VH OiOOl UC-NRLF C 2 b?D ISM 5 LIBRARY OF THE University of California. Class ooCL*;ENf5 OEPT. ^ Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2008 witin funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.arcliive.org/details/furtherreportsbyOOgrearicli OOMMERCiAL. No. 2 (1898). FURTHER REPORTS BY HEK MAJESTY'S HEPEESENTATIYES ABROAD ON BOUNTIES ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND RUNNING OF SHIPS PAID BY THE STATE IN THE COUNTRIES IN WHICH THEY RESIDE, AND PARTICULARS WITH REGARD TO THE GRANTING OF PREFERENTIAL RAILWAY RATES. [In continuation of " Commercial No. 8 (1895) :" C. 7898.] Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Comiiiand of Her Majesty. July 1898. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE BT HAHEISOIf AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, PEINTEBS IN OEDINABT TO HEE MAJESTX. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from EYEE AND SPOTTISVTOODE, East Haedino Steeet, Fleet Steeet, E.G., and 3^;, Abfn&don Steeet, Westminstee, S.W. ; oe JOHN MENZIES & Co., 12, Hanover Steeet, Edinbuegh, and 90, West Nile Street, Glasgow ; oe HODGES, FIGGIS, & Co., Limited, 104, Geafton Steeet, Dublin. [C— 8720.] Price ll^d. f > L. tjl " \ .&7 uocvitsiHia OEPr C£.!A .'-'■■■■ LIST OF PAPERS. Page Circular addressed to Her Majesty's Representatives at Vienna, Brussels, Sophia, Copeiiliasen, Paris, Berlin, Athens, Rome, Cettinje, The Hagne, Lisbon, Bucharest, St. Petersburgh, Belgrade, iVIadrid, Stockholm, Constantinople, and Washington .. .. ,. .. .. .. 1 REPLIES. Austria-Hungary — I. Sir K. Rumbold to the Marquess of Salisbury One Inclosure. February 14, 189S 2 Belgium — 2. Sir F. Plunkett to the Marquess of Salisbury .. October 9, 1897 9 Bulgaria — 3. Mr. Findlay to the Marquess of Salisbury 4. Mr. Elliot to the Marquess of Salisbury DE^MARK 5. Sir C. Scott to the Marquess of Salisbury 6. Sir C. Scott to the Marquess of Salisbury Three Inclosures. France — 7. Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Salisbury One Inclosure. 8. .Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Salisbury September 3, 9 Febiuary II, 1898 10 October 4, If 07 10 December 28, — — 11 Auifust 8, IS August 27, 19 Germany — 9 Viscount Gough to the Marquess of Salisburv.. Two Inclosures. 10. Viscount Gough to the Marquess of Salisbury . One Inclosure. 1 1. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbury . . One Inclosure. 12. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisburv.. One Inclosure. 13. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbury.. 14. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbury . , One luclosure. 15. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbury ., One Inclosure. November 20, 20 December 25, 85 January 12, 1S9S 86 January 15, 92 i'ebruary 3, 92 February 3, 9 J April 16, 93 Greece — 16. Sir E. Egerton to the Marquess of Salisbury .. 17. Sir E. Egerton to the Marquess of Salisbury .. Italy — 18. Sir Clare Ford to the Marquess of Salisbury . . One Inclosure. July 19, 1897 94 Jnly 19, 95 Julv 21 95 Montenegro — 19. Mr. R. J. Kennedy to the Marquess of Salisbury Netherlands — 20. Mr. Howard to the Marquess of Salisburv Two Inclosures. July 16, 98 October 7, 99 PortTUGAL- 21. Sir H. MacDonell to the Marquess of Salisbury One Inclosure. rio2i] July 28, 104 'W.i_».>0<-*.t. IV LIST OP PAPERS. IIOUMANIA 22. Lieutenant-'Joloiie! Trotter to thi; i\Iarquess of Salisbury Russi.'i — 23. Sir N. O'Conor to the Marquess of Salisbury . . . . One Inclosure-. Servi,\ — 24. Mr. IMaccioiialil to the Marquess of Salisburj . . 25 Mr. Eliot to the Marquess of Salisbury One Inclosure. -Spain — 26. Mr. Barclay to the Marquess of Salisbury 27. Mr. l?arclay to the Marquess of Salisbury Que luclosure. Sweden and JJorway — 28. Mr. Pakenham to the Marquess of Salisbury .. One Inclosure. I'age November 6, 1897 104 , . February 12, 18U8 105 .. .luly lo, 1897 106 ,. .luly 23, 106 November 19, 108 November 28, 109 February- 17, 1898 109 TURKEY-- 29. Sir P. Carrie to the Marquess of Salisbury .. One Inclosure. Ausiust 26, 189" 114 United States — ^0. Mr. Adam to the Marquess of Salisbury One Inclosure. Auoust 15 115 Further Reports by Her Majesty's Representatives abroad on Bounties on the Construction and Running of Ships paid by the State in the Countries in which they reside, and particulars with regard to the granting of Preferential Railway Rates. Circular addressed to Her Majesty's Representatives at Vienna, Bi'ussels, Sophia, Copen- hagen, Paris, Berlin, Athens, Borne, Cettinje', The Hague, Lisbon, Bucharest, St. Petersburgh, Belgrade, Madrid, Stockholm, Constantinople, and Washington. Sir, Foreign Office, July 8, 1897. 1 INCLOSE a copy of a series of Repoi-ts issued in 1895* respecting bounties or subsidies on the construction or running of ships, and I have to request you to report to me in what particulars, if any, changes have been introduced since tliat date. I have also to request you to obtain and send home particulars with regard to the granting of preferential I'ailway lates by the Government to which you are accredited. If any portion of the information required should have already been supplied to this office, it should be recapitulated in your Report under the present Circular, the intention being that complete information in an accessible form should be laid before Parliament at an early date. I am, &c. (Signed) SALISBURY. * " Comniei-cial No. 8 (1895).' [1021] B Replies to preceding Ciycidar. AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. . No. 1. Sir H. Rumbold to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received February 16.) My Lord, Vienna, February 14, 1898. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th July last, I have the honour to inclose herewith a Report which has been drawn up by Mr. Findlay second Secretary in this Embassy, respecting bounties or subsidies for the construction or running of ships in this country, and giving information on the subject not included in the Report sent from this Embassy in 1895. A Memorandum showing the principles on which preferential rates are granted on Austrian railways is also inclosed. Mr. Findlay has had considerable trouble in obtaining the required information, and lias devoted much time and care to the preparation of his Report. I have, &c. (Signed) HORACE RUMBOLD. Liclosure in No. 1. Report on Bounties granted in Austria on the construction or running of Ships. ON receipt of the Foreign Office Circular of the 8th July, 1897, requesting Her Majesty's Ambassador to report any changes introduced in the bounties given in Austria- Hungary on the construction or running of ships since the date of the last report from Vienna in ISdo, Sir Horace Enmbold applied to the Austro-Hungarian j\Iinistry for Foreign Affairs for the required information. in Count, Gohichowsld's reply, dated the IGth December, 1897, it is stated that no chann'cs have taken place in the support afforded by Government to ship-building since the information afforded by the Ministry, on which the Report above mentioned is based . In completion of that information, however, the Ministry was good enough to supply Her Majesty's Embassy with the contract existing between the Government and the Austro-Hungarian Lloyd Steam-ship Company, and to summarize the principles on which suljvcnlions are granted to lines of steameis employed by the Austrian Govern- ment on postal service. The following is translation of the part of Count Goluchovvski's note, which deals with this subject : — " The rate and amount of subvention to bo granted to sfcani-siiip Companies which are actually in existence, or wliicli may be formed in the future, and which are, or may ho, employed in the service of the i)ost-oflice, are to he fixed according to the number of nautical miles traversed— the relative imi)ortance of the line of steamers in question to the postal service, as well as the s])eed of tlie vessels employed, being borne in mnid. For express lines, i.e., for lines of steamers, tlie speed of which exceeds 10 nautical miles per hour, the maximum is 70 kr. per nautical mile; for lines steaming 10, or less, nantical miles per hour the maximum subvention is 50 kr. {lOd.). The principal remaining conditions attaching to these Subventions are as follows: — 1. The steamers are bound to carry letters and parcels sent by post. 2. The letter and parcel post must be delivered at the various post-offices, and the Company is bound to provide, at its own expense, for the transport of the mail-bags to and from the post-office. 3. There must be a locked letter-box on board the steamer, both before and during the voyage, wherein may be deposited letters, &c., and which is to be handed over to the post-office in every port touched at for the sorting and forwarding of its contents. The post-offices alone may be in possession of the key of these boxes. 4. The post-office authorities have, generally speaking, the right of fixing or altering the itinerary of the mail steamers, at least as regards some of the ports touched at, as the postal service may demand, and the steam-ship Company has no right to make any alteration in their itinerary without the consent of the post-office authorities. 5. The steam-ship Company is responsible to the post-office for losses and damage to the postal letters or parcels intrusted to it, to the same extent that the post-office is responsible to the senders thereof, according to the postal Regulations in force. 6. The duration of the contract is fixed at three years, or at most at tive years, but both the post-office and the steam-ship Company have the right of denouncing the Contract — the former by giving six months, the latter by giving a j'ear's notice. Even on expiry of the period contracted for, the Contract only ceases on notice being given at the proper time, otherwise it is held to be renewed for another year. In cases of breach of Contract on the part of the Company, or its employes, the post-office has the right to cancel the Contract at once, if a written request for observance of its conditions is not at once complied with. 7. As guarantee for the property of the post-office, the Company has to deposit caution money to the amount of one year's subvention. 8. Fines, as agreed upon, are imposed for unjustifiable delays, and for failure to call at any point in the fixed itinerary without due cause." * # * * * * The terms of the Contract between the Government and the Lloyd Steam ship Oompnny differ from the general principles stated above, mainly on the following points : — I.-^ Subvention. According to Article 2 of the Contract (Law of the 25th July, 1891,) the following Subventions are granted to the various lines kepc up by the Lloyd Company : — 1. In the Adriatic and Mediterranean. (a.) For voyages at a rate of at least 11| nautical miles per hour, 3 fl. 55 kr. per nautical mile. (&.) For voyages at a rate of at least 10 nautical miles per hour, 2 fi. 40 kr. per nautical mile. (c.) For voyages at a rate of at least 9 nautical miles per hour, 1 fl. 80 kr. per nautical mile. 2. For ocean traffic. (a.) For voyages at a rate of at least II nautical miles per hour, 2 fl. 80 kr. per nautical mile. (6.) For voyages on the line between Trieste and Santos, 2 fl. per nautical mile. (c.) For other voyages, 1 fl. 70 kr. per nautical mile. The total amount of mileage bounty paid in the year must not exceed 2,910,000 fl. (242,500/.) Certain dues (on passage of the Suez Canal, &c.,j are refunded to the Company. II.-— State Assistance towards renewal of the Company's Fleet (Article IF). The State undertook to advance a sum of 1,500,000 florins, payable in three equal parts on the 1st September, 1891, January 2nd, 1892, and January 2nd, 1893. The advance to be repaid by the Company in five equal yearly payments of 300,000 florins, beginning on the Tnd January, 1902. [1021] B 2 4 111. — Shippinij Rales. The Company maj not alter its rates wliile the contract is in force without the consent of the Ministry of Commerce. (Article VI.) IV. — Coal, tiupply. "' Tlie Lloyd Company is bound to use at least 20,000 tons of coal per annum, derived from Austrian mines and delivered in Trieste. (Article VII.) v.— Privileges os to Pratique, Sjc. The harbour authorities are bound to give the vessels belonging to the Lloyd Company tlieir papers on sailing, or pratique on arriving, by night as well as by day. (Article VIII.) VI. — Consular Fees. The steamers belonging to the Lloyd Com^mny are placed on the same footing as regards exemption from Consular fees as ships of the Imperial Navy. Yll.'^In case of IVar. The Lloyd Company is obliged, in case of war, to place its vessels at the disposal of the naval and military authorities, in return for suitable payment. (Article XI.) VIII. — Government Representation on the Board. The administrative Cbmmittee of the Lloyd Company is to consist of eight members, of which the President is aj^pointed by the Emperor, and two other members by the Minister of Commerce. (Article XXIll.) IX. — Atistriuns and Naval Officers to he emploijed. All officials of the Company must be Austrian subjects, and naval officers, either on the active list or in the Ileserve are, cwteris paribus, to be given the preference over other Applicants. (Article XXVII.) HUNGAUY. The Law in accordance with which bounties are granted on the construction of ships in Hungary (Law 34 of 1895) was forwarded to the Foreign Office in translation by Mr. Barringlon on the 20th Septeml)er, 1895, and was published in the Vienna Eeport on this subject for that year. It appears, however, that the bounties granted on voyages are regulated by the Law 22 of 189y, a translation of which is therefore appended. Lav XXII of June 30, 1893, respecting Slate Subvcntio7is and Facilities to be (/ranted to Hungarian Merchant-vessels cmploijed in Free Navigation. § 1. Vessels employed in free navigation, and owned to the amount of at least two-thirds by Hungarian subjects, shall receive two sorts of State Subvention, viz. : — 1. A premium on purchase. 2. A special Su])vention based on voyages made in the interests of national commerce — mileage (" migliatico "). 5 § 2. The premium on purchase shall be given on the basis of the nett tonuage of the vessel in question, and in proportion, until the completion of its fifteenth year, counting from the date of its launch. The premium for the first year after the launch is as follows : — 1. For sailing vessels employed in coasting trade on a large scale G kronen* per ton nett register = 5*'. 2. For failing-vessels employed in deep sea trade kronen per ton nett register = 7s. 6d. 3. For steamers employed in coasting trade on a large scale 9 kronen per ton nett; register. 4'. For steamers employed in deep sea trade 12 kronen per ton nett register. In each succeeding year after the launch of the vessel the premium fixed above will be reduced by 7 per cent, on the premium received for the preceding year. The premium above mentioned ma}' also be obtained by vessels already in use, even if acquired by Hungarian subjects after coming into use, provided, however, that they are qualified as required by this Law. In such a case, ho\Aever, the premium shall begin by the reduction per cent, cor- resj)onding to the age of the vessel, counting from its launch as is laid dov,n in the present paragraph, and the premium cannot be continued longer than fifteen years, counting from the day of the launch of the vessel in question. § 3. The special State Subvention (mileage) to be granted to Hungarian vessels in proportion to tlic length of voyages made by them in the interests of national commerce, whether from or to Hungarian ports, is fixed as follows : — 1. A subvention of 5 hellersf for every 100 nautical miles at every ton nett register. 2. The distance traversed is to be calculated on the basis of the shortest direct course between the ports of departure an 1 destination. 3. The subvention shall be granted until tlie completion of the fifteenth year of the age of the vessel in question, counting from the day of its launch. § 4. The premium on purchase can be claimed by such vessels as are built of iron or steel in accordance with the requirements of the " A^eritas " or of the English "Lloyds" and ^v\nch are rated by one of the two institutions above-mentioned as first class on account of their construction and fitting-out. (a,) By Hungarian firms which carry on free navigaiinn. 1. For sailing-vessels or steamers aU-eady owned by them at the end of 1892, providing that the age of the vessels be not more than ten years since their launch. 