CONDITIONS IN 1902. At the beginning of 1902 the crisis became still further intensified by a collapse in the coal-mining industry and the consequent discharge of a great many miners. One district alone witnessed the dismissal of 10,000 men in the course of the first few months. The iron trade was kept going by forced sales abroad. The Phoenix Mining and Smelting Company printed in their annual report that they had been doing business with the United States at prices admitting of no profit. Upper Silesian and Rhenish Westphalian iron was sold at a loss. Works in Rhenish Westphalia-the smaller and more loosely constructed works-were forced to take orders at almost any prices to keep fires in their furnaces. (TheUnited States stood Germany's iron industry in good stead in 1902.) Freight rates dropped for want of cargoes. The yearly report of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce says: "The regular lines complain of want of cargoes for their greatly increased fleets." The Association of Berlin Merchants and Manufacturers, in their report, could discern "no trustworthy signs of a change of affairs as a whole." Exceptions there were, as in some branches of the textile industry. Hermann Schüler, the Bochum banker, states that profits of most mines have gone back and that, owing to the extraordinarily low prices of lead and ores, a “large number of works were on the verge of ruin at the end of the year." The great depression in the electric industry (firms are amalgamating with a view of improving matters, and there is a general move in this direction) reacted upon the technical chemical. trade, although Germany's magnificent chemical industry failed to be affected by the general commercial conditions. Contrary to strong expectations, the closing of the Boer war had little or no effect on the situation—at any rate, nothing like that which was looked for. OLIVER J. D. HUGHES, COBURG, GERMANY, August 13, 1903. Consul-General. LUDWIGSHAFEN INDUSTRIAL EXPOSITION. (From United States Consul Harris, Mannheim, Germany.) As a part of its first semicentennial celebration, the Bavarian town of Ludwigshafen, on the Rhine, has given for some weeks past an interesting industrial exhibition. The town has grown in fifty years from a village of about 1,000 inhabitants to a flourishing city of 72,000. It is now the fifth city of Bavaria in population and the largest city of the palatinate. 1901 to 1,763,000 tons. Its Rhine commerce amounted in The exposition, which is intended to be local in its character, includes especially articles manufactured in the city or for the sale of which agencies are established there. Among the noticeable features of the exposition are, first of all, the extent and variety of the exhibits. Power is supplied by the management, and looms and wood-working and other machinery are exhibited in operation. American observer would notice, among other things An 1. The varied exhibits of Portland-cement work, paving and roofing tiles, and the excellent sewer pipe shown by the Deutsche Steinzeugwaarenfabrik für Canalisation und Chemische Industrie of Friedrichsfeld. The pipe has the characteristic threadlike grooves. on the inside of the collar where the connections are made corresponding to similar grooves on the end to be inserted in the collar and suggesting the use of asphalt instead of cement at the connections. 2. The well-known types of American wood-working machinery and tools, such as spoke-turning lathes, band saws, and braces and bits. American screw-drivers, saws, taps, dies, and drills are exhibited by local dealers. 3. The heavy and clumsy character of the native shovel, trowel, pick, rake, ax, auger, and other implements as compared with the American product. The wooden handles are larger and not generally of as good wood as are those used by American tool makers. The exhibits in these and other lines show the preference given in Germany to strength and durability in tools. The light American buggy, light driving harness, easily handled American plow, harrow, cultivator, and shovel plow, the 15 or 20 cent rake, to be used for a season or two and then replaced by a new one-none of these are likely to be as popular here in the near future as they have long been in the United States. 4. The excellent display of bath tubs, closets, and modern sanitary plumbing, a branch in which Germany is making marked progress. 5. The most interesting single exhibit of the exposition is that of the Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik. This company is engaged chiefly in the manufacture of coal-tar dyestuffs, including artificial indigo, and has largely made Ludwigshafen what it is. The company. exhibits photographs, models, charts, and statistics relating to their business. Their plant itself is regarded in Germany as a model in construction and management. The concern, now in existence for more than twenty-five years, has never had a labor trouble and claims an unusually large average term of employment among its men. The following is taken from the statistics exhibited: Area occupied by plant, 1,850,000 square meters (457 acres); office employees, 808; workmen, 7,458 (no women are employed); dynamos, for light and power, 11; electric motors, 297; telephone stations, 225; arc lights, 1,018; incandescent lamps, 15,000. Total consumption per year.-Raw material, 163,000 tons; coal, 516,000 tons (Krupp, at Essen, 843,494 tons); gas, 22,700,000 cubic meters (city of Mannheim, with 145,000 inhabitants, 9,924,705 cubic meters); water, 4,100,000 cubic meters (city of Mannheim used 4,044,670 cubic meters in 1902). The company owns 102 houses for office employees and 653 for workmen; 65 baths are provided for office employees, 534 for workmen, and 24 for women and children. To these are added a large casino with libraries and reading rooms, hospitals for employees. and their families, girl's cooking and housekeeping school, etc. H. W. HARRIS, Consul. MANNHEIM, GERMANY, August 14, 1903. GERMAN-SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE. (From United States Consul-General Hughes, Coburg, Germany.) Argentine Republic.