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the tunnels and the cuttings in rocks which Italians have blasted and wrought before dynamite was known.

Whenever any of the large contractors informs his agents in the different districts of some new work to be done, the latter take care to spread the news from village to village among the homes of the Italians. Men and able youths hastily prepare themselves for departure, whilst women, children, and old people stay behind. In this way isolated groups are formed who work in common. They are much attached to home and country, and during leisure hours delight to talk of their families, friends, and native land.

On Saturday evenings and also on Sundays and holidays they march in troops to the post-office to receive letters from home or to send greetings and money. As the younger generations of Italians are learning to read and write, a very extensive use is made of the post-office facilities.

The amount of money the Italian laborers contrive to save from their hard and comparatively small earnings is very surprising even to the economical German.

Paper money.-Paper money is a legal tender in Italy. According to the report of the consul-general at Rome, six credit establishments, by act of Parliament, form a syndicate for the emission of bank-notes. The syndicate guarantees the Government paper money with its united capital and reserve, and, in return, is authorized to issue a limited amount of paper money on its own account.

On the 1st of May, 1878, according to the same report, the total amount of paper money in circulation in Italy was as follows: Government notes, $182,000,000; syndicate notes, $122,155,396; a total of $304,155,396. It would seem, however, that all the foregoing guarantees, acts of Parliament, and syndicate endorsements are not sufficient to make this paper money equal to gold, for the premium on the latter in Italy during the first five months of 1878 (embracing the time up to the date of the report of the consul-general), ranged from 8 to 11 per cent.

The consul-general further notes that the small amount of coin reserve held by the syndicate-less than $26,000,000-renders it impossible that any immediate attempt at resumption can be entertained.

NETHERLANDS.

The two reports herewith from the Netherlands, although not as full and minute as might be desired, are sufficiently so to enable you to form a fair idea of the present condition of labor in that country.

According to the report from Amsterdam, agricultural laborers are paid from $50 to $60, with board and lodging, and usually two suits of common clothes, per annum. Hired by the day, they receive from 40 to 60 cents, without either board or lodging. The consul at Rotterdam says that the wages of farm hands in his district average about 40 cents per day, without food or lodging.

An average from both reports shows the weekly wages of mechanics and laborers to be as follows: Bricklayers, masons, carpenters and joiners, painters, and plasterers, $3.60 to $6; shoemakers, $3.60 to $6.60; tailors, $3.60 to $6.80; laborers, porters, &c., $2.40 to $3.60.

Low as are the foregoing rates of wages, the consul at Amsterdam says that they are from 25 to 35 per cent. higher than they were five years ago, but that the cost of living has increased in even greater proportion, so that, with all his patient frugality and practiced economy, the Dutch workingman has all he can do to maintain himself and family. In regard to the food of the Dutch workingmen, the consul at Rotterdam says:

Meat, excepting sausage and chipped beef, is regarded by the mechanic and laboring man as a luxury, and is rarely indulged in. Bread, rice, fish, potatoes and other vegetables, constitute the staple articles of food for the laboring classes of the Netherlands.

For fuller particulars concerning this subject-the habits, customs, modes of living, &c., of the Dutch laborers and mechanics-I take pleasure in referring you to a report, which will be found in the Appendix to this volume, from Mr. Birney, our minister resident at the Hague. This report, although written in answer to the Department trade circular of 1877, treats of labor and labor statistics in such a comprehensive manner as to merit publication in its proper place among these labor reports. Paper money.-According to the report of the consul at Rotterdam, the total amount of paper money in circulation in the Netherlands, on May 27, 1878, was about $81,000,000, as follows: Bank of the Netherlands, $77,000,000; notes of the Mint of the Netherlands, $4,000,000. The Bank of the Netherlands, on the above date, held a reserve of coin and bullion of $44,000,000.

The amount of paper money in circulation is less than the authorized maximum, and the reserve of coin and bullion is greater than the required minimum.

The amount of gold coins in circulation (10-florin pieces), as per last mint report, was about $57,000,000; silver coins, $38,500,000; copper coins, $650,000.

Paper money and silver are legal tenders, and are at par with gold.

SPAIN.

The reports herewith submitted from Spain are only four in number, viz, from Barcelona, Cadiz, Malaga, and Santander, and, although not as minute or exhaustive as many of the reports from other countries, will be found interesting and instructive, dealing as they do with a class of people whose habits and customs are not as clearly understood in the United States as are like classes in other countries of Europe.

Rates of wages.-The weekly rates of wages of agricultural laborers in Spain, as averaged from the submitted reports, are as follows:

Men, without board or lodging..
Women, without board or lodging
Women, house servants, per annum.

$3 45 2.25

40.00

The weekly wages paid the trades in Spain and the wages paid similar trades in the United States are as follows:

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It will be seen by the foregoing statement that the Spanish workingmen scarcely average one-third the wages paid in New York and Chicago, while what are called the necessaries of life with us are much cheaper in the United States than in Spain.

Habits of the workingmen.-The consul at Barcelona says:

The Catalonian laboring classes are certainly very laborions, and the most sober and frugal I have seen. During my four years' residence here I have never met an intoxicated person belonging to that class, yet wine is constantly drunk by the men, women, and children. Not being drunk for enjoyment, it is considered beneficial to health, and taken regularly, but sparingly, at every meal. The Catalonian people live mostly on greens, beans, potatoes, onions, garlic, dried codfish, and wine.

Andalusia.-The farm laborers of Andalusia, fed by their employers, are allowed, daily, 3 pounds of bread, some oil, and a little vinegar. A portion of the bread is set aside, with the oil and the vinegar, to form the two meals of the "gaspacho," served to the farm hands. This gaspacho consists of bread, soaked in water, to which the oil and vinegar are added. In winter it is served hot, in summer cold. Any addition to this fare must be supplied by the laborer himself.-Report from the consul at Cadiz. Malaga. The laborer in the south of Spain is the most frugal of beings. He rarely, or never, eats meat. Indeed, it would be impossible for him to do so and live upon his earnings. From the report of the consul at Malaga.

The consul at Malaga says that while the rates of wages have increased from 10 to 15 per cent. within the last five years, the cost of living has increased 40 per cent. within the same period.

The consul at Santander notes only a slight increase in wages in five years; the increase in the cost of living has more than counterbalanced any increase in the wages.

Paper money. The consul at Malaga says that the circulating medium is gold and silver-chiefly silver. Paper money is, however, issued by the Bank of Spain at Madrid. These notes are at par, and convertible into specie.

According to the report from the consul at Cadiz, the average circulation of bank-notes during the year 1877 was as follows: In Madrid, $20,346,377; in the seventeen branches of the Bank of Spain, including such business centers as Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Malaga, Jerez, Santander, and Cadiz, $11,228,977; total average circulation of banknotes in Spain, $31,575,354.

RESUME.

Having given statements showing the rates of wages and the retail prices of the necessaries of life in the several countries, together with the wages and food-prices in New York and Chicago, I now submit two general statements, which will enable you, at a glance, to compare the wages and prices of food in the several countries with each other and all with the wages and prices in the United States. I also submit herewith two tables showing the wages and food-prices in the principal cities of Europe as compared with the wages and food-prices in New York and Chicago; also, a table showing the coinage and paper money of the principal countries.

Statement showing the weekly rates of wages in the several countries, compiled from the consular reports published herewith, and compared with rates prevailing in the United States.

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Statement showing the weekly rates of wages in the principal cities of Europe, compiled from consular reports, and compared with rates in New York and Chicago.

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