2. For such sailing-vessels or steamers as may have been ])rought by, or built for, them after the 1st January, 1893, for fifteen years, counting from tlie date of the launch of the vessel in question. (h.) By Hungarian shipping Companies which have a Contract with the State for such sailing-vessels or steamers as possess the above-mentioned qualifications, and which have been acquired by the Company in question with the approval of the Minister of Commerce in excess of tlie number of vessels stipulated in the contract with the State, in order to carry on free navigation therewith. _ § 5. The special mileage subvention will only be given for such voyages as may be made to places where no Company in receipt of a State Subvention is obliged to maintain regular communications and more particularly : — (fl.) To Hungarian Companies which carry on free navigation for such voyages as^ are made with vessels under fifteen years old, and which may have been owned by them at the end of 1892, and in like manner up to the fifteenth year of age of such vessels as may have been acquired by, or built for, them after tlie' 1st January, 1893, always providing that they possess the qualifications stipulated in § 4. (h.) To Hungarian shipping Companies which are bound by contract with the State for such voyages as may be made by new vessels, acquired with the approval of the Ministry of Commerce, which are in excess of the vessels included in the Contract in force, and which possess the qualifications above-mentioned. This subvention shall not be granted for trips made between ports situated within the limits of the petty coasting-trade (piccolo cabotanqio) which were fixed in the- Law XVI of 1879. § 6. Neither the premium on purchase nor the special subvention shall be granted I gulden or florin (1*. ^d.) — 2 kronen; tlie krone equals lOrf. al current cxchingp; 1 kreuier = tJo gulden. t \ heller = -^i^ krone ; 5 liellers = ^rf. 6 to such vessels as may have been acquired hy industrial undertakings for the transport of materials necessary for their industry. § 7. The Legislature shall fix from year to year the total amount to be spent in subventions to vessels employed in free navigation under this head, and until further regulation by law, the public Treasury shall not be burdened witli an annual expenditure exceeding 200,000 kr. (8,338Z.). § 8. The vessels referred to in § 1 shall receive the following facilities in addition to the subvention specified in the preceding sections. (ff.) All arrears and interest accumulated under the head of dues, additional and other on the earnings of the vessels in question up to the end of 1892 shall be abolished. {b.) Such sailing-vessels as were registered at the end of 1892 to be exempt from the tax on trade for six years. (c.) Shipping Companies which are not bound by contract with the State shall be exempted during ten years, counting from the launch of the vessel in question, from the taxes and surtaxes to which the earnings of their steamers employed in deep sea or coasting trade on a large scale would have been subject, provided that such steamers were registered before the end of 1892. They shall further be exempted from the tax on the earnings of such of their sailing-vessels and steamers as are employed in deep sea trade or in coasting trade on a large scale, and which have been acquired by them after the 1st January, 1893, provided always that these vessels possess the qualifications stipulated in § 4 of the present Law. (d.) No taxes or duties shall be levied on the purchase or transfer of new vessels which possess the qualifications stipulated in § 4 of the present Law. Whenever Shipping Companies are formed which are owned by shareholders, they shall be exempted from the stamp tax and other duties on documents and contracts connected with the formation of a Company by the issue of shares, or on the possible increase of the Company's capital, as well as from the duties on the issue of shares, either when the Company is formed or after its formation, when shares are issued in order to increase its capital. Shipping Companies which are bound by contract with the State can only enjoy the above-mentioned facilities as regards their earnings for work done in excess of that stipulated in their contract. § 9. Private ship owners and Shipping Couipacias (including sliare Companios") shall have a claim to the subventions, exemptions, and facilities defined in the present Law, irrespective of the number of vessels possessed by them. § 10. Sailing-vessels employed in coasting trade on a large scale, or in deep sea trade, which were on the register at the end of 1892 shall receive a subvention of 2 kronen (Is. Sd.) per ton net register during five years from the day on which this Law shall come into force. Of the above-mentioned vessels, only such can claim this subvention as are under twenty-five years old, and which are classed at least B 2 in the Austro - Hungarian Veritas. § 11. The Minister of Commerce is authorized to inquire into the working of Shipping Companies in receipt of a subvention in accordance with the present Law. § IJ. Shij)ping Companies and ship-owners in receipt of the State Subvention must undertake — 1. Not to sell those of their vessels which receive a subvention without the consent of the Minister, and if this undertaking he not observed, they shall be called on to refund the entire subvention paid to them up to date. 2. To place all their vessels at the disposal of the Government, on receipt of a demand to lliat effect, in case of war or mobilization, in return for payment and indemnification for possible damage. 3. To carry gratis sucli of the authorities as may be travelling by order of the Minister of Commerce. § 13. Ship-building yards, workshops, &c., as well as such establishments and work- shojjs for the caulking and repair of vessels as are fitted up in accordance with the exigencies of science, floating and dry docks, whether the property of one or more persons, or of share Companies, or of share Companies carrying on petty coasting trade, shall enjoy the advantages defined by Law XXIl, 1890. § 14. The means of obluining ihe State Subvention, and the procedure to be observed, shall be regulati d by order by the jMinistry of Commerce, in concurrence with the Ministry of l^'inanee. § 15. The Minister of Commerce shall decide questions as to whether vessels possess the qualifications required by the present Law, and if they may participate in the advantages defined therein, and he shall act in accordance with the Minister of Finance EB regards the grant of the advantages defined in § 8. § 16. The present Law shall come into force on the day of its publication in the Law Register, and shall remain in force for ten years. The subventions and advantages granted to private persons or Companies in accordance with the present Law shall remain in force during the period fixed in §§ 2, 3, and 8. The Ministers of Commerce and Finance are charged with the execution of this Law. (L.S.) (Signed) FRANCIS JOSEPH, m.p. WEKERLE SANDOR, m.p. The following Memorandum explains the general principles upon which preferential rates are granted on Austrian railways. Memorandum. I CALLED this morning upon an official in the L and R. State Railway Adminis- tration, and was informed by that gentleman that preferential rates on Austrian railways are granted principally for the following reasons : — 1. To enable a line of railway with a circuitous route to compete with a more direct line, which would otherwise monopolize the carriage of goods from one given point to another. 2. To enable an Austrian industry to compete with a similar industry abroad, which is more advantageously situated. Thus preferential rates are granted for this reason on Bohemian glass, on beetroot and its products, and on sugar for export. 3. Preferential rates are granted in aid of charitable, educational, or religious establishments, e.g., materials for the construction of churches, schools, hospitals, /tc, are generally carried at reduced rates, and the same are sometimes granted to materials for the construction of new factories, provided that they are brought into connection with the line of railway, and use it for the transport of their goods. 4. Preferential rates are sometimes granted in aid of an industry or manufacture which is passing through a crisis, if its importance to the railway line, and to the country at large, is sufiiciently considerable to justify such support. Preferential rates are granted for reasons such as those above stated to all manner of goods, and to amounts varying from 1 per cent, to 50 per cent, reduction, but the rate charged is never less than the actual cost of carriage to the line in question. Preferential rates are also granted by lines^owned by private Companies on the same system. The following information is taken from " Statistical Data on the rates of the lines administered by the I. and R. State Railways, 1897-" Preferential rates are granted on various articles when exported in large quantities by rail. The following Table shows the reduction per cent, on the rates which would otherwise be charged on the goods mentioned : — Goods Beer Common wooden floods . . . , Clover seed , , . . . , Wine Sugar ., .. .. Vegetables (all sorts) . . Glass (plate-glass) Glass-ware . . , . Wood and straw pulp (" zellstofF") Fresh fruit . . . . . , Paper and pasteboard. . Iron and steel . . . . . . Iron and steel goods . . . . . . Other classes of iron and steel . . . , Other elasses of wood and products of wood Bent- wood furniture . , Reduction on Load of 5,000 kilog. and Invoice paid for. Reduction on Load of 10,000 kilog., including weight of Waggon. Per cent. 10 15 15 On goods which are to be sent on by river for ultimate export by sea, these reduc- tions are repaid on receipt by the Railway Company of a bill of lading, showing that the goods have been forwarded from one of the shipping places on the Elbe or the Danube. This bill of lading must be accompanied by the original invoice, and must be sent in within a year of the termination of the transport by rail of the goods in question. The rediielion is repaid in like manner on goods sent to the customs warehouses in the free territory of Trieste, only on proof being produced that they have really been exported. In the case of goods addressed to the warehouses of the Austrian Lloyd Steamship Company in Trieste, and of those intended for direct shipment, which pass into tlie free harbour at Trieste, the reduction is repaid to the sender by being placed to the credit of his account with the railway (•' Kartirung"). Passenger Traffic. Preferential rates are granted to the following classes of passengers : — 1. School children attending public schools, and travelling with that object, are charged half price for a distance not exceeding 50 kilom. 2. Workmen and Workwomen. — (a.) On proving themselves to bo sucli, are carried half price, third-class, by slow trains, from the station nearest their home to that nearest their work, for distances not exceeding 100 kilom. (b.) On production of proof of identity, &c., and when not less than ten are travelling together, workmen and workwomen are carried in third-class carriages by the slow tiains for half price, for a distance not exceeding 300 kilom. 3. Peri-ons in course of repatriation, persons under arrest, as well as prisoners and convicts, are carried, together with their escort, for half price, third-class, in slow trains. The escort is allowed the same advantage on the return journey. 4. Tourists travelling together in considerable numbers arc granted reduction of fare under certain conditions. 5. {School excursions. 6. Excursion trains on Sundays and holidays. 7. Soldiers and their luggage are carried at special rates. 8. Coiiniicrcial Travellers, on production of the recjiiired proof of identity, arc allowed a reduction of O'l kr. per kilom. on sample cases, the reduction being made on every 10 kilon'. or fraction of 10 kilog. •;i:- ' « * -ft « « I am informed that the systeiu on which preferential rates are granted in Hungary almost exactly resembles that described above. Vienna, Jannary 27, 1898. (Signed) M. DE C. FINDLAY. BELGIUM. 'So. 2. Sir F. Plunkett to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received October 1 1.) My Lord, Brussels, October 9, 1897. IN reply to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th July last, inquiring as to whether any changes have been introduced in this country during the last two years in regard to bounties or subsidies on the construction or running of ships, I have the honour to state that the provisions of the Law of the r2th April, 1864, remain unchanged, in accordance with which all materials destined for the construction and outfit of vessels, as well as foreign-built vessels and boats when transferred to the Belgian flag, are admitted free of duty. As regards the payment by the Belgian Government of subsidies on the running of ships, the same amount as heretofore, viz., 120,000 francs (4,800/.) is allowed each year to the Ministry of Railways, Posts, and Telegraphs, for tiie establishment of a regular postal service between Antwerp and the distant poits of Asia, Australia, and South America. This sum is divided between the Kortii German Lloyd of Bremen for the service between Antwerp, China, and Australia; the German and Australian Steam-ship Company of Hamburg for the service of the ports of Adelaide, Melbourne, and Syrhiey ; and the Cosmos Line from Hamburg for the postal service between Antwerp and the ports of Chile and Peru. The mail-packet services between Ostend and Dover, and Antwerp and the Tete de Flandro are maintained at the expense of the State, and the running of the former is for the present carried on at a very considerable loss to the State. With a view to the development of the traffic along the Belgian lines of railway preferential rates are very largely granted by the Belgian Government, who now own four-fifths of the whole railway system in Belgium. Very great reductions are made in favour of all kinds of merchandize destined for Belgian ports, and these no doubt have very much contributed to the enormous increase which has taken place during the last few years in the shipping trade of Antwerp. These rates are mostly calcidated on a differential scale, the cost of transport decreasing per kilometer in proportion with the distance traversed; and by the terms of the Law of the 25th August, 1891, vvhatever reductions may be made b}' the Belgian Government in favour of any special kind of merchandize, these rates must be previously published in the "Moniteur Officiel." Should any information be required with regard to the cost of transport along the Belgian railways or of their special tariffs with other countries, full details can always be obtained on application to the Transport Department at the Musee Commercial in this city. A series of special fixed tariffs have also been arranged with certain regular lines of steamers, and also vvith other European countries, for the direct transit of goods in order to encourage as much . as possible their export as well as their import through Belgian ports. T Invf* lslo (Signed) ' F. R. PLUNKETT. BULGARIA. No. 3. Mr. Findlay to the Marquess of Salisbury.— {Received September G.) ^y ^f' „ Sophia, September 3, 1897. .u /'^^^^ reterence to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the Sth Julv, I have the honour to report that the only subsidv granted bv the Bulgarian Government '" Moon-f ^'"'"'"? °f ships is that mentioned in" Sir A. Nicolson's despatch [lOJlJ Q 10 of the 21st June, 1895. As stated by Sir A. Nicolson, the Bulgarian Government purcliased a quarter of the shares issnevi by the Bulgarian Steam Navigation Company of Varna, anfi engaged to grant a subsidy amounting to 'J per cent, on the paid-up capital (or 100,000 fr. a-vear) on condition of the Company carrying the mails free of charge, and transporting soldiers, munitions, and State employes at half the usual rates. No bounties are given in aid of the construction of ships. The railways being the property of the State are not subsidized. I have, &c. (Signed) M. DE C. FINDLAY. No. 4. M?-. Elliot to the Marquess of Salisbury. — (Received February 14.) My Lord, Sophia, February 11, 1898. WITH reference to Mr. Findlay's despatch of the 3rd September last, I have the honour to report that, according to a statement given to me at the Bulgarian Foreign Office, the subsidy of 9 per cent, on the paid-up capital of the Bulgarian Steam Navigation Company amounted to 180,000 fr. in 1896 and 132,192 fr. in 1897, while the credit voted in the Budget for 1898 is 232,192 fr. Moreover, by a Law passed during the last Session of the Sobranje and just promulgated, a loan of 120,000 fr. out of the Treasury is granted to the Company without interest or term for repayment, the money to he applied to the construction or purchase of two new vessels. I have, &c. (Signed) F. ELLIOT. DENMARK. No. 5. Sir C. Scott to the Marquess of Salisbury. — (Received October 7.) My Lord, Copenhagen, October 4, 1897. PENDING the receipt of a I'eply to the inquiry which I addressed to the Danish Government, in pursuance of the instructions contained in your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th July last, I have the honour to report that a state- ment has been given to the press by the Inspector of the Department of Agriculture respecting a grant made to the United Steam-ship Company of Denmark for establishing a bi-weekly service for the carriage of dairy-farm produce between Esbjerg and Grimsby, destined for the midland markets of ["higland. The Inspector states that the agricultural interests desired that the weekly service from Esbjerg to Grimsby, which has been carried on by the United Steam- ship Company for the last six years, should be doubled, and that, for this purpose, a grant of 75,000 kroner (4,160/.) was voted in the current year's Budget. This route is now placed under Government supervision, and, in addition to the new bi-weekly service from Eslijerg to Grimsby, it is stipulated that the Company provide (or the carelul treatment of the goods. The ships on the line are being fitted with refrigerators suited to the different descriptions of goods carried ; a reduction of about 20 per cent, is also to be made in the former i'reight rates; for the future the freights arc to be — For 1 ton of butter, 16s. For 1 ton of salt meat, 12s. For 1 ton of fresh meat, 18s. For 1 ton of eggs, 20s. For 1 ton of fresh (ish, 14s. 11 It is expected that, by this arrangement, perishable goods destined for the midland counties of England will be conveyed v\k Esbjerg in greater quantities than heretofore, and will reach the consumers in better and fresher condition through the increase and acceleration of the traffic. I have, &c. (Signed) CHARLES S. SCOTT. No. 6. Sir C. Scott to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received December 31.) My Lord, Copenhagen, December 28, 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th July last, I have the honour to inclose copy of a note from Admiral Eavn stating the changes which have occurred in Denmark since 189l!