—According to official imperial German statistics just issued, the imports into Germany from the Argentine Republic in 1902 is given as 201,800,000 marks ($48,028,400), while Germany only exported thereto 47,200,000 marks' ($11,186,000) worth of her products. The importations from the Argentine Republic consisted of wool, hides and skins, wheat, maize, quebracho wood, linseed, bran, and sheep bladders and intestines; Germany exported thereto textiles and machinery chiefly. The imports from the Argentine Republic increased markedly as compared with the previous year, while the exports from Germany thereto showed a marked decrease. Chile. The imports into Germany from Chile in 1902 consisted of saltpeter, gold, sole leather, iodine, raw copper, borax, honey, and wax, and were valued at 113,000,000 marks ($26,534,000); while Germany exported thereto 32,300,000 marks' ($7,687,400) worth of products, consisting principally of textile and iron products, guns and ammunition, glassware, pottery, and fancy and toilet articles. Paraguay. The trade of Germany with Paraguay is very small, her exports thereto in 1902 amounting to only 915,000 marks' ($249,900) worth of goods, consisting chiefly of small machines and cotton and woolen goods. The imports from Paraguay during the same year amounted to only 452,000 marks' ($107,576) worth of tobacco, hides, etc. Uruguay. The exports from Germany to Uruguay in 1902 amounted to 11,800,000 marks ($2,808,400) and consisted of a large assortment of goods; the imports from Uruguay amounted to 12,900,000 marks ($3,070, 200), consisting of meat extracts, hides, skins, wool, etc. Brazil. The exports from Germany to Brazil in 1902, consisting of iron and textile manufactures, chiefly, amounted to 43,800,000 marks ($10,424,400), and her imports from Brazil, consisting of coffee, hides, tobacco, raw rubber, cocoa, gold, precious stones, and animal and vegetable wax, amounted to 118,600,000 marks ($28,226,800). The trade of 1902, import and export, shows a marked increase over previous years. Peru. The exports from Germany to Peru amounted to 9,100,000 marks ($2,165,800) and consisted of cotton and woolen goods, army guns and ammunition, iron and steel machines, prepared leather, beer, etc. The imports from Peru are not given. COBURG, GERMANY, August 13, 1903. OLIVER J. D. HUGHES, Consul-General. GERMAN-ASIATIC TRADE. (From United States Consul-General Hughes, Coburg, Germany.) British India.-The imports into Germany from British India, including the coast islands and Baluchistan, in 1902 amounted to 214,500,000 marks ($51,051,000), made up principally of raw materials used in the cotton and other spinning trades; also hides, skins, rice, linseed, etc. The exports to India amounted to 57,400,000 marks ($13,661,200) and consisted of textiles, chemicals, and metal goods. Ceylon. The imports into Germany from Ceylon amounted to 7,400,000 marks ($1,761,200), consisting of copra, graphite, oil cake, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, and tea; the return exports to Ceylon amounted to 1,040,000 marks ($247,520), made up of assorted goods. China. The imports into Germany from China, consisting of gold, tea, bristles, feathers, hides, etc., amounted in 1902 to 55, 100,000 marks ($13,113,800), and Germany's exports thereto, consisting of colors, ironware, textiles, beer, and sugar, amounted to 37,900,000 marks ($9,020,200). Hongkong.-The imports into Germany from Hongkong in 1902 amounted to 4,022,000 marks ($957,236) and the exports from Germany thereto amounted to 421,000 marks' ($100,095) worth of assorted goods. The Kyao-chau.-Kyao-chau is not yet commercially a success. imports into Germany therefrom in 1902 amounted to only 49,000 marks ($11,662) and the exports from Germany thereto-material for the Shantung Railway-amounted to 6,900,000 marks ($1,642,200). Japan. The imports into Germany from Japan amounted to 17,800,000 marks' ($4,236,400) worth of camphor, silk goods, raw copper, fish gut, rice, straw bands, dressed animal skins, peppermint, menthol, plant wax, etc., while Germany exported thereto sugar, wool and woolen goods, chemical and dye products, iron and ironware, cheap cotton goods, small machines, etc., to the amount of 49,800,000 marks ($11,852,400). OLIVER J. D. HUGHES, COBURG, GERMANY, August 13, 1903. Consul-General. FOREIGN DOLL TRADE OF THURINGIA. (From United States Consul-General Hughes, Coburg, Germany.) The doll export from this district to foreign countries has been unsatisfactory during the last fiscal year, and were it not for the business with the United States the distress among this trade would be lamentable. England proper has never done such a poor business in this line of goods; every doll maker or exporter who has visited his English clients this year comes back with the same story, "No orders or business of any kind." No demand seems to exist for this class of goods in any way on the English local market. The cause for this nondemand is hard to tell, but most people place it on the late Boer war. Canada seems to have done somewhat better in the very cheap class of goods, but even this trade might be much improved. Australia and the other British colonies have not ordered anything like the same amount of goods as in previous years. The cause for this falling off is also hard to tell. All these goods are ordered through London houses. Austria-Hungary may be said to practically have stopped buying here. This is no doubt due to two causes-first, the tight financial market and, second, the very high import duties levied by AustriaHungary and also to the manner of interpreting the customs laws, etc., by the revenue officials. France is too busy trying to promote her own doll trade and in endeavoring to get it on the American market to do much to help here. She keeps them out of France with a heavy duty. Italy is now really doing no business with these parts, and the same may be said of Spain and Portugal. With the Swiss Republic a little business is done, owing to the low duty rates, but the volume is not large. The Netherlands and Belgium do a little business in low-grade goods. With Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, owing to their high protective duties, very little can be done. The Argentine Republic has done a small business for years, |