FOREIGN REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Spanish Trade.-The España Economica y Financiera (a Spanish publication) of July 26, 1903, says that in the first six months of 1903 Spain's imports, exclusive of gold and silver, were valued at $76,061,300. For a like period in 1902 the importations amounted to $2,123,000 less, and for the whole year 1902 to only $5,519,800 more than for the first six months of 1903. The same tale is to be told in regard to exports. In 1901 Spanish exports amounted to $60,930,100; in 1902, to $66,642,900; in the first six months of 1903, to $51,550,300. The adverse balance of trade, which in 1901 was $20,651,000 and in 1902 $7,276, 100, stood at $5,211,000 for the first six months of 1903. The importation of foods, raw materials, and manufactured articles was larger in the first half year of 1903 than for like periods in 1902 and 1901. The export of Spanish raw materials increased also-from $28,100,800 in 1901 to $29,529,000 in 1902 and to $30,551,900 in 1903 for like periods of time. During six months manufactured articles went from $12,660,800 in 1902 to $14,475,000 in 1903. The foods exported for the six months of 1903 were valued at $25,804,100; for a like period in 1902, $24,472,400; and in 1901, $18,914,000. Thus, while the situation is improving slowly it is far from giving the satisfaction desired. The exports of wine during 1903 fell off $135,100 as compared with 1902 and $1,486, 100 as compared with 1901. The exportations of oil-mostly olive oilamounted to $6,214,600 in 1903, against $6,484,800 in 1902. The export of oranges increased notably-$8,569,200 in 1903, against $7,141,000 in 1902 and about $5,211,000 in 1901. The importation of wheat in the first six months of 1903 was $810,600 over 1902. The customs revenues amounted to $13,683,700, about $289,500 less than was expected by the budget estimates. By the sale of rights. to export and import, $4,496,900 in gold were paid into the treasury. The following tables give a graphic view of the first six months' trade movements for the years indicated:

Il Economista of August 15 says that Spain's exports were:

The falling off in the trade with Cuba since 1899 was more than 50 per cent.

In the exports of winės, the falling off in white wines, which are hard to imitate or adulterate, compared with the first half of 1900, was relatively small-from 980,780 gallons to 825,409 gallons in 1903-while the falling off in red wines was from 6,500, 131 gallons in the first half year of 1900 to 3,344,508 gallons in the first half of 1903. In the one case the decrease was 155,371 gallons; in the other, 3,155,623 gallons.

Opportunities for American Contractors.-The British and South African Export Gazette of August 7, 1903, says:

The vivifying impulse to enterprise in the Transvaal and Orange River colonies which the peace settlement has brought forth is steadily permeating South Africa as a whole, and the maritime colonies are not the last to feel the impulse. Natal, as previously indicated, has already been responsive to it, and now is the turn of Cape Colony, the eastern ports of which are ahead of Cape Town, as usual, in answering to the call of up-to-date ideas.

In November last year we chronicled the sanctioning by the Cape parliament of a vote of $1,745,613 for harbor-improvement works at Port Elizabeth, and also gave the details of the objects of the disbursement. As we then pointed out, this su n was inadequate to realize certain important works, such as the increase of the jetty accommodations, etc. Over and above both these disbursements and projects, however, the authorities at Algoa Bay have at heart the desire to provide the port with a harbor which shall afford shelter for vessels in the case of such storms as that which swept the South African seaboard some months ago, and from which shipping lying in the open roadstead suffered so terribly. With this object in view, Mr. C. W. Methven, M. I. C. E., the well-known harbor expert, who has been consulted on so many South African ports, was invited by the harbor board to investigate and report on the practicability of opening up the mouth of the Zwartkops River for harbor purposes. His report is conclusive as to the feasibility of the project. He advocates the dredging of the river, the drainage and reclamation of

the marshes along its shores, the construction of two breakwaters at the river mouth, and the building thereon of 3,700 feet of quayage, shedding, etc.

The estimated cost of all the works required totals, in round figures, $6,813, 100. After consideration and approval by the local authorities and by the government department concerned, parliamentary sanction to raise the necessary funds will be sought. Before this stage is reached the British manufacturer will probably have the opportunity of tendering for the major part of the multiplicity of materials, machinery, and equipment required. In due course we shall announce the progress of this matter; but in the meanwhile the opening is afforded for steps to be taken, through representatives on the spot, to secure such further information regarding possible requirements as may be obtainable.

It is understood that the construction of the railway to Lobatsi by the KrugersdorpRustenburg route has been finally decided upon. This will bring Bulawayo within two days of the Rand.

Iron and Coal in America and Germany.-Stahl und Eisen, a German newspaper, publishes a very interesting paper read by Herr Macco before the latest convention of the Verein Deutscher Eisenhüttenleute relative to American and German iron and coal production. The paper read by Herr Macco is a comparative statement of facts obtained from technical investigation and deals largely with conditions in the United States. The following statement, translated in the Bureau of Statistics, is from the paper referred to:

During the past eleven years the average productive capacity of American mines per man and per day has increased more than 25 per cent, while in Germany it has, if anything, diminished. This fact is attributed to the increased use of coal-cutting machinery. Of the bituminous output for 1901, 25.7 per cent was machine mined. Notwithstanding the fact that higher wages are paid in America, coal is much cheaper than in Germany, some years it being less than half the price of German coal.

