the tariff entering into operation June 1, 1882, an entry duty of 50 kreuzers was levied on wheat and 25 kreuzers on rye, oats, corn, and barley per metrical centner. It would appear, therefore, that a protective tariff does not meet the sanguine expectations of some of its friends in this country; for although had the tariff on grain not been established doubtless somewhat larger quantities would have been imported, yet the prevention of importation did not and cannot materially increase the exports of the surplus grain production of Hungary. The protective policy for a nation dependent on foreign markets must ever prove fruitless.

JAMES RILEY WEAVER,
Consul-General.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE GENERAL,

Vienna, Austria.

AGRICULTURE IN TUSCANY AND SARDINIA.

REPORT BY CONSUL WELSH, OF NAPLES.

The information derived from divers sources of the crops harvested in 1883 shows a yield above the average, with the exception of olives, chestnuts, and vegetables.

For this year crops promise well, although rather too much rain has fallen. I have, however, no doubt that the yield will be a bountiful one throughout Tuscany."

Silk-worm eggs, owing to the inclemency of the weather, have suffered, and the market comes too late in the season, and is very limited.

In Sardinia cocoons gave a very satisfactory result, and in quantity larger than usual.

PHYLLOXERA IN SARDINIA.

At Sorso, Usini, and San Giorgio, in the province of Sassari, the phylloxera attacked over 200 hectares (494 acres) of vineyards. Under the circumstances the committee and subcommittee appointed ad hoc by the ministry of agriculture, industry, and commerce have decided to destroy the insect by sprinkling the vines more abundantly and frequently with the concoction of sulphur, the only efficacious agent now known, increasing the injections from three to four, using 300 grams of sulphur instead of 160 grams per square meter (1,550 square inches).

To substitute the nursery of Monteiristo, which has proved unsuccessful, the minister of agriculture, industry, and commerce has ordered the institution of thirty nurseries, in small proportions, of American vines throughout Italy.

OLIVE OIL.

The crop for the year 1883 is calculated at 1,361,165 hectoliters (35,961,979.30 gallons), or about 41 per cent. below the average yield. The crop of olives was very scarce all over Italy, and in the province of Cagliari failed entirely. This has naturally caused a rise in the prices of from 1.50 to 2.25 lire per kilogram.