-9r) as regards subsidies granted to Steam-ship Companies in this country, as well as a Memorandum drawn up by Mr. Johnstone, setting forth the various amounts assigned to the diflFerent Lines for 1896-97 and 1897-98. With reference to the second paragraph of your Lordship's above-mentioned despatch, I have the honour to inclose a translation of the Regulations enumeratiug the different rates charged on the railways (which in this country are almost entirely the property of the State) for certain classes of goods. These Regulations, in the original Danish, accompanied Admiral Ravn's note. Your Lordship will observe that mauy articles useful to, or produced by, agricul- ture are carried at a low rate, and I understand that these rates have been specially adjusted with a view to the assistance of the agricultural interest, although they can- not be termed preferential as against the products of other countries, inasmuch as the charges are lowered in certain ratios to the distance carried up to 180 kilom. (about 112 miles), after which distance no further diminution is made in the rates. I have, &c. (Signed) CHARLES S. SCOTT. Inclosure 1 in No. 6. Admiral Ravn to Mr. Johnstone. M. le Charge d' Affaires, Copenhague, le 7 Decembre, 1897. PAR une note dat^e le 12 Juillet dernier Sir C. Scott m'a demande des renseio-ne- ments sur les modifications qu'aurait subi en Danemark depuis le 20 Septembre, 1895 le regime des subventions et des primes accordees a la construction de navires et a la navigation. J'ai I'honneur d'y repondre que quant a la construction de navires rien n'est change ; elle ne jouit d'aucune prime ni subvention. En ce qui conceme la naviga- tion, je constate que la Societe Unie des Bateaux a Vapeur a re§u dans I'annee financi^re 1896-97 une subvention de 187,270 couronnes 19 ore pour desservir la lio-ne Esbjerg- Parkeston, et qu'a partir du milieu de Septembre dernier elle regoit du TrJsor une subvention de 60,000 couronnes par an pour entretenir une ligne entre Esbjero- et Grimsby. Pour ce qui regarde cette dernifere hgne, les droits du quai aw port d'Esbjer"- sont rembourses a la Societe, mais on ne saura en indiquer le montant avant la fin de I'ann^e financiere. Sir C. Scott a exprime un autre desir d'etre informe du regime des transports a prix reduits par les chemins de fer Danois. A ce sujet j'ai I'honneur de vous informer que les marchandises suivantes, a savoir : — Denr^es sujettes a se gater; Emballage qui a deja servi ; [1021] C 2 12 Certaincs marcliandises grosses quand lo transport est paye par fourgons sont transportees sur les chemins d(! fer d'Etat a une taxc moderee. Les rt'c^les detaillees h cet egard se trouveut dans les §§ 28, 20, et 22, No. 2, du Reg'lement ci-joint. Je saisis, &c. (Signc) RAVN. (Translation.) M. lo Charge d'AfTaires, Copenhagen, December 7, 1897. JN a note dated the 12th July last, Sir C. Scott asked me for information with regard to any changes made in Denmark since tiie 20th Septemher, 1895, in the system of subsidies and bounties on the construction and running of ships. I have the honour to state in reply that no change has been made so far as ship- building is concerned. Th.is industry receives no subsidv or bounty. Witli rt'gard to the shipping industry, I note that the " Societe Unie des Bateaux a Vapeur" received during the financial year 1896-97 a subsidy of 187,270 kroner 19 ore for the service of the line from Esbjerg-Parkeston, and from the middle of last September the same Company receives from the Treasury an annual subsidy of 00,000 kroner for keeping up the line between Esbjerg and Grimsby. A\'ith regard to this latter service the quay dues at the port of Eshjerg are refunded to the Comjiany, but it is impossible to specify the amount until the end of the financial year. Sir C. Scott made another request for information as to the system of reduced rates for carriage on the Danish railways. On this sul)ject I have the honour to inform you that the carriage of the following goods is charged on a lower scale on the State Railways : — Perishable provisions ; Used wrappers (" emballage ") ; Certain bulky goods on which the freight is calculated by the truck-load. The Hegulations on this subject will be found at length in sections 28, 29, and 22, No. 2 of the inclosed Table. I avail, &c. (Signed) RAVN. Inclosure 2 in No. G. Freight for each 100 kilog.* calculated in ore. £1 = 18 kroner = 1,800 iirc. Freight in Piece. Freight in Truck. Eate 1. Rate 2. Rate 3. Rate 4. Rate 5. Rate 6. For each of the first 60 kilom.f „ ,, next GO kiloui. „ ,, next GO kilom. ,, ,, followinp; kiloni. 50 1-8 1-2 0-G 0-3 10 0-9 0-G 0-3 0-15 10 0-6 0-4 0-3 0-15 5 0-45 0-3 0-2 0-15 5 0-3 0-2 0-15 0-125 5 0-2 0-15 0-125 0-1 * 100 kilog. = 1 -900 cwt. f Kilom. = 0f21 miles. 13 Section 22. — 2. In accordance with the special tariff rates for waggon loads, rate 5 and rate G, the following description, of goods are transported when sent in whole waggon-loads. Description of Goods. Offals of the followins: kinds : — 1. to rate 5, if not 5. 6. Offals, franments and slag of goods rated accordin specially mentioned and classed under rale 6 . . Ofllxls from certain manufacturing branches, viz., offals from bakeries, dye-houses, gum-, leather-, jute-, wicker-work, fulling and -.vasli- ing refuse, metalliferous sweepings from workshops Pasteboard, felt, and paper refuse, paper shavings Offals from sl.aughter-houses (blood, serum, sinews, uncleaned intes- tines, pigs' bellies, &c.) and tanneries (hide parings, cuttings; brush, hair, and felt refuse, &c. ; undefined cow-hair, pig-wool) . Zinc r.lag, zinc oven slag .. . . .. Offals, fragments, and slag of goods classed under rate 6 .. Alpha and alpha stuff (see straw and compressed straw). Alp grass (see straw). Stone alum (alum earth), see ores. Alum sorts under rate 4. Ammonia (water), see manure ingredients. Anthracite remnants (see tar). Asbestine (see magnesia). Asphalt stone and goods, cork asphalt, cement putty, roofing wax, asphalt felt, asphalt varnish, asphalt putty .. Ashes Compare lead ashes, mineral coal. Potash sorts under rate 4. Chaffs (see straw). Hark and tan cake .. .. .. ., .. ., Hast and palm-leaf refuse (see compressed straw). Pitch Bones, also cleaned and crushed . . . . Bone ashes, bone coal (spodium comfrey) Bone dust (see manure ingredients, artificial). Beton (included tar bcton and tar splinters) and beton goods J-OW •• •• a* •• •• ■■ •• « Blood, serum (see offals, 4). Blood bread for fodder (see fodder-stuffs, artificial). Lead ashes Lead glance ( see ores). Bolus (see coloured earth). Brown coal (see mineral coal). Manganese (see ores). Pulse (see grain). Dregs and grains . . Cement (hydraulic mortar, hydraulic lime, trass, puzzolan), and cement goods Cement putty (see asphalt). Chicory roots (see edible roots). Dolphins (see porpoises). Dolomite (see spar). Metals (see ores). Esparto and grass (see straw). Crockery (see earthenware). Cuttings (see offals, 4). Coloured earth .. ., ., .. ,, Flint, also burned (see stones, I). Fodder-stuffs, artificial, especially oilcake (viz., cottonseed, hempseed, linseed, groundnut, copra or palm, molasses, palm-kernel, rape, rice- refuse, summer-rape, sesameseed, sunflower), oilcake flour (broken oilcake), blood-bread for fodder, fodder-bread, and dog-biscuit Fodder herbs, fresh (such as grass, clover, &c.) Phosphate stones (see manure ingredients, artificial). Seeds for oil pressing, such as linseed, hemp and gold-of-pleasure seed, rape, summer-rape, sunflower seed, poppy seed, as also the pressed seeds Cowhair, uncleaned (see offals, 4) ; cleaned cowhair (see § 23, 6, sort under rate 4). Tannery offals (see offals. 4), Plaster of Paris Plaster reeds (plaster boards), see straw. Broken glass Glass goods, hollow (hollow glass), such as bottles, drinking-glasses, and lamp chimneys, cucurbits, retorts Glauber's salt (see salt). Graphite, unprepared Greaves and greave-cakes (from trainoil boileries) Grit (see grain). Eate. 14 Description of Goods. Rate. Grass (see fodder herbs). Manure, natural, included pondrettc and day renovation Manure inr^redients, artificial, all kinds, included manure salts and mine- rals, phosphate stones, ammonia, and ammonia water Straw, hay, seaweed, included alpfjrass, alpha, chaffs (also buckwheat husk and rice husk, oats, and pea husk), esparto and grass, bottle-straw of rush and straw, chopped straw for fodder, straw ropes, heather, leaves (included clirist-thorn and reed-green), mosses, reeds of straw and rush (also ice-, plaster-, and roofing-reeds), rush, rush mats, rush ropes and rush shoes . . . , . , . . , , Compressed straw for paper manufacturing (included alpha stulF, and bast and palm-leaf refuse .. .. ., .. ,. , Horse-chestnuts (see forest produce). Horn (of cattle, sheep, goats), hoofs .. .. .. , Hoofs (see horn). Dog-biscuits (see fodder-stuffs, artificial). Hay (see straw). XCe •* a» aa «, «« ,« «« ,. Earth, all ordinary kinds, included mire, gravel, infusory earth, ordinary clay, loose or in bags, marl (also lime- and chalk-marl), pipeclay, porcelain-earth (china-clay, kaoline), sand, whitening, fuller's-earth Compare coloured earth, clayey earth, and magnesia. Earth colour? (see coloured earth). Iron, raw, natural, scrap iron and steel, iron filings Cabbage in heads .. .. ., .. .. Lime, burned, and mortar . . . . . . . . . . Limestone (see stones, 1). Lime, hydraulic (see cement). Lime, carding, and artificial wool . . . . , . Carbolineum (see inr). Potatoes (see edible roots). Kelpsalt (see soda) Kiserite (see silt). Bran (see grain). Chloride of lime .. .. .. •• .. .. Eags and cutting motes .. .. .. .. .. .. Clover (see fodder herbs). Cones (see forest produce). Coke, coal, and cinders (see mineral coal). Cork goods, stone, stone-plates, and shavings . . . . Gra'n and mill manufactures, such as corn and pulse (wheat, rye, barley, Oits, buckwheat, millet, caraway, lupines, maize, rice, spurry, vetches, peas), malt and malt-dust, all kinds of flour, bran and grit Carding wool (see lime-wool). Creosote and creosote-oil (see tar). Chalk, all kinds, also burnt, whitening, and pulverized chalk . . .. Chalk-stone (see stones, 1). Cryolite .. .. •• .. •• •• •■ Artificial wool (see lime-wool). Clay, ordinary, also pipeclay (see earth). Clayey earth (also painted and prepared), in hard packing, such as casks, cases, and chests (sec colour earth). Clayey earth, dissolved, acetous (wash), colloidal, muriate (chloride of aluminium), sulphuric (sulphate of aluminium), and emery sort under rate 4. Earthenware and tile manufactory produces (with the exception of those sorting under rate 4, compare the class stones, 3), included china, crockery, stoneware, majolica, and terra-cotta .. .. .• Hide parings (see oii'als, 4). IIv«tlicr (sec straw). Onions, edible (sec edible roots). Leaves (see straw). Magnesitc .. .. .. .. .. Ores (metals) .. .. .. .. Swamp-ore (see below). Malt (see grain). Porjioises (dolphins) .. .. ,. .. Dregs (see grains). Flour (see i;rain). Molasses (unrefined syrup) and osmose water, molasses bran Marl (see earth) Mineral oil (see oil). Mosses (.see straw). Moss litter (see peat). Bricks (sec stones). Swamp-ore .. .. •• .. •« .. •• Mill manufactures (see grain). Mortar (see lime) ; water-mortar (see cement). 6 5 5 6 6 5 5 5 5- 5 5 5 5 5- 15 Description of Goods. Rate. Nematolite (see magnesia). Ocher (see colour earth). Mast (see forest produce). Oils, following : — 1. Mineral oils, heavy (lignite tar oil, slate oil, boghead oil, heavy oils produced from petroleum, &c.), which have by 16 degrees Reau- mur a sperific weight of 0"850 and upwards, and by same temperature an iuspissateness of not more than 2 '6 (water ^1), tested by Engler"s viscocity testing apparatus . . . . 5 2. Coal-tar oil, unmixed, heavy (with a specific weight by 14 degrees Reaumur of 0" 950 and more) .. .. .. .. 5 The sender must give necessary information in the bill of carriage as to specific weight and iuspissatenegs. If this has been omitted, rate 4 will be applied as well for mineral oils as for coal-tar oil. Petroleum, also unrefined petroleum, sorts under rate 4. Oilcake and oilcake flour (see fodder-stuffs). Osmose water (see molasses). Pasteboard, felt, and pa]3er refuse (see offals, 3). Plants, live . . . . . . . . . . • . Plants, cut (see forest produce). China (see earthenware). China clay (see earth). Briquettes (see charcoal). Poudrette (see manures). Puzzolan (see cement). Rape and summer-rape (see seeds for oil pressing). Edible roots, turnips, beets (included chicory and dandelion), potatoes, edible onions. . .. .. .. .. .. .. Sugar beets (see this class). Reeds of straw and rush (see straw). Cane and bamboo .. .. .. .. ,. ., Salt, kitchen and table, stone salt, bitter salts (such as kiserite), Glauber's salt (sulphate) .. .. .. .. ,. Manure salts (see manure ingredients). Sinews (see olfals, 4). Rush (see straw). Shells of mollusks, conchsheUs . . . . . . . . . . Husk (buckwheat, rice, oats, pea), see straw. ■^j^ates .. •« .. ,, .. .. «« Forest produce, natural, such as Christmas trees and other cut plants, cones of spruce and pine, masts, acorns, horse-chestnuts, spruce- gieen .. .. .. «« «« «« ,. Slag of glass and metals . . . . . . , , Iron filings (see iron). Slaughter-house offals (see offals, 4). Soda (and kelp-salt), sodalixivium, remnants of soda .. ., ,. •Spar — Felspar, fluor-spar, and sulphate of barytes, cceleslin, strontianite, whitherite (see ores). Bitter-spar (dolomite), calcareous spar .. .. .. .. Spodium (see bone-coal). Stones, following : — 1. Natural, such as granite, pepple, splinters, quartz, flint, also burnt, marble, porphyry, pumice, basalt, plaster, lime, chalk, sand, and tuff stones (included pulverized stones, such as lime-flour, marble-flour, &c.) 2. Paving stones 3. Burnt stones, following, also fireproof: bricks, tiles, and well stones, hole, arch, and partition stones, and ordinary bricks 4. Trimmed, such as foundation stones, mill stones, grind stones, stone- plates (flag stones), hollowed stones, stonecutter work, and sand- stone goods Mineral coal (also brown coal, briquettes, coke, and cinders, coal and coke ashes) Stoneware (see earthenware). Sugar-beets and refuse and top of sugar-beets . . . . . , Sulphate (see salt). Sulphite (see pulp). Pigs' bellies (see offals, 4). Pig wool (see offals, 4). Pyrites (see ores). Roofing-paper, also asphalted Roofing-wax (see asphalt). Magnesia and talck (asbestine, nematolite) . . Seaweed (see straw). Intestines, uncleaued (see offals, 4). \^ Tile manufactory produces (see earthenware). 16 Disciiption of Goods. Kate. Tip- wnggons, whole and separatee). . .. .. Tar (of brown ooal, mineral coal, wood, and peat, &e.), also refuse from production of tar (such as creosote, creosote oil, carbolineum, and anthracite remnants) .. ., .. .. ,, Tar beton and tar splinters (see beton). Cordage, old (see oakum). Trass (see cement). Whitening (see earth). Wood, following descriptions ; — 1. Firewood, viz., wood meant for combustion, cleft or uncleft, with or without bark, otherwise unworked, and in lengths not beyond 1 • 3 metre (about 4 ft. 2 in. Danish ) 2. Wood splinters and wood remnants, plank and board ends, arid other refuse from cutting of wood, all m lengths not beyond 1-3 metre (about 4 ft. 2 in. Danish) .. 3. Wood shuving.s (planing, choj)ping, and sawing shavings, sawdust) . . 4. Twigs (small branches and broom-twigs), willows, unbarked, and fascines 6. Roots and stumps of trees . . , , . . , ., Wood and wooden goods, following descriptions : — 1. Building timber and lumber, round, squared, or flat, unplaned or planed, siich as beams, boards, pitprops, ledges, laths, mast and pump wood, planks, scantlings, sleepers, and telegraph pclcs | (also impregnated) . . . . . . . . , . I 2. Pulp for paper manufacturing (wood cellulose, .sulphite) .. 3. Woodeu goods, coarse, following : flower sticks and similar rough sticks and rods ; spokes and rims ; bolts, plugs, and bungs ; staves for barrels and casks ; roofing shingles and sticks for straw roofing; blocks for paving purposes; barrel heads, woodeu shoes, and clodchoppor bottoms ; wooden roll?, undivided match sticks ; stakes, hoops, willows, barked ; box sides and sivcrings Charcoal, peat coal (bri(juettes) Wood-wool .. .. .. .. .. .. Peat, peat flour, peat du*;!, moss litt'.r . , . . . . Peat coal (see charcoal). Umber (see colour earth). Water (not mineral) Hydraulic mortar (see cement). Vitriol, iron (green) and Ieartlonal to the lower i-ates charged by the Company on tlie freight of dairy produce and of fish transported to Englaml.) To the Ojedser— W'arneinunde Line (A fixed yearlv subsidy.) To the Kalundborg-Aarhus Line (The ab-'Ve places are Danish ports, do not come up to a certain sum the di ficiency. which is set down in the Budget as 50,000 kroner, but actually amounted to the above sum.) To the Copenhag'en-Faroe-Icoland Line .. (A fixed yeaily subvention for carrying mails, Jvc.) To the Copenhagen-Malnioe (Sweden) Line (A fixed monthly sum of 730 kroner for carrying mails.) Subsidy granted since September 1897 to the Esbjerg-Grimsby Line (Wharfage dues at Esbjerg are also remitted to the Com- jianv. Tiie sum assigned for this charge in the Budget 1897-98 is 15,000 kroner (833^.), but the exact sum will not be known until the close of the current financi;il year.) Kroner. 187,270 £ 10,404 71,200 3,955- 52,295 2,905 40,000 8,760 60,000 2,222 486 3,333 FRANCE No. 7. Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Salisburf/. — [Received August 9.) My Lord, Paris, August 8, 1897. IN accordance witii tlie instructions contained in your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8tii ultimo, I liave the honour to inclose a Memorandum by Mr. Austin Lee with regard to the bounties and subsidies now given on the construction and running- ofshijis in France. With regard to the further instruction contained in the Circidar respecting the granting of preferential railway rates granted by the French Government, it is urobaljly intended to include the special rates given under various forms by private Railway Companies, as tlie State Railways form a very small portion of the French railway system. The Special Taritis are contained in a volume,* of whi<"h I inclose a copy, and it will be seen tind it would 1k> quite impossible to give a list of them within the limits of a lleport for presentation to Parliament. I have, &c. (Signed) EDMUND MOKSON. * l)e])u~ited in the House of Commons Library. 