interrupted lucrative employment. Many diamond-cutters have within the last ten or twelve years laid the foundations of splendid fortunes. The following statement shows the wages paid certain workmen per hour, the working hours being never less but often more than 12 per day: Carpenters, 7 to 10 cents; painters, 6 to 94 cents; masons, 7 to 10 cents; plumbers, 6 to 9 cents; paper-hangers, 6 to 9 cents; blacksmiths, 7 to 10 cents; stucco-workers, 8 to 10 cents; shoemakers, best, 86 to $6.60 per week; ordinary and repairers, $2.40 to $3.60; tailors, best, $5.60 to $6.80 per week; ordinary and repairers, $2.40 to $3.60; cigar-makers, when steadily employed, make from $5.20 to $6.80 per week; common railroad laborers and laborers employed on public works and by contractors, receive from 40 to 60 cents per day. PAST AND PRESENT RATES. The present rates of wages for nearly all classes of labor are said to be from 25 to 35 per cent. higher than they were five years ago, but the cost of living to the laborer (house-rent, board, and the prices of the necessaries of life) has increased during the same period even more than the wages. PRESENT CONDITION OF LABOR. The general condition of the laboring classes is not regarded as being prosperous or even as being satisfactory, as it is only by being extremely economical, frugal, and abstemious that many maintain themselves and families. At the same time there does not seem to be any wide-spread discontent or loudly-expressed complaints. On the contrary, the situation appears to be generally and ungrudgingly accepted by the mass of the laboring classes, and, apparently, they are not in the least impregnated with socialistic or communistic ideas or notions. A noteworthy item in connection with this city is the fact that all city property has increased in value from 75 to 100 per cent. during the past eight or ten years. This is not, however, indicative of present prosperity in the trade and commerce of Amsterdam, for it is claimed. that business just now is very much depressed, although by no means. as much so as in other cities of Europe. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Amsterdam, August 14, 1878. D. ECKSTEIN. ROTTERDAM. Report, by Consul Winter, on the (1) rates of wages; (2) cost of living; (3) past and present rates; (4) specie and paper money (Holland); (5) present condition of trade; for the district of Rotterdam. I have the honor to submit the following report, in response to the Circular from the Department of State, dated April 11, 1878, addressed to consular officers of the United States, and directing them to make inquiries and report in regard to the present price of mechanical and unskilled labor, the cost of living to the laborer, a comparison of the present rates of wages and cost of living with those which prevailed during the past five years, the amount and character of paper money and coin in circulation, with the relation borne by the one to the other, and in regard to the state of trade, &c. H. Ex. 520 1. RATES OF WAGES The rate of wages usually paid to laborers of every class in the Netherlands is comparatively low, especially as compared to the rate of wages paid for mechanical and unskilled labor in the United States. The usual or average rate of wages paid to agricultural laborers is 39 cents per day, or about $10 per month. The average rate of wages paid for mechanical labor is shown by the following table: The rate of wages paid to porters, jobbers, and common laborers is 40 cents to 60 cents per day The usual rate of wages paid for mechanical labor upon public works and railways is as follows: Canal and street masons receive from 80 cents to $1.20 per day. Porters, jobbers, and common laborers receive from 40 cents to 60 cents per day. 2. COST OF LIVING The cost of living in the Netherlands consumes the wages of the mechanic and laborer. Meat, excepting sausage and chipped beef, is regarded by the mechanic and laboring man as a luxury, and is rarely indulged in except upon extra occasions. Bread, rice, fish, potatoes, and other vegetables constitute the staple articles of food for the laboring classes of the Netherlands. 3. PAST AND PRESENT RATES. A comparison of the present rates of wages paid for labor with those prevailing during the past five years shows an increase in the present rates of from 10 to 15 per cent., and the cost of living has advanced in at least equal proportions. 