By a comparison of the price of American and German coke it is shown that the German price is from one and a half to two times as great.

Comparing American iron ores with German, and taking into account the higher percentage of iron in the American, it is found that their average price is decidedly lower than that of the German ores.

On comparing the location of the iron furnaces with that of their raw materia', it will be found that, with the exception of some of the iron works in the Southern States, their geographical situation is not favorable. This is not so striking in the case of fuel, although even that has to be carried a greater distance, on the average, than in Germany. While the railway freight rates per ton mile in Germany are higher than in America, yet, as the average haul in Germany is shorter, there is not a great disparity in the total railway transportation charges. But with the cheaper water route through the Great Lakes for transporting ore, and the railroads specially constructed for carrying ore and fuel, together with all the labor-saving machinery for handling ore and producing fuel, the raw material and fuel are delivered to the furnaces at a considerably lower cost than in Germany.

Porto Rican Sugar.-In its issue of July 23, 1903, the Moniteur Officiel du Commerce, a French publication, says;

The sugar crop of 1902-3 in Porto Rico has been satisfactory. In one district-that of Arroyo-the density of the sap reached 11° Beaumé. The total crop in the district of Mayaguez reached 7,500 tons. Many plantations in the Ponce district suffered from drought. This retarded the growth of the cane, causing it to yield 8 to 10 per cent less than last year. Ponce has already exported 18,100 metric tons (of 2,204 pounds each). That port expects to send out 25,000 tons during the year. If the weather is favorable the exports of Ponce in 1903-4 will be 30,000 tons. These figures for only three districts give a good idea of what is being done in the sugar fields all over the island.

Mexican Fruit for the United States.-El Economista of August 22 says:

Mexico promises to become a great fruit-growing country. It promises also to send considerable quantities of its fruits to the United States. The figures relating to the planting of fruit trees during recent years are very important. They have been planted all over the Republic, almost every section being well suited to fruit raising. While it is true that some fruit trees require years for their growth, there are others that yield rich crops in one, two, and three years. The plants that produce the pineapple, melon, and watermelon yield annual crops, and the demand in the United States is largest for just such fruit. The various kinds of bananas grow abundantly in the warmer parts of Mexico. These may be added in large quantities to the fruit exports to the United States.

German Commercial Expert for Buenos Ayres.-According to Nachrichten für Handel und Industrie, a German official paper, issue of September 7, 1903, Dr. Karl T. Stoepel has been appointed as a commercial expert to assist the German consul-general at Buenos Ayres. Before he sets out for his post Dr. Stoepel is to visit all parties in the Empire who carry on business not only with Buenos Ayres, but with any part of the Argentine Republic.

Steel Combination in Europe.-German papers are publishing reports of the formation of a great steel combination analogous to the famous United States Steel Corporation. It is composed of all the great Rhenish steel mills, including Krupp's. A Berlin syndicate with a capital of 500,000,000 marks ($119,000,000) has just joined. It is expected that the Silesian mills will soon enter. The new corporation begins operations in December.

An English View of the Philippines.-The Pall Mall Gazette of September 9, 1903, discussing British possessions, past and present, in the various parts of the world, has the following regarding the Philippine Islands:

We have but to examine the map of the Eastern Hemisphere to recognize what a powerful position we should be occupying on the eastern flank of China to-day had we retained not only Java, the Moluccas, and the Celebes Islands, but especially the rich group of the Philippines, which were ours by every right of conquest in 1762, and had been justly forfeited by Spain, whose hostility had been prompted by the belief that she had caught us at a time of disadvantage. But they were lightly surrendered by statesmen who possessed no just idea of a colonial empire, and who, although the country was emerging from a victorious war, were too spiritless to resist the demand of the vanquished for the restoration of their forfeited possessions. We can not reflect upon the loss of this splendid and legitimate prize without a considerable measure of bitterness.

South African Wool.-From the African Review of August 29, 1903, the following statistics are taken:

The statistics of the total number of sheep and goats for 60 districts out of a total of 74 districts were 39,257 flocks, including 13,684,675 head. An estimate of the 14 districts which had not made returns is placed at 6,000 flocks, with 2,100,000 sheep and goats, bringing the grand total to 45,000 flocks, containing 15,700,000 animals. Roughly, at 10s. ($2.43) per head, the value of the flocks would represent £7,850,000 ($38,200,000). The number of stock reared in the 60 districts reported was about 27 per cent. The increase made since 1898 is shown by the following table, in which the returns for the 14 districts in the colony proper do not appear:

Adding to the total of the flocks in the colony proper (15,700,000) the total of Transkei, Tembuland, and Griqualand East-namely, 3,013,182—we have a grand total of approximately 19,000,000 sheep and goats, roughly valued at £9,500,000 ($46,231,750).

The World's Maritime Statistics.-Lloyd's Register for 1903-4 puts the world's mercantile marine on July 10, 1903, at 29,943 steamships of 27,183,365 tons and 12,182 sailing vessels of 6,459,766 tons.