19 Inclosvire in No. 7. Memorandum by Mr. Austin Lee. NO alteration has taken place \ ^ the bounties and subsidies on the construc- tion ami running- of ships in France, established by the L;?.'.v ol' die 30th January, 1893, of which a full summary was given in Sir J. Crowe's despatch to the Marquess of Duff'erin and Ava of the 27th May, 1895, inclosed in his Excellency's despatch to the Earl of Kiraberley of the 28th May, 1895. The bounties which are only given to French-built ships, are as follows : — For steam or sailing ships of iron or steel, 65 fr. per ton. For wooden ships of 150 tons or more, 10 fr. For wooden ships under 150 tons, 30 fr. For n-achinery, 15 fr. per 100 kilos. For renewal of boilers, 15 fr. per 100 kilos. The bounties on navigation are only given to French-built vessels, and are as follows: — To steamers at the i-ate of 1 fr. 10 c. per gross ton and per 1,000 miles run, decreasing- annually by six centimes per ton for wooden ships, and by 4 centimes per ton for iron or steel ships. To sailing- ships at the rate of 1 fr. 70 c. per gross ton per 1,000 miles, with an annual decrease per ton of 8 centimes for wooden and 6 centimes for iron or steel ships. For steam-ships fitted according to special plans approved by the Marine and War Department, '.^5 percent.* The total amount of bounties ^iven since 1890 is as follows: — 1890 .. 1891 .. 1892 .. 189;j .. 1894 .. 1895 .. '1896 (estimate) No. 8. Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Salisbury, — (Received September 4.) My Lord, Paris, August 27, 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular of the 8th ultimo, and to your subsequent despatch of the 13th instant, stating in reply to my inquiry that the information required applied to preferential rates g-ranted by the French Government only, I have the honour to report that no preferential rates for the carriage of passengers or goods can be granted by the French (Government on anv French railway, not even on those belonging to the State. The initiative rests entirely with the Administration of the Companies, although the tariffs proposed, after having been approved by the Railway Commission and Chambers of Commerce interested, require in the usual course the " homologation," or approval, of the Minister of Public Works. There is no doubt that the Government occasionally suggests certain modifica- tions of rales, which for various reasons may be considered by them advisable, and such a case has recently occurred, where, owing to the rise in the price of wheat, the Government has "invited" the Railway Companies to formulate proposal for carrying wheat at cheaper rates than those at present paid. The only exception to the above principle is in the case of certain charges known as " frais accessoires " for registration, warehousing, &c., which can be fixed * i.e., the bounty + -25 per cent, of the bounty. [1021] D 2 Fr. £ 10,818,"00 = 432,720 10,166,000 = 406,640 9,300,000 = 372,000 11,600,000 = 464,000 10,400,000 = 416,240 11,860,000 = 474,400 11,500,000 = 460,000 20 b)' the Minister of Public Works inflependently of the Companies, and also in the case of small parcels of goods, danoerDiis materials, &c., for which special rates may be prescribed. But it is stated that as a matter of practice the Grovernment even in these matters never makes any proposal without having previously consulted and come to an understanding with the Railway Companies concerned. I have, &c. (Signed) EDMUND MONSON. GERMANY. No. 9. Viscount Gough to the Marquess of Salishuri/. — (Received November 22.) My Lord, Berlin, November 20, 1897. IN obedience to the instructions contained in your Lordship's Circular despatch, dated the 8th July last, I have the honour to transmit a comprehensive Report by Mr. Gastrell on the preferential railway rates of Germany. Owing to the necessarily voluminous nature of the present Report, comprising as it does details of great value courteously placed by the Government at the disposal of the Embassy, I defer sending in an additional Report on bounties or subsidies on the construction or running of German ships, but this additional Report is now being prepared, and will sliortly be transmitted in a separate despatch. I have, &c. (Signed) GOUGH. Inclosure 1 in No. 9. Mr. Gastrell to Viscount Gough. My Lord, Berlin, November 18, 1897. IN accordance with instructions from Her Majesty's Ambassador to send in to him a Report in a complete form on the granting of preferential railwav rates l)y the German Gf)vernment for the information of Parliament, I have now the honour to forward to your Lordship what I hope may be sufficient data on this verv important subject. This Report is compoaerl of four parts : 1. Of a valual)]e ^Memorandum on the general principles and working of the preferential tariffs drawn up in -June 1S9G, by Mr. Spring Rice ; 2. Of an excellent Report on preferential rates, with special refe- rence to the exports of coal, iron, and steel, by Mr. Mulvanv; and, ',^, of a highly interesting Re[)ort on goods tariffs in general by Mr. Niessen. The fourth part is merely a comi)lete statement of the whole of the preferential railway rates now in force (subject only to a few modifications) which I have translated from the ollicial documents on this subject, so courteously furnished to Hei' Majesty's Embassy by the German (icnernment, and which ! also forward in original. This ofTicial state- ment tabulates all the rates in force in October 189."), and lour small leaflets of subsequent alterations are attached to it, but which I have not translated, as the chief points are dealt with in Parts 2 and 3. Copies of the i)ublish(>d Levant and East African over-sea through preferential rates are also forwarded herewith in original, though appearing also in my translation in Part 4. After duly considering the (juestion, I came to the conclusion that no better insight into tiie intricate working of the preferential-rate system in this country 21 I'ould be given than by a complete statement of all the complicated rates now in force, showing their whole range, and the reasons for the introduction of almost every group, as noted in the interesting official document now translated. I have, &c. (Signed) WILLIAM S. H. GASTRELL. Inclosure 2 in No. 9. Report on Preferential Raihvay Rates in Germany. Statement op Contents. I'age Part I. — Memorandum on the General Principles and Working of the Preferential Tariffs of the Prussian State Railways. By Mr. C. A. Spring Rice, Second Secretary to Her Majesty's Embassy. (With Abstract of Contents) ., ,. .. .. .. 21 Part II. — Report on Preferential Railway Rates, with special reference to Coal, Iron, and Steel. By Mr. Mulvany, Iler Britannic Majesty's Consul at Diisseldorf. (With Abstract of Contents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 J'art III. — Report on German Goods Tariffs, and a special Report on Conveyance of Manure (p. ). By Mr. Niessen, British Vice-Consul at Cologne. (With Abstract of Contents) .. 42 Part IV. — Complete Statement of Preferential Railwa)' Rates of Prussian State Lines, including through Preferential Freights to the Levant and East Africa. Translated from official Documents by Mr. W. S. H. Gastreli, Commercial Attache to Her Majesty's Embassy ( With Abstract of Contents). . . . . . . , . . . . . . 53 Part I. Memorandum by Mr. Spring Kice, Second Secretary to Her Majesty^s Embassy at Berlin, on the Preferential Tariffs of the Prussian State Railways. (Dated June 13, 1896.) Abstract of Contents. General principles laid down for preferential rates Ordinary rates ; classification of goods .. .. ,. .. .. Preferential rates ; typical instances of, with particulars Tariffs as affected by Treaties .. ,. .. .. .. ., Table giving extracts from ofScial list of preferential rates . . . . . . . . Table showing increase in traffic in certain goods for which preferential treatment has been accorded Table showing the general rate on the Prussian State lines Supplementary Table of alterations up to November 20, 1896,. Page 21 22 2-f 25 26 28 29 30 General Principles. In October 1884 the Minister of Public Works addressed a letter to the Railway Council, in which he laid down the conditions under which preferential tariffs should be, and had been, granted on the State railways. These are — 1. To assist agriculture and industry by granting cheap rates for raw material or subsidiary material. 2. To assist German manufacturers in competition with foreign importers at home, and to assist German export trade abroad. 3. To assist German in competition with foreign ports. 22 4. To look after the interests of German railways and water-ways in competi- tion with those of foreign nations. As regards the granting- of preferential tariffs to foreign goods, the Minister points out that this can only be done on the understanding — (1.) That no injury ensues from such preferential taritT to any domestic industry ; (2.) Or that if such injury does ensue, then that there are counter-balancing advantages. Under the latter heading must be considered " the interests of German shipping and also of the domestic consumer, or (as in cases of competition with foreign lines of railway or waterways), the interests of the German railways themselves." Ordinary Rates and Classificalion of Goods. The tariff falls under the following general heads: — - 1. Piece goods, that is goods not in sufficient number to occupy an entire truck : (a.) Under tins heading are cci'tain exceptions as manure, iron and steel, antimony, seeds, metal ])r(iducts, &e., which have a separate clnssitication. 2. Truck loads. These come under four heads : (a.) General Tariff, with the following exceptions — (b.) Special 'Jariff I. (c.) Snecial Tariff 11. {d.) Special Tariff III. These special tariffs are best understood by the following instances: — Agriculture — Manure Grain Iron and steel — Ore and jjig iron Old iron Wrought iron, uncovered, rough Machinery auii finished wares . Coal . . Tariff I. Tariff III. Tariff III. Tariff III. Taiiff II. Tariff I. Tarifi III. Thus raw material generally comes under Tariff IIT; the semi-manufactured product under Tariff II ; the finished product under Tariff I. As to the rate of each of the above-mentioned classes : — Basis-Rates (" Grundtaxen ") on the Prussian State Railways for Goods. 1. For general ])icee-goods by express .. ,. .. 22 pf. per ton-kilom. Plus dispatch fee (when the distance is longer than 100 kilom.j 4 nik. per ton. Example : 1 ten on 300 kilom., oOO x 22 pf. Plus dispatch fee . . . . Mk. pf. 66 00 4 00 70 00 2. For general piece-goods by ordinary goods train Plus dispatch fee, as abox e Example : 1 ton on 600 kilom., 500 x 11 pf. Plus dispatch fee . . Mk. pf. 55 00 2 00 1 1 pf. per ton-kilom. 2 mk. per ton. 67 00 3. For special piece-goods by ordinary goods tiain Plus disnatch fee . . 8 pf.[per ton-kilom. 2 mk. I'^xomple : \ ton on 600 kilom.. 600 x 8 pf. Plus di'-patcli fee . . Mk. pf. 40 00 2 00 42 00 23 4. For truck-loads, class A I Plus dispatch fee 6 "7 pf. per ton-kilom. 2 mk. nple: Mk. pt. 1 truck-load (10 tons) on oOO kilora., 500 X 6, 7 pf. . . - • • • 33 50 Plus dispatch fee .. 2 00 35 50 355 mk. per 10-ton truck-load. 6. For truck-loads, class B , Plus dispatch fee Example : Mk. pf. 1 truck-load (10 tons) on 500 kilom., 500 X 6 pf. . . . . . . 30 00 Dispatch fee . . . . . . 1 20 31 20 = 312 mk. per truck-load of 10 tons. 6 pf. per ton-kilom. 1 mk. 20 pf. *i. For truck-loads, class A II Plus dispatch fee . . . . . . . . Example : Mk. pf. 1 truck-load (10 tons) on 500 kilom., 500 X 5 pf. . . . . . . 25 00 Dispatch fee . . . . . . 1 20 26 20 = 262 mk. per truck -load of 10 tons. 5 pf. per ton-kilom. 1 mk. 20 pf. 7. Special Tariff I Plus dispatch fee Example : 1 truck-load (10 tons) on 500 kilom,, 500 X 4 -5 pf. Dispatch fee . . . . Mk. pf. 22 50 1 20 23 70 = 237 rak. per 10 tons. 8. Special Tariff II Dispatch fee Example : Mk. pf. 1 truck-load (10 tons) on 500 kilom., 500 X 3-5 pf. .. .. .. 17 50 Dispatch fee . . . . . . 1 20 = 187 mk. per 10 tons. 9. Special Tariff III Dispatch fee 18 70 Example : 1 tiuck-load (10 tons), 500 x 2*2 pf. Dispatch fee . . = 122 mk. per 10 tons. Mk. pf. 11 00 1 20 12 20 4 "5 pf. per ton-kilom. 1 mk. 20 pf. 3' 5 pf. per ton-kilom. 1 mk. 20 pf. 2-2 pf. per ton-kilom. 1 mk. 20 pf. These rates are in force since 1892. (Rescript of the Minister, dated 5th March, 1892.) '2i These special tariffs, however, are invariable for the same goods throughout the State lines, and are to be distinguisiied from the "ausnahme " or preferential tariffs, which arc applicable to particular goods under particular circumstances^ and on particidnr lines. Preferential Rates. The exceptional or preferential tariff's fall under several heads, of which the principal are as follows: — 1. Exceptional or preferential tariffs, the object of which is to enable German goods to compete with foreign goorls in German v and abroad. Silesian Coal. — In order to enable coal from Silesia to compete in the North Sea and beyond with Rnijlish coal, the Tariff' from the pits to Stettin and Swinemiinde is reduced to 1-34 pfennige per ton per kilom. + C pfennige per 100 Kilog.,from the ordinary rate of Tariff' 111 of 2-2 pfennin-e + 12. This applied only to goods for export; but at the end of last year and the beginning of this, after careful con- sideration of arguments for and against, it was decided to extend this preferential rate to coal for consumption in Germany; the reason given being that English coal vvas superseding the Silesian in the Iiome market. Weslphidian Coal. — The rates to Bei-lin arc reduced so as to put West[)halian coal on the same footing as Silesian and IJritish coal. If sent to Holstein, Denmark, Lubeck, Mecklenburg, Purgritz, the freight is reduced about 6 marks per 10 tons (unit rate, I-f) + 6) ; if to the harbours on the Elb, Weser, Ems, the reduction is proportionate to the distance; e.g., from AVanne to Hamburg, 1*4 + 6; Bremen, 1"31. + 0; Emdcn, 1-29 + 6, with io pfennige per ton per freight from the pit. Another instance: The so-called Levant trade via Hamburg. An arrange- uient has been made with the Hamburg steam-ship line, " Levant line," for direct carriage of goods at cheap rates from all stations on the State lines to Alexandria, Piraeus, Syra, Smyrna, Salonika, Constantinople, Odessa, &c. The reductions are at the following rates: — Iron of special Tariff I, i.e., highly finished goods, from 4-.')* + 12 to 2-0 + 6. Of Tariff H from 3-5 + 12 to 2 to Iv + 6. Sugar from 45 + 12 to 3 to 2-G + t. Special rates are also allowed for piece goods, according to quantity, for glass, porcelain, starch, textiles, paper, spirits, &c. 2. Exce[)tiona] tariffs designed to support German manufactures by the cheap transport of raw material. It has been explained above that the General Tariff' System by the classification ol Tariffs is designed to enable the manufacturer or agriculturalist to obtain his raw material at cheap rates; but in addition to this general provision there are exceptional cases, e.g. : — Iron ore from the sea to the Silesian foundries, if sent in large quantities special treatment is accorded articles of this nature, and correspond (if going in a contrary direction) to the special rates allowed for exported coal. Thus the rate from Stettin to the foundries is 1-34 pfennige, or •0131 mark, for the ton kilom., and |)fennig-e, or -06 mark, for bookinij fee per 100 kilog. The rate of 1-5 + 7 is allowed for iron ore from the harbours to the foundries of Westphalia. The ordinary rate would be from 2-2 + G to 2-6 + 12. 3. Exceptional tariffs desig'ned to support German in competition with foreign ports. In order to enable the German ports to compete with the Erench, special tariffs are given to goods imported to Austria, Italy, and Switzerland through German ports. Similar preferential rates are given (as will be seen in the list subjoined) for goods imported into parts of Germany which can be reached from foreign ports and !)V foreign lines. f. Of a similar nature are the concessions made in order to keep the traffic from passing from the German to the Erench or Austrian lines. Thus the rate for petroleum from the German North Sea harbours to West- * i.e., 4"o [if. or '015 mark per toii-kllom., and 12 |)f'. per 100 kilog. booking eliargo, vviihoiit reference to distance. 25 phalia is reduced from 6 pfennige per ton per kilom. to 2'2 pfennige per ton, with 6 pfennige per 100 kilog. booking^ charge, in order to enable the German lines to compete successfully with the Belgian, Dutch, and French routes. Or again, the rate for flour from Silesian to Bavarian stations is reduced from 4'5 to 0"7 prcniiige per ton to compete vvith the Bohemian lines. Finally, the Tariffs as affected by Ti eaties. — 'For instance, although in the Treaty of 18S4 between Russia and Cermapy, each party reserves its liberty of action as to the tariffs on the State lines (under the condition of equal treatment), yet a special export tariff is in force for German goods exported to Russia, and an import tariff for Russian grain, iiax, wood, petroleum, and sugar, e.g., tlie tariff for sugar is reduced from 4'5 to 34 from Russian stations to Dantzig, and the tariff on iron goods from German to Russian stations is reduced from 3 to 1'75. [1021] E 26 CO W (J Oi o CO CO d o 1=1 o Hi »J 5 Cm O «1 O e3 o P O C5 *^ . fe vz ^ il cS c 2; rri Ph (D fcCc-) -4-J 3 !; C3 §3° -li W t th s o o P o o o ~ bf. g S 'a c c O -r .-. ,-' a> Ci- o H ^ r: C c or. 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For remarks on the general nature of their classes, see Memorandum. The rates are given as follows in pfennige per 100 kilog. : — 1 kilom. 50 kilom. 100 kilom. 200 kilom. 300 kilom. 400 kilom. 500 kilom. 