4. SPECIE AND PAPER MONEY. The financial affairs of the Netherlands are evidently in a sound condition. Paper money is legally issued by the Bank of the Netherlands in notes of the following amounts: 1,000, 300, 200, 100, 60, 40, and 25 florins, respectively. The amount of these notes in circulation, according to the last official statement of 27th May, 1878, is 200,100,600 florins, against which the Netherlands Bank holds a reserve of coin and bullion of 114,275,902 florins. The mint of the Netherlands also issues notes of 10-florin denomination, the total value of which in circulation amounts to 10,000,000 florins. Therefore the total amount of paper money in circulation in the kingdom is 210,100,600 florins. According to the statement of the 27th of May, above referred to, the total amount of paper money in circulation still remains beneath the maximum amount authorized by 74,490,026.90 florins, and the reserve in coin and bullion exceeds the minimum amount by 29,760,010.76 florins. Gold coins are issued by the mint of the Netherlands of only one denomination, namely, 10-florin pieces. The total amount of gold coin in circulation, as per last report of the superintendent of the mint, is 147,940,850 florins. Silver is coined in sums of 23, 1, 1, 1, 6, and florin, respectively. The total circulation of silver coin is estimated at 100,000,000 florins. Copper coins in circulation in the kingdom are estimated at 142,000,000 cent pieces, and 110,400,000 -cent pieces. Paper money and silver coin are at par with gold coin and are a legal tender in any sums for both public and private debts. 5. PRESENT CONDITION OF TRADE. Concerning the present state of trade little can be said that is encouraging, though there are indications of improvement, and the merchants and business men of this consular district have high hopes of a general revival of trade in the near future. The Netherlands merchants and business men, with their industry and economical business habits, have not felt the general depression of trade and the continued hard times so keenly as those engaged in trade and manufacture in other parts of the commercial world. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Rotterdam, July 10, 1878. JOHN F. WINTER. SPAIN. BARCELONA. Report, by Consul Scheuch, on the commerce and industries; labor and wages; cost of living; and the habits and customs of the working classes, for the province of Catalonia. FINANCIAL CRISIS. Barcelona, the commercial capital of Spain, with a harbor second to none in the Mediterranean, an energetic population of 350,000, has been, and is now, experiencing a financial crisis, since the early part of last fall, as never heretofore. Since the commencement of this year the results of the crisis began to be heavily felt by the cotton, wool, and linen manufacturers, the most important industries in Catalonia, and this day there are many of the largest establishments closed entirely and many others running on half-time; and I find that 43,000 persons, formerly employed in these three branches of industry, are to-day without work. Statement showing the number of cotton and wool fabricants out of employment in the province of Catalonia. Employing 14 persons per loom, including bleaching, dyers, &c.... In Tarrassa (8 miles from Barcelona). Looms stopped in Sabadell (10 miles from Barcelona), for the manufacture of 2,520 ... 4,000 400 Looms for the manufacture of silk cravats and handkerchiefs, 768, 2 men per loom.... 1,800 1,536 132 Looms for velvets, 44, 3 men per loom. Total number of working persons, of both sexes, unemployed ............................ 43,102 COMMERCIAL STAGNATION. The exportations and importations during the past eight months have fallen off more than one-half from the corresponding period of last year, and shipping is almost at a standstill. There are this day 80 to 100 vessels lying in the harbor for sale without any buyers, and more than that number are idle, not being able to find cargoes in or outward. The consequence is that thousands of shipcarpenters, sailmakers, calkers, and sailors are unemployed. PAST AND PRESENT RATES. Wages paid to artisans and laborers are about the same as last year, but comparing the present prices with those paid five years ago a decliné of 25 to 30 per cent. is clearly visible. The trades occupied in construction and building, as carpenters, masons, smiths, &c., resisted a decrease in wages longer than all others, for the reason that capitalists have for the last two years withdrawn as much as possible of their money from investments made in public stocks and commercial and industrial enterprises and invested it in house-building, considering it the safest. For this reason there are now many houses to let, and rents have decreased 25 to 30 per cent. I now append a list of wages paid to skilled mechanics and laborers in Catalonia and the number of working hours per day: Factory hands.-Experienced men on cotton, $5 to $5.50 per week; on wool, $6 to $8 per week. Experienced women on cotton, $5 to $5.50 per week; on wool, $3 to $3.50 per week. Children on cotton, $1.40 to $1.80 per week; on wool, $1.40 to $1.80 per week. Women spinners (cotton), $5 to $5.50 per week; daily working hours for all, 10 hours. Farm laborers.-Experienced hands, 60 to 70 cents per day; ordinary hands, 55 to 60 cents per day; special hands during harvest, $1 to $1.20 per day, 12 working hours. Female servants (including board), $3 to $5 per month. COST OF LIVING. As to the cost of living, there exists a considerable difference between Barcelona and the interior, chiefly due to the municipal consumption tax. For this reason living in Barcelona is exceedingly expensive, many articles costing from 20 to 50 per cent. more than in the country. The Catalonia working people live mostly on greens, beans, potatoes, onions, garlick, codfish (dried), and wine, and although these articles |