600 kilom. Piece goods — Express .. 22 13S 158 480 700 920 1,140 1,360 Ordinary piece goods 11 69 129 240 350 4fi0 570 680 Special rate 11 54 99 180 260 340 420 500 Truck loads — General rate — A 11 ■18 86 154 221 288 355 422 B 9 42 72 132 192 252 312 372 Special Tariff— A= 9 34 59 112 102 212 262 312 I 8 32 54 102 147 192 237 282 II 8 27 44 82 117 152 187 222 III 8 22 31 56 78 100 122 144 Note. — The Tariff per ton-kilometre is supplemented by dispatching fee, e.g. : — Special Tariff I : Tariff, 4 '5 pf. + 80 pf. dispatching fee, 1 to 10 kilom. ; 90 pf., 10 to 100 kilom.; 120 pf., over 100 kilom. (from Berlin, for first 50 kilom. only, 60 pf). Special Tariff II : 3-5 pf., and dispatching fee as in Class I. Special Tariff 111 : Up to 100 kilom., 2 '6 pf. ; over 100 kilom., 2 "2 pf. -t- 6 ; dispatching fee as above. Prussian State Railways. — Differential Tariffs wanted since 1895. I.— Up to June 5, 1896. New Tariff. No. Article. Lines on which the Tariff holds good. Ton-kilometre and Booking Fee Ordinary Tariff. Remarks. per 100 kilog. Pfennige. Pfennige. 1 Stones Prussian stations to 2-6 + 6 or 3 2-6 + 4 To bring Tariff into uniformity with Tariff Leipzig and 4 ■ 5 on Saxon lines. 2 Slates From Bavarian sta- After first 200 2-6 -1- 4 Already granted for Prussian stations. tions kilom. 1 -4 off aud 4 • 3 Manure From Posen, distance over 50 kilom. 2-0 to 1-0 + 6 2-6 -r 6 For the good of agriculture. 4 Iron machines and their parts — Switzerland and Kat- towitz through to 5 t. (o) Russia (a) 2-7 to 2 -5 5-0 To compete with .Austrian lines. lot (b) (i) 2 1 4-5 5 Agricultural tools and machines German to Galician stations, also Berlin and Gassen toVienna 2-8 + 6 4-5 + 6 To put Austria on same footing as other countries to which said wares are ex- ported. 6 All articles To and from Bremen, Breraerhuven, Gees- temiiuch, and Grohn Vegesaclt For piece goods allowance of -49 mk. per 100 kilog., 3 years New line being opened from Geestemiinch to Cuxliaven. The former differential Tariff on Bremen lines only holds good for articles for export : except in particular case named, which holds good for three 7 Coloured earths (a) . . German to Galician (a) 1'75" 2-6 + 4 Reduction on goods exported to Russia, Manufactured iron. and Russian sta- (A) 1-75 3-5 -f G wire, &c. (4) tions (c) 2-0 4-5 + 6 Machines (c) (d) 2-0 y + 5 6 -h 6 White lead (rf) (e) 2-0 1 3-5 + 6 Millstones (e) (/) 2 -2 1 3-5-1- 6 Majolica (/) (?) 2-7 J 4-5 -h 6 Window glass (ff) 5 ton, as above -1- 20 per cent. Piece goods, + 40 per cent. 30 II.— Up to November 20, 1896. No. Article. Lines on which the Tariff holds good. New Tariff. Old Tariff. Remarks. 1 Coal From Upper Silesia to Dantzig (for use on ships^ 1-34 + 6 2-2 + 12 For tjuaiitities not less than 45 tons. Intri - duced as an experiment to help compe- tition of Silesian with British coal. 2 Facing s:3nes Siegersdort', iii Silesia, to Zurich (through traffic) 1-4S + (i 2 2 -1- G To assist export trade. ^ Files Hammersbech to Bre- men Service reasons. ■i Cement Saar to Switzer- land 1-8 + 6 2-2-1-6 To assist export. ^y Lead German mines to Vienna and March- egg Frankfort to Bavaria. . 2-5 + ti 4-5 -H G Assists German competition with foreign lead imported via Flume and Trlest. 6 Rosin 6 1 + 4 +0 Service reasons. 7 Muriatic acid From Saaran and Silesian stations 2-2 + 12 3-5 + 12 Competition with Austrian manufactures at Pi'trowitz and Hruschan. H Raw jute .. Hamburg, Marburg, Stettin to Herby for export to Russia 2-2 + 12 :', -5 H- 12 To increase the already considerable traffic overland from German ports to Russia of articles imported from over seas. Part II. Report by Mr. Mulvany, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Diisseldorf, on Preferential Railway Freights in Germany in connection with the Coal, Iron, and Steel Export Trade from Westj)halia and the Rhenisli Provinces. Abstract op Contents. Origin and workinii; of reduced freiglits contract system State raihvavs and advantage of low freights Extension of jireferential rates throui;houi Germany .. Principles under which puicliase of railway by the State was. advocated. . Possibililies of e.xporting coal to Loudoti E.xportation aud freiiihts Comparison of preferential with general rates Bonus on export trade traffic Ee Tabular Statement of preferential rates . . Effects of English railway amalgamation General rate.-* over long disiances of no importance . . Coal exports and preferential rates Comparison of English and Westphalian coal delivered at Hamburg Production of coal of Rhenish Westi)halia, and syndicate control . . . . . . . , German Empire third in the world as a coal-producing country Vice-Consul Niessen's Report on goods traffic . . . . . . . . ' Worliin;;' profits of State lines in Germany . . Grounds on which purchase of railway by the State was carried Freights on coal collected to iluhrort Harbours. Practical examples Preferential rates and normal basis thereof from Rhenish Westphalia to German, Dutch, and Belgian seaports 1. Coal and coke. . 2. Iron and steel wares .. .. .. .. .. ,. I'age 30 31 31 31 31 31 32 32 32 32 33 33 34 34 34 35 35 36 36 .'57 37 39 lleduced railway rates for coal over long distances — especially in competition witii Kngland — in Holland, Belgium, and France liave been insUluted lor a period of well nigh lortv years : at lirsL, under the so-called contract system, tor lull ti-ain loads, from a given colliery, to, saj, Rolterdani, AuisLerdam, and other ports or places. Later on this system was developed on a larger scale into '•'Dilierential Tariil," Of [jrel'erential rates, the ouLcome ot negotialioiis between my tiither, the 31 late Mr. William T. Mulvany, Ibrmerly Commissioner of Public Works in Ireland, then Chairman ol the Hibernia and Shamrock Coai Companies in West[)halia, and Mr. James S. Forbes, at that time Chairman of tiie Dutch-Rhenish Railvvav Com- pany at Utrecht, now Chairman of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company, and with the Cologne and Jinden Railway Company. To illustrate the working; of the arrani?;ement then entered into, certain collieries — for instance, Hibernia at Gelsenkirchen, Shamrock at Heme — undertook to send a fixed number of trains per week, laden vvith coal and coke, to stations of the Dutch-Rhenish Railway Company in Holland — for instance, Arnheim, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. Later on, reduced freig-hts on the same principle were negotiated with German, Belgian, and French railway conipanies, on the undertaking of the railways to give a certain great reduction in freight, onlv possible on such conditions. The collieries in question took the lead with the pioneer's risks, heavy responsi- bilities, in consideration of which they had, at the commencement, a monopoly; where orders were not forthcoming in time, the coal had to be discharged into colliery depots, from which it was sold in retail by the agents of the collieries, who, in some cases, were also railway agents. Later on, however, when the demand increased, and the railway companies found it to be a paying business, the system was e.xtended to other coal owners and groups of collieries, on the same principle, and, subsequently, still further developed on a broader basis, unfler preferential rates, which had to be fought for step by step. In those days, except, perhaps, in Belgium and France, the railways were chiefly the property of limited liability companies, which, in many cases, were fortunateh in competition with each other, and, in Germany at least, under, in a large measure, the control of a Minister of State; still, they were with great difficulty brought to see how much cheaper it is per mile to run full train loads from point to point over long distances than to work composite trains from station to station. Once, however, they realized tlie immense advantage of the former system over the latter, it became an accepted one, the correctness of which is best known to English railway men, bv whom it was even then, and previous thereto, acknowledged ; they, however, having onlv the interests of their own companies to consider, care not whether the point to point traffic consists of exports or imports, or who suffers so long as the individual company or ring of companies reaps the profits. The continental .State railways, even with all the power of monopoly, recognize the advantage of creating traffic with, for instance, an export trade, which would not be possible except at low freights, hence apparent anomalies. In what the Germans call " Massengiiter," it is quantity that pays. Preferential rates are not now, I believe, confiiaed to any particular railway or section of railways in Germany, where all, with but one or two slight exceptions, are the property of, and worked by, the State, as a source of income to the same. The system, however, is chiefly applied to raw materials and goods of low value in proi)ortion to their bulk, the minimum quantity to which preferential rates are applied being a 10-ton waggon-load, for which, in the case of piece-goods — " Stiickgiiter " — in bales or packages, "Spediteurs" collect, so as to be able to send them off in lots of at least 10 tons to the respective points of destination. The rates in general are so fixed, upon the experience gained in the working cost per train mile over long distances, as to leave a fair profit to the State; possibly, modifications are, in exceptional cases, made where there is a prospect of creating a new, or developing an existing, traffic, where there is a fair prospect of securing a sufficiently remunerative quantity of material or good? for transport; such, at least, are the principles which were advocated by the original promoters of the system, who had not, however, in view that the railways should be managed as a source of income to the State. It will thus be seen that the principles above referred to have, under considera- tion that the State demands a considerable income from its railways, only been adopted in a very modified form. On the foregoing lines a preference is given in reduction of rates from the coal and manufacturing centres to sea ports, but I think we may safely assume that in no case is the State Railway Administration prepared to sacrifice income, not even for the purpose of aiding German coal-owners or merchants in exporting coal to London, a trade in which but few men of business of this side of the water believe, except, perhaps, in such quantities as can be shipped as ballast or return cargo from tiuhrort or Duisburg-on-the-Rhine. 32 If ever such a, trade is opened up to any considerable extent, it will he the result of British trade union organization, with consequent short \vori\ing hours aiui high wages, and of a properly-constructed canal of large dimensions, such as would suffice for seaworthy vessels of special construction of 700 to 1,000 tons burden, passing from the Rhine into the heart of the Westphalian district. There appears, but little prospect of such a waterway being constructed, although it has i)een strongly advocated by influential men during some thirty-five vears. I refer here to that part of the then proposed Rhine-Elbe Canal, from Ruhrort-on-tlie-Rhine to Dortmund, as to which, now no less than four different projects exist; the otlier portion, from Dortmund to the Ems ports, has been for some years in course of construction, and is approaching completion. Low railway rates from Westphalia to Hamburg and Bremen seriouslv affect English export trade to those ports, and their Hinterland up to Berlin. The oversea export trade in coal of Germany is too small, and has too little prospect of development, with the long land transport from Westphalia to Bremen, Hamburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam or Amsterdam, in competition with England, to justify the State railways in further reducing rates, for that special purpose, as were they even to sacrifice all profit in carriage of the coal from that Hinterland to these ports, but little result would ensue. The expansion of trade would not be worth the candle; were even the Dortmund-Ems Canal completed, the coal would suffer too much by the transhipment, discharging out of railway coal trucks into canal boats, and shipping out of the latter into seaworthy ships. As the Canal is of too small dimensions to admit of such vessels trading thereon, it will be obvious that for such export business, it is of little value. The distances within the Westphalian coal district, in which Ruhrort and Duisburg are situated, are too short to admit of the preferential rates system having any appreciable effect, as will be seen in the inclosed No. 1 of the Appendix. From such official material as I have at hand I will work out a Table to illustrate the system as applied to longer distances. I have lately been informed (June 1896) by a coal-owner that the freight from Westphalia to Hamburg is 3.s. Qd. a-ton ; now, assuming this to be correct, to illus- ti*ate the preferential system, the distance from Wanne to Hamburg is 339 kilom., over which the above rate is 1,033 pfennige per ton kilom., whereas for the longest distance in the coal district, from Camen to Ruhrort (l^eing 7.3 kilom.), the freight is 2 marks 80 pfennige per ton, or 3,835 pfennige, as compared to the above 1,033 pfennige j-er ton per kilom.. the rate therefore is three times as much per ton over the shorter distance than over the long. In each case, it is the German ton of 1,000 kilos. By the statement, " there docs not exist such a thing as State-aided service to London for AVestphalian coal," is meant, " in sea barges of about 700 tons,'* in shipment from Ruhrort direct to London. I find that in the case of coal, coke and briquettes, forwarded per rail from the Rhenish Westphalian district to Emden Leer and Papenburg, and possibly to Harburg and Hamburg, provetl to be shipped at such places to other than German oversea ports; as also to the German ports of the Baltic, a sum of 5 marks per 10,000 kilog., or 6d. per ton of 1,000 kilos., in " Ri'ickerstattungswege," is refunded, which does constitute a bonus in promotion of export, with the object in view of developing traffic in the interest of the State railways. The same reduction is granted on shipment at the same places into canal boats, bound direct for places in Holland, situated on the banks of waterways, but no drawback is given on canal- boat cargoes bound for the German Hinterland. What I want to draw attention to is that the creation of goods traffic upon sound principles is bound to increase the income of the State railways, which is the main object the Government of the day seeks to obtain. It would be a departure from all existing principles to reduce railwaj rates for shipments from the Rhine to London, especially such would clash with the local freight of the coal district on the same distance, where the transport of coal requires no development, and where no competition in means of transport or suppiv from without exists. Subsequent tf) writing the foregoing 1 had the freight Tables No. 2 of the Appendix extracted from the then latest "Staats-Eisenbahn-Tarife" in .June 1896 at the Vice-Consulate of ("ologne, where they have now been brought up to date. The rates are certainly low, especially on larger (]uantities in point to point traffic for export purposes, being about half of such, as the chief promoter of reduced 33 freights obtained so many years ago, when under the former prohibitive rates, export to Holland by rail or to Belgium was absolutely impossible, in point of fact, did not exist, in consequence of which the railway trucks of the Outch-Rhenish Railway lay rotting at the stations. As already stated the agitation forty years ago was set in motion for reduction of rates for coal and coke in long distances, to 1 pfennig per centner (1 cwt.) and German mile, or say about ^d. per ton and English mile, and it took a considerable time before that was secured. Strange to say it was tlie English rates of that day which were held up to German railway men, as a model of what could be done by low freights; how does the comparison between the two countries now stand. The healthy competition between Knglish companies being to a great extent a matter of history, the tables are turned, and we are asked to report, on the low freights in Germany, which English manufacturers and merchants look upon as injurious to their interests. Could any better proof be given of the ruinous results to the commerce of the British nation, of railway monopoly in the hands of companies, iliaii the present state of things. After tlie F"ratico-German war, when the attempt was made to try the experi- ment of adopting free trade principles in Germany, ihe railway rates — contrary to such policy — were raised some 20 per cent., but witli such bad results to industry, and to the railways themselves, that they had subsequently, under strong ugita- ti(Mi, to he reduced. The present rates are the results of still further and continued agitations of improvements, and of the experience gained in railway management in this country, and the outcome of commercial necessity, not only to the industry and commerce, but to the very railways. As the limit of quantity, to which the preferential tariff comes into play, is so low as w \0-ton. truck-load, practically speaking, the general rates are, over long distances, of no importance. In iron and steel, and manufactures thereof, tlie comparison given in each case, will be found under (a) and (b) on pages 3, 4, and 5 of No. 2 of the Appendix, the- ordinary being 50 to 100 per cent, higher than the differential rates. The information I mentioned, as having received from a coal owner as to a 3 mark 50 pfennige rate to Hamburg, must, in the face of the lowest published tariff I have heard of, be received witli caution, though doubtless it could be done, and made to pay, on a large contract system, but whether it is actually done, under some private understanding, which is hardly possible, under State raiUvay manage- ment, is quite another question. As regards the coal export trade, I find that the preferential rates are confined chiefly to the coal and manufacturing centres, such as of the Rhenish VVestphaliarv and Silesian provinces and the Saar district in connection with seaports. The contract train system for transport of so-called " Geschlossene Ztige," of at least 200 to 300 tons, from given points in Westphalia, only exists in connection with the Belgian and Dutch ports (see p. 2, No. 1, of the Appendix). On iron. Class 1 and 2, there exist reduced rates from Baden, Elsass, the Palatinate, and the Saar district to Belgian and Dutch ports only, but not on coal. These freights are based on the same principle as is illustrated in the Tabular statement (see Appendix No. 1). A reduction of rates also exists on foreign iron ore imported at Brake, Elsfleth, i!Tordenham, and Wilhelmshaven in transport in return coal trucks to the West- phalian district ; but I am inclined to think that a large portion of the foreign ores far this district are imported at Antwerp and Rotterdam, and sent up by river boats to Ruhrort, &c. The iron ore mining interests of the Rhenish Westphalian provinces have heretofore been completely neglected by the State railways in reduction of freights with ruinous results to that branch of industry. I am informed (June 1896) that the export of coal and coke from Ruhrort and Hochfeld-on-the-Rhine, in English ketches or sailing coasting-boats, has commenced to the Thames. The boats being chartered by a London firm, which exports pitch to the Rhine, a lower freight can be obtained for the imfiort of coal and coke to the Thames, in the form of return cargo in place of ballast, than would otherwise be possible. It will thus be seen that the amount of this trade depends upon the quantity of pitch, and probably China clay, to be exported from England to the Rhine. The present [1021] ^'1 S ^^ 34 contract is said to be for about 20,000 to 30,000 tons, probably for delivL'rv in course of vears, at vviiat exact freic^ht I have not as yet been able to ascertain, ))ossil)lv for such a considerable fjuantitv, os. to 6a-. a-ton. Mf'a2:re and anthracite coal from collieries on the banks of ihe rivers can be delivcrc-d bv Ruhr boats at Rnhrort at lower freights ihan would be possible bv rail, from tlie gas, stt-ain, and coking- collieries of the north anrl north-east portions of the district. The Ruhr, however, is so shallow that it cannot be navigated except by specially constructed light (li-aft barges, seaworthy boats being quite out of the question. 'J'he forego:ng is taken from despatches written by nie in June 1S9G, chiefly in connection with the coal export trade from the Rhine to the Thames, as to which exaaaerated rumours were circulated at that time, when I was asked to o-jve information on t'.ie subject. In 1805 no coal was exported fi-om the Rhine to Knglaiul ; but in 1S96 4,853 tons irom Hochicki, near Ruhrort. so a stari was then made, and the trade continues, but it is oidy a matter of a few thousand tons. I see that fiom Duisburg- on-the-Rhine, in 1895, 3,850 tons, and 1890, 1,100 tons were exported to Russia from Ouisliurg; and in 189() 1,950 tons were exported from llochfeld to Sweden, probal)ly in small coasting-steamers or sailing-vessels as an experiment. The total export of h^iglish coal to Germany was: — In I'-^D-I, .3,891,000 tons; in ]895,"-l,l If.iiOn tons; in L89(;, 4, 511, "00 tons, and is probably still increasing- under the high prices of coal in Germany. The amount of Weslphalian coal sent to and over Hamburg was, in 1895, 1,298,209-5 t(»ns, anfl in 1^90, 1,110,809 tons. The amount of Weslphalian coal sent to Hamburg in 1880 was 338,910 tons, against import frotn England of 1,025,550 tons, in 1896 Westphalia sent 1,410,809 tons, and Englanrl 1,796,776 tons, which goes to pro'v'e that Kngland is losing ground. The total import of English coal into Germany in 1895 was 1,307,482 tons, and that of coke was '2.312 tons. The total export of German coal to Great Britain in that year being only 25,151 tons. The total imports from all countries in 1895 into Germany was, in coal, 5,476,753 tons; in coke, 393,881 tons; lignite coal, 7,637,503 tons; against exports from Germany of respectively, 11,598,757 tons, 2,216,395 tons, and 15,765 tons of above classes of fuel, being grand total imports, 13,508,137 tons, and exports, 13,830,917 tons. Of the export trade, by far and away the greater portion is overland. The production of coal in the Rhenish Westphalian coal district was, in 1894, 40,613,000 tons; in 1895, 41,146,000 tons ; and in 1896, 44,893,000 tons, even under the restriction as regards quantity of the Westphalian Syndicate, which has the entire control of the coal trade of tlie district in its hands. The demand liaving now so greatlv increased, owing to the flourishing state of the iron industry, that restric- tions as to quantity of production, I understand, have been entirely removed, the powers of increase with the considerable number of new winnings coming into exploitation are very great. This district still continues to hold the first rank as regards quantity with the above-mentioned production of 44,893,000 tons, as against that of all Germany with 85,640,000 tons. The Empire of Germany comes third in rank as a coal-producing country in the world, as will be seen by the following quantities : — Greut Britain United States of America Geniiany . . France lieljiium 1 S'M'k Tons. 1 95, 3.T 2,000 17.'5,l30:i.OO() 85,(i4(),0()() 28,870,000 2!,-Jl;5,00O The foreo-oing figures go to show in some measure the great mineral wealth of Germany, especially of the Rhenish Westphalian Provinces, and to prove that the State railways of the Empire have a solid foundation to work on in a trade which is capable of an enormous expansion ; but they have one great difficulty to contend with, and that is the great distance from the centres of production and manufacture to the short German seaboard, or, to be more correct, this is a diUiculty with which the 35 industry oP Germany lias much to conteiul, inasmuch as over the long distances, with the capabilities given of expansion of trade, the railways have a great future before them; on the principle of the ioniser the run of a th-ough going train, the lower the cost of working expenses per mile; still, for the industry itself, even at the lowest possible rates, the sum total of freight is a heavv burden to carry in competi- tion witii the geographically-favoured British cjal-ovvners and manufacturei's. 1 inclose herewith a Report on German railway goods tariff of 3rd instant from Mr. C. A. Niessen, Vice-Consul at Cologne, with some interesting Tables and examples of freights and Sta'e railway tariHs, which, though written subse- quently to the desjiatches will be found in a measure to support the views tiierein contained. The A|)pendix No. 2 to my Report he has brought U|> to date, and the figures he has given in his Report he slates to be taken from the latest official material. The rates wliich now appear tv» our countrymen, froiu tiicit standpoint ;:s com- petitors w ith the Germans, to be too low, are considered by the leading industrial men of this country not low enough to admit of that expansion of trade, of wdiich the mineral resources of the country are capable, and which is desirable in (he interest of the railways ; hence the agitation for further reduction of freigiits continues and will continue. I am surprised in Mr. Niessen's Report to find that a greater progress has not been made in reduction, but am informed that further reductions of some importance are shortly to be expected. Mr. Niessen states, that the rates quoted by lum iiiclude the charge for transport from the collieries and works to the respective railway stations, and such charges vary from 50 pfennige (6f/.) to 2 marks {'2s.), according to the distance of such place of loading lo the railway station, or as to whether the branch line belongs to the railway of their respective Companies; these are waived in the case of the trade to Holland. It will be seen from the tariffs that the State railways do encourage export trade, and the importation on such raw materials from foreign countries as are indispensable, for instance, for the manufacture of certain classes of pig-iron, consequentlv that they support the protective policy of the Government, but always with due regard to profits on railway management as a source of revenue to the State; a policy which, according to the Vice-Consul's Report, does not appear to be a very ruinous one, in view of the fact that, in the business year 1895-96, the State lines yielded a profit of G76 per cent, on invested capital, which, I take it, is con- siderably above the average dividend on railvvays in Great Britain and Ireland during the same period. I do not agree with Mr. Niessen where he says: "These reductions are so considerable that, as only a slight augmentation of the traffic is to be expected, the Prussian State railvvays alone wdl on a general calculation suffer it is said a decrease of 20,000,000 marks (1,000,000/.) per annum." This is the old argument, which has been used by the railway-men to my knowledge in this country for the last forty years. If only a slight "augmenta- tion " of traffic ensues it will prove the amount of reduction to be inadequate to meet the requirements of the case; and even supposing such a decrease of receipts, in that particular branch of traffic to be the result, the railways will be more than recouped in other branches through the greater development of industry, greater demand for other materials, for labour, increased passenger traffic, &c., upon the greater facilities given for increased power of production, whereby also the " steuerkraft," that is the revenue for taxes, would be raised. Let railway-men rather take into consideration, the immense amount of raw material which has to be brought long distances, such, for instance, as from Spain and Norway, into the interior of England and Germany, for the manufacture of, say steel rails, building of steam-ships, men of war, locomotives, railway trucks, the construction of machinery, the manufacture of cutlery, of cloth, linen, calico, and other textile fabrics ; and let them further consider, that in the various stages of manufacture, the wares and goods have to be transported from place to place, from one factory to another, in the interior of the country, and they will see that, in these days of world-wide competition, with great centres of manufacture in foreign countries, industry cannot exist without the lowest possible railway freights, and that high rates are not only ruinous to industry, but, in the long run, to the very railways themselves. It was upon these grounds that the German Government of the day, was induced to purchase the railways, and take the management into its own hands, notwithstanding that much greater power was vested in the respective Minister of State, to control railway rates of private companies, than exists hi England under the Board of Trade. [1021] F 2 36 The original lines upon which this huge undertaking- was advocated at that time, that is, of the railways being managed as the highways of the nation, without regard to profit, or that such as might be obtained should be applied to purely railway purposes, have been, it is contended, lost sight of under the daily increasing requirements of the State for revenue, although a much better account might have been, in fact would have been, rendered, but for this departure from the sound principles laid down in the interest of industry and of the nation ; still, as a Avliole, the results may be considered as fairly satisfactory. Dusseldorff, November 10, 1897. (Signed) T. R. MULVANY. Inclosure No. 1 in Consul Mulvany's Report. Freights to Ruhrort Harbour on the Rliiiie, witliin the Dortmund Coal District, on Coal, Coke, Coke Asiies, Lignite, Lignite Briquettes, and Turf. On a minimum quantity of 10 tons. From Meidrlch to Ruhrort Harbour „ Gelsenkirchcn to liuhrnrt Harbour „ WaniK' to Ivviluort Harbour „ Dortmund to Kuhroit Harbour ,, C'auicn to Ruhioit Harbour Freight in Marks or Shillings anfl Di-oimals per Toil of 1,000 kilosr. 0-70 1-40 1-6(1 2-30 2-70 Per Knglish 'Jon. 714 1 -428 1-632 2-346 2-751 On Di S 3 3 ^ 5fi ft id a; Eh M ;3 d d •r- rt i3 o ti-T 6i: O g'S d •r-l CM -*^ d , (K o3 O ^ ^^' >t^ ci •?; ^i — C/i «« 1 rt d o -4-^ ft « t) (k! 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P S* ^ Jl rn ■"- ^^6 .5 o . .7= -=: ■£ "^ »;5 " (a '5 s *;a^^3i>--— r_— cj«;to^ rt"5^03-33i-crt«3 y S w a o o;j a E-iO hj o CLi ^ S ? £ .5 'tn "OJ - "J - U9 ■^ o o >. s ;;; ts aj f) -1 a 3 3 S ai r T3 -i- & f 53 o -fl M Id O _c ^ rt 3 Ti to o -7?^ :■= c ;* s ;= ,„- ill" a i< C "^ o =« ^ "' n b -^ rt — be C3 - _^ - « CO 3J ■^ t, O fc. •- rQ ^-i ^^ 2 >,_3 -a s 0) C K ^ ^ C Cl. -:^ re — o > CI. . -4- o m a m 1J « p. *ti c « 0; u • — t: v, « £ t. ^ »J 15 • • ■ t. r- c^ rt >>— . 3 caai fe a S : c5 [1021J a 42 ' ' "] In Ivaflic to the German North seaports there are, besides the rates for coal and iron, the following- preferential Tariffs for over-sea exports : — Pig-iron . . Sheet glass , , Spirits of wine . , Lead White lead and sugar Soaj) (ordinary) • . . , (normal basis) Decimals of Shillings per Ton per Kilom. 0-017 0-030 0-045 0-036 0-033 0-038 Hereto (terminal charges) Booking Fee. Mk. pf. 20 20 1 20 20 20 20 Dilsseldorff, June 19, 1896. (Signed) T. R. MULVANY. Brought up to date November 3, 1897. at the Vice-Consulate of Cologne, — T. E. M. Part III. Report by Mr. Niessen, British Vice-Consul at Cologne, on Germcm Rciihvay Goods Tariff's. Abstract or Contents. German railway system , . . , , , Length of the lines .. .. ,, Capital invested ., Dividends, 1895-96 .. Receipts, lb97 German railway Tariff policy . . . . Rates for internal traffic , . Freight rednction on coal, coke, and timber Preferential Tariffs for ore . . Rates for export, . . . . , Coal and coke , , Statistics of export, January 1 to September 30, Iron and steel . . . . , . Statistics of exjioit, Januarj' 1 to September 30, Import rates for Trans-Atlantic ore. . Statistics of iron indui^try . . . , , . Trans- Atlantic through Tarifls Levant Tariff .. ,. .. East Africa Tariff . . . . Statistics of llamhui-g's export to Transvaal . . Distress taiilF for conveyance of manure >. Statistics of Thomas Slag-flour . . , , Rhine shipping . . Number of vessels ,. .. ,, Rates of freight Statistics of German export and import 897 897 Page 43 43 43 43 43 43 43 44 44 45 45 45 45 46 47 47 47 47 48 48 48 48 48 48 49 ■19 43 German Railway Goods Tariffs. Note.—\ kilometre = 0'621 English miles. 1 mnrk (mk.) = 100 pfennigo (pf.) = Is. 1 German ton = 1,000 kilo50 X 1-8 pfennige Dispatch fee , . . . Mk. pf. 1 00 6 30 1 20 8 60 =: Sa. id. According to tlic calculation for long distances the rate would be 400x2 2 pf. =8'80 marks (8.^. did,), dis|)atcli foe not being charged. In this case, therefore, the last-named rate would have to be charged. For exportation there are preferential or exceptional rates, and those for the traffic from the Rhine Province and Westphalia to the German, Dutch, and Belgian sea-ports are given in the Tabular Statement (Inciosure No. 1 in Mr. Mulvanv's Report). ill this Tabular Statement the Ibllowing alterations have been made which are applied, beginning from the 1st April, 1897 : — I. — Coal and Coke. In connection with — (a.) German ports : Only few alterations have taken place, owing to the rates which had been formerly fixed in opposition to the import of English coal being in most cases lov/er than the "rohs^toff" tariff, and for that reason being retained. (b.) Dutch ports : A reduction of only 30 pf. per ton has taken place in connection with Holland for distances up to 350 kilom., as only the dispatch or booking fee has been reduced from 1 mark to 0-70 mark per ton. (c.) Belgian ports : As Belgium has not acceded to the tariff for raw produce, no reduction in carriage whatever has been made in connection with Antwerp. Tariff for 4.5 tons and special trains : The rate of this tariff remains unchanged. The export of coal,* brown coal, &.C., from Germany during the first three quarters of 1897, i.e., t'vom the 1st January to the 30th September, amounted to 105,350,889 doppelcentner = 10,535,089 tons, against 10,154,742 tons compared with the same period of last year. II. — Iron and Steel. (a.) Iron subject to Special Tariff 1 : Iron and steel niachinery and tools; also with other materials in connection therewith (p. 6 of Tabular Statement) can now be forwarded in the direction to the sea-ports at the rates of the exceptional tariff. (b.) Iron subject to Special Tariff II : The following articles (p. 6 of Tabular Statement) have been added to this exceptional tariff: — Wire ropes. Washers for screws. Washers for ship frames. Iron axle-trees for carriages and spiral springs. The export of iron and steel goods from Germany during the first three quarters of 1897 — 1st January to 30th September — amounted to 1,009,115 tons; 147,804 tons less compared with the same period of last year. The basis-rale (" Grnndtaxe ") of the exceptional tariff for trans-Atlantic ore : — * The whole export from Germany to any other country is meant. 46 In the traffic with Gerraan ports is : — From Bremerbaveu „ Hamburg Dispatcli fee . . Mk. pf. 1 4 per ton-kilom. 1 5 „ 70 per ton. In the traffic with Dutch port-rstations : — From 1 to 50 kilom. Above 50 kilom. Mk. ])f. 2 per ton-kilom. 1 8 „ For longer distances not under 2 "2 piVnisigc ]) r ton-kiloin.. ilispatch fee not bein^ charged. The rates of carriage are, for iii-iance :— Bhemeehaven. Local Traffic Kiloni. Tariff for raw Materials. (exceptional Tariff) 1,000 kilog. Transit. INlk. pf. Mk. pf. Mk. pf. In Wcslphalian coal district — Gclsenkirchen 307 7 50 6 80 5 10 Kray 312 7 60 6 90 5 10 Wanne .. .. .. 302 7 30 C 70 5 00 Hamburg. In Westpbalian coal district — Gelsenkircbeu . . Kray Wanne . . 6 10 6 10 6 00 RoXTKHDAM. In Westpbalian coal district — Gelsenkircbeu Kray Wanne Large quantities of ore (principally Spanish) are forwarded via Rotterdam to the Ruhr district almos.t daily by special trains in coal-triu-ks, which would otherwise return empty. The Dutch railways in competition with the waterway allow on an average a rebate of 2 marks per ton on every consignment, so that scarcely more than the truck-rent is left to them. An extract from the statistics of the iron industry of (Jermany for the year 1806, put together by Dr. Rentzsch for liie German Iron and Steel Industri^il Societv, might be of interest here. 6,342,000 tons of pig-iron were produced in Germany in IbiM). If all the hardware and machinery were calculated as pig-iron, the imports would amount to 528,,Q00 tons, tiie exports to 2,]0r»,0(J0 tons, and the lionie consump(ioiij 4,764,000 tons. Germany takes the third place to England ;ind North America in tlielist of iron- producing countries of the world. 47 Dr. Rentzsch calculates for 1896 per head of the population- Home Pig-iron Production. Coi isumption of Iron. Kilog. Kilog. Germany 121-5 91-3 Great Britain 220-3 116-4 France 60-6 55-7 Austria 24-4 29-1 Belgium 143-5 79-1 Russia 10-7 18-9 United States of North America . . 121-5 118-3 Trans-Atlantic through Tariffs. One of the many different reasons for the continual and great extension of the German trade, and one of considerable importance, is that the Germans in most cases sell their goods to foreign customers, delivered free of all charges. The shippers are supported in tlieir endeavours by the railway authorities, who issue good and, above all, fixed tariffs giving all charges (duty, of course, excluded) from the place of departure to the place of destination. Instances of these tariffs are the two following, which are very important for the German export trade : — (A.)~The Levant Tariff. From Germany via Hamburg to the Levant ports. A copy of the tariff in German and French, with Appendix, in force from the 1st October, 1897, is transmitted herewith.* (B.l— The German East African Tariff. From German stations vici Hamburg to F.ast African ports and Johannesburg and Pretoria (via Delagoa Bay). A copy of which tariff, in German only, with three Appendices, the last in force from the 15th October, 1897, is also transmitted.* The rates quoted in this tariff contain — 1. The rate of carriage from place of departure to Hamburg. 2. The fee for unloading the consignments at Hamburg. 3. Forwarding charges at Hamburg — Making out of the bills of lading. Warehousing till departure of the steamer. 4. The freight from Hamburg to the place or port of destination. The East African tariff contains also (except in a few cases) even the landing- charges at the port of destination, and also fixed rates for the forwarding on from Delagoa Bay to Pretoria and Johannesburg. The tariffs also contain fixed premiums at which the goods can be insured from place of departure to place of destination. The printed official tariffs can be obtained by every one, and the new issue of the same, as well as any alterations, are published several weeks previously in the " Deutsche Reichsanzeiger nnd Koniglich Preussischer Staatsanzeiger," and " Zeitung des Vcreins Deutscher Eisenbalin-Verwaltungen." By this means every merchant and manufacturer is enabled to calculate the expenses exactly beforehand, and the same rates are at the disposal of all, i.e., no exceptions are made in flavour of any individual exporter. To show how these tariffs are applied, I beg to give the following three examples : — 1. According to the Levant Tariff for example: Parts of railway-carriages or locomotive engines, as well as parts of bridges (Tariff, class 3, "Iron and Steel") would cost — From Dusseldorf to Alexandria or Odessa (p. .58)— 5,000 kilog. (5 tons), at 2 mk. 20 pf. per 100 kilog. , . 10,000 kilog. (10 tons), at 2 mk. 13 pf. per 100 kilog. Marks. 110 = 213 f t. 5 10 10 13 Deposited in the Library of the Hous3 of Commons. 48 2. AccorJino' to the East African TiuifV for example : Cyanide of potassium (Tariff, class 10, p. 18 of the Tariff) — Fi'om Aix-la-C'liapelle to Johannesburg-, vld Delagoa Bay — Marks. £ s. d. (a.) 10,000 kilog. (10 tons), at 7 mk. 7! jjf. pel- lOOkilog., fiom Hamburg to Delagoa Bay (pp. 64, 65) .. .. 774 = 38 14 (5.) 10,000 kilog. (10 tons), Delagoa Bay to Johannesburg (p. 94, Tariff, Class II), at 14 marks per 100 kilog. (p. 18 of Tariff, p. 3 of Appendix I) .. .. .. 1,400 70 Total ., .. .. .. .. 2,174 108 14 3. From Suhl to Johanuesburg- {p. 50), 5,000 kilog. muskets (Tariff, class 3) — Marks. £ s. d. (a.) From Suhl to Delagoa Bay, at I mk. 66 pf. per 100 kilog... 228 == 11 8 lb.) Delagoa Ray to .Johuuuesburg{p. 94, TariH', Class III, p. 20), at 16 mk. 30 pf. per 100 kilog. .. .. ..815 40 15 Total .. .. .. .. .. 1,04:3 52 3 To illustrate the importance of the German export trade to the Transvaal, vid, Hamburg, the following figures may be given : — The exports rose to 7,090,000 marks (= 354,500/.) in the year 1896, as compared with 440,000 marks (= 22,OO0Z.) in the year 1892, and 5,000,000 marks (=280,000L) in the year 1895. The principal articles exported were muskets to the value of 1,600,000 marks (= 80,000/.) ; ammunition to the value uf 1,290,000 marks (= 61',500/.); cyanide of potassium to the value of 1,000,000 murks (= 50,000/.); and machinery to the value of 480,000 marks (= 21,000/.). Distress Tariff for the conveyance of Manure. Tlie activity of the German railways in meeting the requirements of the country by their tariff policy is fnither illustrated by the Distress Tariff for the conveyance of manures wliich came into force on the 15th June, 1896, on wliich I reported on the 26th August, 1896 (Inclosure No. 1). This tariff has, moreover, been prolonged till the 30th April, 1902, and the raw materials for the preparation of artificial manure have now also been included therein. A ininted copy of the tariff at present in force, in German only, is also added hereto.* Supplementary to the statistics of Tliouias Slag-dour, contained in my last year's Report, the following statistics of the incroase in the consumption of this manure in German}' n:ay Ijl- given here. According to the reports before me, the consumption of Thomas Slag-flour has been very large in all parts of tiie country this year, and considerably exceeded the production. German Thomas Works produced 52,890 double waggons {i.e., 10 tons) (= 528,900 tons) during the first nine months, and during the same space of time 56,102 double waggons {— 561,020 tons) were dispatched fiom the works, so that 3,212 double waggons (= 32,120 tons) had to be taken from the ])revious year's remaining stock in order to cover the requirements. The different works couUl only with difficulty meet the increased demands, and all the works are still fully employed in the execution of their orders. Hhine Shippi)ig. In the Rhine and Wi- t])halian industrial districts, in addition to the railways, tiie Rhine shi^jping is oi' the utmost inijiortance for tiie forwarding of goods. The Rhine Navigation Register contained for 1896 7,045 sailing-ships, and 844 steamers, as compared with 7,091 sailin<;-s]iips, and 754 steamers in the year 1894. Tile number of sailing-slups and craft nnionnted altogether to 7,t)45, with a tonnage of 3i),623,278 centner (= l,981,]()r) tons). Among these tliere were : — 2,6fJ5 (jcrman vessels, with 948,489 tons tonnage. 4,029 Dutch vessels, with 821,004 tens tonnage. 885 Belgian vessels, with I39,25(i tons tonnage. Germany owned 44S stean.crs, including tug-steamers on the Rhine, of 27,471 horse-power. * Deposited in tiie Librnry of tlic House of Conmious. 49 Holland, 318 steamers, of 10,48G liorse-j-.ower. Belgium, 78 steamers, of 2,43G liorse-power. The tonnage of the (jerman steamers and tug-boats was, moreover, 22,656 tons; that of the Dutch steamers, I5,314i tons; that of the Belgian steamers, 2,315 tons. The rates of freight fluctuate continually, and dej)end on the working conditions, the depth of water in the river, and the demand for ship room. At present (October 1897) the freights on cargoes of coal (whole cargoes) from the Ruhr district, Ruhvort, and Duisburg to Mayence and Mannheim, on the Upper Rhine, are, for iron craft, 4*25 marks per cart load of 1,700 kilog. (I ton 14 cwts.); to Frankfort, including towage and lighterage, 4-50 marks. For medium-sized cargoes to Rotterdam 225 guilders to 2'35 guilders is paid ; to Amsterdam, 280 guilders to 2-90 guilders ; to Antwerp, 3 guilders to 3-15 guilders ; lo Brussels, 3*20 guilders. All these rates per cart load of 1 ton 11 cwts. The freight on iron ore cargoes (whole cargoes) from Rotterdam to the ports on the Ruhr is 1'50 guilder to 1-75 guilder per last of 2,000 kilog. (2 tons). (Signed) C. A. NIESSEN, British Vice'Consul. Cologne, November 3, 1897. Inclosure in Vice- Consul Niessen's Report. Report {of August 25, 1896, by Mr. Niessen, British Vice-Consul at Cologne) on the Distress Tariff for the Conveyance of Manure on German Railways, valid from June 15, 1896, to May i, 1897, and subsequently extended to April 30, 1902. Abstract of Contents. Intioduelion of a Distress Tariff Ordinary TaiitTs . , Classification of manures . . Kates for Group I „ II „ in IV „ ,, 1 V • • • • Conditions of conveyance at reduced rates Further efforts to reduce rates Statistics Page 49 49 49 50 50 50 51 51 Distress Tariff for the Carriage of Manures, valid from June 15, 1896, to May 1, 1897. IN view of the agricultural distress in Germany, the majority of the German railways (which, as is well known, are for the greater part State railways) have begun to introduce a so-called " Distress Tariff" for the carriage of manures. This reduced Tariff took force on the 15th June of this year, and for the present is to hold good until the 1st INIay, 1897. In oi'dinary times manures are carried according to four different tariffs, and for this purpose the former are divided into four groups. In the following pages it is explained in detail to which groups the different manures belong, and in what manner the freights are calculated for the articles of the different groups. The manures enumerated under (I) are carried according to the so-called "Special Tariff III." For the articles enumerated under (II) tlicre already exists an exception tariff, the so-called "Raw Material Tariff" In the same manner there is the so-called " Potash TariU'" for the goods con>in;j under Group III. Likewise the "Manure Line Tariff" for Group IV. A special reduction of 20 per cent, is granted for the time mentioned at the beginning of this Report, viz., from the 15th June, 1890, until the 1st May, 1897, for the freights on the articles named according to these Tariffs. [1021] H 50 Group J. To it belong- — Sulphate of ammonia, Chili saltpetre (raw nitrate of soda), saltpetre waste, guano of all kinds, bone dust, superphosphate (acitiificd [)hosphoric lime), waste lye from the manufacture of r.ugar, ashes, blood manure, blood meal, residues from the manufacture of yellow prussiate of potash, manure-fish, powder for strewing on stable manure (a mixture of superphosphate kainite, and plaster of Paris), fluid phosphoric acid, in l)arrels, &c. According to the above-mentioned "Special Tariff ill," the freight for the ton- kilom. for distances above 100 kilom. is 2'2 pfennige, besides a dispatch fee (booking- fee) of 1 mk, 20 pf. for every ton. Example for a distance of 500 kilom. (310f English miles) : — Mk. pf. 500 kiloiu. X 2 -2 pfennige .. .. .. .. ..11 00 Dcr ton. Dispatch fee .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 20 " ,, Dining the validity of the Distie.-s Tariff deduct 20 per cent. .. Net ,, .. ,. .. ., 9 70 ,. = 9s. 9cl. The goods must be sent in quantities of at least ten tons in one consign- ment. Group II. To it belong — Phosphorated converter-slag (Thomas slag) and other mineral phosphates, raw or ground, manures (dung and water-closet deposits), wool dust, soft mud, mud from rivers and canals, precipitated mud from the beet juice from sugar manufactories (pressed precipitated mud, precipitated lime, saturation mud), marl, lime slacked in the open air, and lime ashes. According to the aljovc-mentioned " Raw Material Tariff," the freight is calculated as follows : — 2-2 pfennige for the ton-kiloni. for distances up to 350 kilom.; 1-4 |)fennige for the ton-kilom. for each kilom. above 350; dispatch fiee, 70 pfennige t!ie ton. Example for a distance of 500 kilom. (310f English miles) :— 350 kilom. X 2'2 pfennige 150 kilom. x 1 -4 pfennige Dispatch fee. > . . . . . . . . . , During the validity of the Distress Tariff deduct 20 per cent. Net . . . . , . . , . = 8.V. 5,1. In this case at least 10 tons must be dispatched with one iiiil oi lading in one waggon, or the frciglit i.s calciilated at at least the loading capacity of the waggons used, which varies fi-oin 10, 12i, (o 15 tons. Group III. This group embraces — Faw potash sails (Kainite, Carnallile, Kicserite, Krugite, Schonite, Sylvinite), calcined manure salt from precipitated residues of beet juice of from bye prodiiclsof the manufacture of protoxide of potassium salts up to a maximum percentage of 'iO per cent, of pure potash, concentrated potash manure (produced from Carnallite), with a maximum percentage of 40 per cent, pure potash. The ordinary rates of freight of the Potash 'J ariff for these goods are : — 2-2 pferuiigc for the ton-kilom. up to 200 l\ilom.; PS pfennige for the ton-kilom. from 201 to c^A) kilom.; 1 pfennige lor the toii-kilom. above 350 kilom. ; dispatch fe«, 70 pfennige per ton. Mk. pf. 7 70 2 10 70 xr ton. j- 10 50 2 10 )) 8 -10 1? Mk. pf. 4 40 [jt'v ton, 2 70 1} 1 50 70 )5 9 30 )) 1 86 7 44 = 7s. 5 'id. 51 Example for a distance of 500 kilom. (310j English miles): — 200 kilom. X 2"2 pfenuige 150 kilom. X 1 "8 pfenuige ,. .. .. ., 150 kilora. X 1 pfenuige Dispatch fee . . Freight for 500 kilom. . . . , During the term that the Distress Tariff is in force deduct 20 per cent. Net . . These rates are charged when at least 10 tons witli one hill oC lading are carried in one waggon. Group IV. This group embraces — Lime, dolomite, plaster of Paris, chalk, burnt or ground, calcareous earth earthy carbonate of lime, lime powder from shells, and lime refuse. If these articles are applied as manures and are forw-arded with one bill of lading in loads of at least 10 tons in one waggon, the freight rates of the so-called Manure Lime Tariff are applied. These rates are :»>=- 2-6 pfennige for the ton-kilom. for distances up to 50 kilom. ; l*-i pfennige for the ton kilom. for more than 50 kilom., and a dispatch fee of 90 pfennige. Example for a distance of 500 kilom. (310| English miles) : — Mk. pf. 50 kilom. X 2 '6 pfennige .. .. .. .. ..1 30 per ton. 450 kilom. X 1 • 4 pfennige .. .. .. ,, . . 6 30 ,, Dispatch fee . . . , . , . . . . . . . . 90 „ Freight for 500 kilom. . . . . . . 8 50 During the term that the Distress Tariff is in force deduct 20 per cent. . . 1 70 Net .. .. .. .. .. 6 80 „ = 6s. 9ic?. The reduced rate is charged when the goods are forwarded, under the condition that the bill of lading contains the notice " To be applied as manure in the home country." If this notice is not given, the 20 per cent, reduction of rate is granted later on in the way of reimbursement under the conditions that within at least six months after the goods were forwarded, the pi oof that the consignment was used as manure in the hdme country is produced. The following are the Regulations ui connection with proving the application of manure lime and marl, contained in Gioup l! as manure; — 1. When feasible, the intention of applying the consignment as manure is to be stated in the bill of lading. 2. The regular freight is charged, the difference, however, between it and the freight rate of this tariff is refunded subsequently to the consignee, if tlie application as manure of the entire quantity of stuff forwarded — or at least w ifh a deduction of, at the most, 5 per cent, on each consignment — ^is proved. For Chili saltpetre and saltpetre waste in Group 1 the reduction in freight is granted under the following conditions: — 1. In the case of consignments which are addressed to an Agricultural Society, an Agricultural Corporation, or other Agricultural Associations, the reduced freight is charged for the present on the consignment lr)eing made. 2. For all other consignments the reduction in freight is only granted in the way of reimbursement under the following conditions : — The 20 per cent, reduction on the freight is refunded — also in case of freight- paid consignments — only to the consignee, designated in the bill of lading, and a requisition for tliis amount must be sent in by him to the Railway Management at the terminal station, together wich the original bill of lading, and a proof that the stuff consigned has been used for manuring purposes. These papers must be sent in within at least six months after date of consiojnment. As proof that the consignment has been used as manure the railway manage- ment accepts — [1021] H 2 52 {(I.) For consignments to fanners, the certificate either of the public authorities, or of the Mayor, or of tlie Board of an Agricultural Society, an Agricultural Corporation, or other Agricultural Association, to the effect that the manure has been aj)pliecl, or will be applied, for agricultural purposes. {b.) For consignments to dealers, artificial manure and chemical works, a state- ment by them according to the following model : — The undersigned (trading, artificial manure, chemical works) hereby declare, as in duty bound, that the consiguiuent of Chili saltpetre (saltpetre waste), specified in the annexed bill of lading, and forwarded to them on the , from station , will be entirely used for liome consumption (this comprises the " Vereinszoll " district) as manure. Mixed loads of manure, consisting only in part of Chili saltpetre, are subjected to the same conditions. For the potash salts, mentioned under Group III, the proof of their being used as manure in the home country must be produced, if use is made of the Distress Tariff. This proof is considered satisfactory if— ■ («.) The potash works state in the bill of lading that the goods are to be used for home consumption as manure, or (b.) The consignments are addressed to an Agricultural Society, an Agricultural Corporation, or other Agricultural Associations, otherwise the reductixjn on the freight for potash salts will only be granted in the way of reimbursement under the conditions laid down for Chili saltpetre. For half-loads of the above-mentioned manures of at least .5 tons to the waggon the freight rates of the Special Tariff II are reduced by 20 per cent, under similar conditions. The rates of Special Tariff II for distances above 100 kilom. are : — 5'5 pfennige |)er ton-kilom., and a dispatch fee of 1 mk. 20 pf. for every ton. In case of manures of the above-mentioned kind forming a waggon load together with goods of the Special Tariff III, the freight for the total weight is calculated according to Special Tariff III, for half-loads according to Special Tariff II, and that part of the freight of the Special Tariff II or III, which is to he charged for the weight of tlie manures belonging to the Distress Tariff, is diminished by 20 per cent. Quite recently the United Thomas Works in Cologne, in connection with the Confederation of Agriculturists, have caused the Prussian Railway Councils to pass Resolutions, according to which the clieaper reduced "Potash Tariff" for Group III shall be applied for Thomas slag-flour (vide Group II) instead of the reduced " Raw Material Tariff." This causes the eastern provinces to expect a reduction in price of this manure, and the farmers of the west have also assented, in the interest of the majority of their colleagues, although they run the risk of seeing the prices rise, after the vvestern market has been relieved, by the reduction in the freights. In order to minimize this danger, they gave their consent under a certain condition. The Resolution of the Frankfort Railway Council is as follows : — "The District Railway Council of Frankfort-on-Maine recommends the reduction in freight proposed for Thomas slag-flour, provided that it is only granted as long as the present freight privileges and prices, the latter of which are still considered high on the part of the farmers — are maintained by the producers." The Resolutions in Cologne were of a similar nature. It is hoped in agricultural circles that the Prussian Government will respect this proviso, and see that the prices of Tliomas siag-ilour will not again be raised. The stations of this district, chiefly to be taken in account for the manure traffic, forwarded the following quantities in the business year from the 1st April, 1894, to the 31st March, 1895:— Tons. Cologne-Ehrenfdd .. ., .. .. .. .. .. 20,000 Rothc Erdc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,000 Dortmund , . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . 78,000 llocrde .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34,000 Oberhauscn ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51,000 Kulirort .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. -18,000 (Signed) C. A. NIESSEN, British Vice-Oonsul, August 25, 1896. Part IV. Complete Statement of all Preferential Railway Rates of Prussian State Lines, including Levant and East African Traffic, in force on October 30, 1895, and still good in 189? with a feiv subsequent alterations (for which see Supplements in German). (Translated from Official Documents by Mr. W. S. H. Gastrell, Commercial Attache to Her Majesty's Embassy, Berlin.) Abstract op Contents. No. 1. Coals, coke, and ''briquettes" (and sometimes lignite) .. ,, 2. Lignite, &c.. . 3. Ran- materials, manures, earths, potatoes, and beets 4. Earths and stones . . . . . . . , 5. Cement, gypsum, asphalt, &c. .. 6. Manures, salt, soda, 8;c. . . . . . . . . . . 7. Iron ores . . . . 8. Pig and piece iron . . . . . . . . 9. Iron and steel of Special Tariff I and I[ .. .. .. .. 10. Lead and zinc 1 1 . Grain . . . . . . . . , , 12. Flax, hemp, oakum, tow, and rope yarn ,, 13. Other field, meadow, and garden products ,. .. ., 14. Wood 15. Spirits, alcohol; beer .. .. .. .. .. ., 1 6. Starches 17. Petroleum and naphtha 18. P.ilm oil, oil of palm kernels, of coconut and coco butter 19. Sulpliur ., ., .. 20. Yarn, tissues, twist .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 1 . Glass .. .. ., .. .. .. .. 22. Sugar for exportation to Switzerland . . . . . . . . 23. Hides and skins 24. Preferential seaport rates, besides those mentioned in above 23 (22 classifications) 25. 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R « rt J3 |5« X 1^ bo O H 'E'fc 1< 3 O -^ -a CM s -s a^ •SM U Ditto alTar 4-5 S; S^ a . a a ijj 00 w (N 'S^ CJ bn + 1 + 1 00 CO o '^ o ^ tc-S d J3 . . . • S^ J'. « p « fi , ■ ■ ■ 3 d o-s J3 fi..H- , . . • ^ oj " . . ■ 1^ B3 m a ^^•» bJDja ■4-- O T5 Ml d S o _aii o O a> r3 -^ o 3j d • --S ^ -w o 13 _f2 . w u O OJ S irt s-f - _a o 5 =: H ft- « -a >r T3 « !t! 1 § -^^^1 enera 3s, an Tar ccial D. D. 'J a rS* io T3 £1 f2 Jed £J dU o is SE , 93 ■*"" — 2 c - o fe * "C "I ^ en ^ ^ ^ - Oi rt (^ ft ^ c rt o I, ea t w (U O) - a 60 la CS.2 0) O a J_ a fl fc. O CO ctf O -3 _j, ft B 5? S o o o i -.-^ • *j ai C: o ||g<. 11 - to n3 a 4* rt fe ■fl ■s M 1> ^ 0* fT- CJ XI ■?, S ■c >> cu a "w t.-< ^ tB B s v o -a o •-■5 fe S : 3 s -. = :h £ -- m^ ii e •= u E i « K ^i 2 a, 3 c -o ■= EB5CC! o 77 \ a. s £ O bn c K fl) C ■c fl s o -tj oaa s^ a " g i ^ 3 == e 3 a ° 1 "S -3 an C tons an celai !o-= = s ^•^2^ X a . o t*- 3-. !j- — o fl o ■53 a- y rt "2" S 1 m II, ^4 03 O M 3 •D SrS o-g ■*-• S.2 aid export Slates, slate waggon, tiie goods classiti a. = 3 2 e a* ■" a 3 a H H HH N ^ ^ tC '" !». y2 aj --^-1- 3 t -a •- So > + + S " i 3 O j; *^ I. =■ «= 3 •-C 5 i::. b + 1- "5 '-— r-» ^ b V H O -t^ p o -O ?j 3 U Cfi -^^ > 2:^ S-< « c — - 3.2< i Bi > !=3 1) N 2 3 a ™ c -i: "5 3 o ^ 2 .5 ^ S i cc ° o to "^ c § g. « S to V £ -a o s 3.2 is V en o i « Q) o tn ^ O o S tn i2 O a .a -^ ^ 3 ^ eS ■* a a I oZ o-q S .2 ■a t: i -^ 'ga a 3 o ^ 2 '^ -r a. e5^ am « CO H Si. S'-S- go :3 -a »- ^_^ CD 0) 2^ a — ,-. ^ ■*-^ o .2 o rt o a to O O £ == » OS - {0*0 § -e -S ■ to ^ d'm itf "^ - § D W « O O .O — ^ "O •^ -- « c 1. OJ o * a J3 hr O L- O. ■s.-a -7! b 78 S 5 "^ c 5 — ' 3 § 3 3 CM C. S + o O O C MO o fa ■ O a o (1^ C3 a "Scot « u o n3 *- - *^ M rt £1 X, 79 25. Other Deviations from ordinary Eailway Eates. (In Goods Tariffs of former private lines, &c., and in some international Tariff Agreements.) A. — In Altona District. Through rates for traffic between Hamburg or Altona and German or foreign ports on Baltic : — I. Hambiiry {or Altona) and Flenshurg. For goods through from Hamburg or Altona to Flenshurg for re-forwarding by steamer or sailing-ship from Grerman or foreign ports on Baltic (with direct bill of lading or shownig ultimate destination clearly) the rate is in both directions 1 -36 mk. per 100 kilog. for the whole distance [real rate C^lass A 16-7 pf. + 20]. The quay dues at Altona included in this rate, but Hamburg quay and the Flenshurg harbour railway freigtit rate has to be paid : for bulky goods, 50 per cent, extra. II. Hamburg {or Altona) and Kiel. (A.) Through trafEe, Hamburg or Altona and Kiel (on same conditions as in I), and including harbour railway in Kiel, but excluding Hamburg or Altona quay dues, in both directions — (a.) For single despatch, under 5 tons, '80 mk. per 100 kilog. [6 '6 pf. + 10 real rate]. Bulky goods, 50 per cent. extra. (J.) For quantities of at least 5 tons from one sender to one receiver, in waggon loads, 0'64 mk. per 100 kilog. [5 '5 pf. + 6 real rate]. (B.) For goods forwarded by regular steamers between Kiel and Stettin or Danzig, and between Konigsberg and Copen- hagen, rate, including Kiel harbour railway charge, or Altona and quay dues, and excepting Hamburg quay charges— (a.) For quantities under 5 tons, per 100 kilog., 0'80 mk. [6 '6 pf. + 10]. (b.) For waggon loads of 5 tons and upwards, per 100 kilog., '60 mk. [t*5 pf. + 12]. (Further reduction in certain cases. See German text.) B. — In Stettin District. During suspension of ordinary ship communication between Stettin and Swinemiinde in consequence of ice, certain reduc- tions (see German text). C. — In Teappio via teanshipment places on Rhine and Main. (All under former 2-i categories.) D. — In Teaffic with Danube Disteicts outside GEEiiANr. In order to aid exportation of German products, direct rates to the stations Passau and Regensburg have been instituted. The freight portions of the Prussian State railways, for goods of the ordinai-y classes, are those of the ordinary rates. It is only for iron-ware and shaped iron from Rhine and WestphaUa to Austria-Hungary that the former reduced rates of 2 '8 pf. or 2'2 -h 6 exist also tor the above transhipment places. E. — In Teappio to and peom Lower Counteies on the Danube (Roumania, Servia, Bulgaria, and puethee). («.) North German Trajjjc via Fassau and Segenshurg. The introduction of direct rates to these countries met with opposition from a few railways. Rates, therefore, for export to Passau and Regensburg fixed as follows : — Per ton Charge for Working per kilometre. Expenses, per 100 kilog. Pf. Pf. 1. Piece goods I . . 7-0 -f 10 11 .. 6-0 -1- 10 Class A' 5 + 6 „ B 4-0 + 6 Special Tariff A= 4-0 -1- 6 „ „ I 3-5 + 6 „ II 30 + 6 ,. „ III 2-2 + 6 2. Iron and steel and wares thereof, machines, i'c. (see No. 9, sub-division 12). 3. " Colonialwaaren," groceries, &c., for 5 tons, 4 '5 pf. ; for 10 tons, 3 a pf. ; and no charge for working expenses. 4. Cotton goods and yam (for interweaving) from Rhine and Westphalia — {a.) In quantities under 5 tons, rates of waggon loads -t- 50 per cent, (added). (b.) „ from 5 to 10 tons, 3 '2 pt. -^ 6. 5. Cotton goods and yam of English origin from German seaports — Pf. (o.) In quantities under 5 tons . . . . , . . . . . , . 6-0 + 10 (ft.) „ of 5 tons.. .. ., .. .. .. .. 5 0-1-6 (c.) ,, of 10 tons .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 ■*- 6 (A.) North German Traffic and transhipment for Danube via Vienna. From stations of eastern and middle districts to stations on Danube in Servia, Eoumania, and Bulgaria, where tcamers of the "First Danube Steam-ship Company" touch, there is a Tariff with transhipment in Vienna. Tlie rates aie only for "grande vitesse" and piece-goods and for commodities of all kinds of 5 and 10 tons, and for a scries of special things carrvd as freight and belonging to German exports. On the German side the rates are as follows : — Pf. 1. " Grand vitesse " .. .. .. ., .. .. .. .. 14-0 -(- 20 2. Piece-goods, Class I ., .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7-0-1-10 „ II .. .. .. .. .. ,, .. .. 60 -i- 10 80 3. Gools of all kinds, of 5 and 10 tons 4. Iron and stci'l and wares thereof, machines, &r,-. (see No.[0, sub-division 12). 5. C'em.:nt. 10 tons .. .. .. 6. Sugar of all kinds — (a.) 5 tons (b.) 10 tons 7. Hollow glass ware, jars, and earthenware, litharge, wooden huts — (a.) 5 tons (A.) 10 tons 8. Paper of all kinds and pasteboard — (a.) 6 tons (b.) 10 tons .. .. .. .. .. .. .' 9. EooKng felt, 10 tons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[ 10. Pipes of clay, chnmotte, and chaniotte stone — (a.) 5 tons (i.) 10 tons 11. Wooden pegs and matchwood — (a.) 5 tons .. ., (b.) 10 tons 12. Cotton goods, yarn, and twist, jute tissues, shaggy coverlets, rough and luimilled cloths, linen cloths, armv* cloths and linen, new sacks, rope ware, alcohol, hides, and skins, 5 and 10 tons .. 13. Gree!i vitriol — (a.) 5 tons {h.) 10 tons Pf. ■0 + 1-7 3-5 + fi 3-0 + 6 4-0 + 6 3 + C 4-U + 6 3-5 + 6 3 + 6 4-0 + 6 1-7 + 6 4-0 + 6 2-2 + 12 4-0 + 6 0+6 2+6 (c.) T/ironffh Traffic to SeinJin. For exportation to Servian, Bulgarian, Eoumanian, and Turkisli railway stations, and points of call for ships. For Prussian State railways : — 1. Goods of all kinds, skins, and hides, 5 tons 2. Iron and steel and wares thereof, machines, &c. (see ?s'o, 9. sub-division 12) 3. Green vitriol — 5 (on? .. .. 1 tons . . 4. Cement, clay pipes, chamotte stones and spar, 10 tons 5. Paper, potato, flour and starch — 5 tons 10 tons .. 6. Booting felt, " stein " ditto, tarred pasteboard, rice and flour, 10 tons 7. Hollow glass ware, jars, and earthenware, litharge, wooden huts — 5 tons 10 tons . . 8. Sugar — 5 tons 10 tons . . 9. (o.l Beer, 10 tons (A.) Beer barrels in any quantity (c.) Barrels in beer carts. 1 ton. . 10. Spirits, 10 tons 11. Cotton goods and yarn (for interweaving) — I. In traSjc from Rhine and Westphalia — (a) In quantities under 5 tons, the rate i'or waggon loads, with 50 per cent. addition;d. (b.) In lots of 5 and 10 tons .. .. .. .. ,, II. For other traffic. 5 tons ,. 12. Furniture, &c. — 5 tons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 tons .. 13. (a.) Locomotives, per ton .. .. .. .. (A.) Carriages for passengers and goods, with one or two upper frames (" obergestellen") 7 -O'pf. + 100 per axle, (c.) Goods' trucks, with one or two ("fahrzengen"), 10 '0 pf. + 100 per ax'e. Pf. 4-0 + 6 4-0 + 2-2 + 6 1-7 + 6 4-0 3-5 +- 6 30 + 6 4-0 3-0 + 6 3-5 3-0 + 6 4-0 + 6 .. 4 + 6 2-2 + 6 4-0 + 6 3-2 + 6 4-0 + 6 3-0 2-2 + 6 3 + 50 (f/.) Direct Traffic with Seriu'a, Bulgaria, and Turkey, via Aitstro-Hnngartt- Following rates in force lor German lines : — Pf. 1. Ordinary and reduced " grande viteese" in any quantify .. .. .. .. 14'0 + 20 2. (" Ermassigtes.") Keduced " grande vitesse," 5 tons .. .. .. .. 12'0 + 20 3. Bulky " petite Vitesse " .. .. .. .. .. .. .,10-5 + 15 4. Piece'-goods, Class I .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..7-0 + 10 5. ,. ., ir .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..6-0+10 (e.) Direct Traffic iritk Roumania. Special rates to increase sale of German jiroducts in coiuitries on Lower T)anube in " Verbandtanf " for f German sections : — Per ton-kilom. " Grande Vitesse " Piece-goods, Class 1 Waggon loads, Class A . . There are also s]iecial rales for — 1. Goods of all kinds, linen wares, wine, spirits, skins and hides, pig fat, dead poultry, alcohol, 5 t,t)n8 ., .. .. .. .■ • 2. Cement and wares thereof, Imne.'i, glue maferial (calcined), 10 Ions, 2 "2 pf., also, if und 100 kilom., + n. 3. Glue materials (dried), porcelain, sul])hur, wooden pegs. 10 tons Pf. 14 + 20 "1 7 + 10 1 6 + 10 ,, 4 + G r ^"' 100 kilog. 3+6 2 0+ 6 , Pf. dead poultry. 4 + 6 3-0 J SI 4.0 + 6 3-5 + 6 3-5 + 6 3 + 6 4-0 + 6 4-0 + 6 3 + 6 4. Paper, wool, stareli, and starch flour — Pf. (a.) 5 tou8 (i.) 10 tons 5. Sugar of all kinds — (rt.) 5 tons (S.) 10 tons 6. Raw petroleum and raw benzine of naphtha, nuts, 10 tons .. 7. Jars, clay, and earthenware goods, glass and warea thereof — (a.) 5 tons (i.) 10 tons S. Cotton goods and yarn 'for interweaving) — I. In traffic from Ehine and Westphalia — (a.) In quantities under 5 tons, rate for waggon loads and 50 per cent. additional, (i.) In quantities of 5 and 10 tons .. .. .. .. .. 3 '2 + G II. In traffic from seaport stations — (a.) In quantities under 5 tons ,, ,, .. .. .. 6'0 + 6 (b.) „ of 5 and 10 tons .. .. .. .. ..4-0 + 6 9. Eggs in through traffic, 10 tons . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 '9 + 6 10. (" Colonialwaaren,") Groceries, &c. — (n.) 5 tons, 4 '0 pf. and no charge for working expense?. (h.) 10 tons, 3 -5 pf., ditto, ditto. 11. Bulky goods — («.) In any quantities, li times rate of Piece-goads Tariff, Class I. (6.) OveriOtons.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 + 6 (For coals, iron and steel, beans, herrings, and rice, see under these in body of rates 1 to 24.) (/.) Transit Tariff for North German Goods Tariff to Countries of Lower Danube. For those stations which are not in direct railway communication with Roumanian ones, there is another Special Tariff to the frontier stations of Germany and Austria, Bodenbach, Tetelien, Eger, Halbstadt, Myslowitz, 'uderberg, Oswiecim, and Passau (through traffic), for goods to countries on ].(0W6r Danube and further off : — " Grande vitesse " Piece-goods, Class I „ H Waggon loads, Classes A' and C B and C- Pf. 14 + 20 ►Special Tariff A- 7 + 10 „ I fi + 10 „ n + K „ HI 4 + (i Pf. 4 -H 6 3-5 + 6 3-1-6 2-2 + 6 Special rates exist for — 1. Sugar — 5 tons 10 tons . . 2. Coffee, groceries, &e. (" Colonialwaaren ") — ■5 tons . , . . . . . . 10 tons . . Both without any charge for working expenses. 3-5 + 6 3-0 + 6 4-5 3-5 (For lignite, iron and steel, salted lierrings, and rice, see under these in body of rates 1 to 24.) F. — In Traffic with Russia (except Poland). (a.) German and Unssian '* Verband" Traffic. The introduction of new Group Tariffs in inland Russian traffic made it necessary to change the direct Russo-German " Verhand" rates. This new Tariff came into force on January 1, 1895, and contains, for the exportation of German products to Russia, the same classes of goods on the German side as hitherto : — 1. General Piece-goods Class. 2. General Wagg'in-loads Class A (5 tons) and B (10 tons). 3. Special Tariffs I, II, and III. 4. Special Preferential Tariff I, with three divisions (categories). The Special Tariffs I to III and the three divisions of the Preferential Tariff' I have each again three sub-divisions, for quantities under 5 tons, of 5 tons, and of 10 tons. The proportions for German sections are as follows : — Export Tariff to Hiissia. Class B, 10 tons. Class A, 5 tons. Piece-goods. Special Tariff I. ., n. ,, II. ., III. „ III. „ III. (1.) For Northern Russia {North of Moskan and Sre.H), 1. Zone Hanover and west of it, 1,016 kilom. and more .. .. 2. Zone east of Hanover to Lnndsberg a W., 1,015 to 613 kilom. 3. Zone east of Landsberg a. W., under 613 kilom. ., As Class B and 20 per cent, additional . , . . . . As Class B and 50 per cent, additional 10 tons, as Class B j 5 tons, as Class A \ under 5 tons, as piece-goods. 10 tons, as Class B in so far as the unit of 3 '8 pf. is not included in Class B ; in this case 3-5 is substituted. •5 tons, as Class A ; under 5 tons, as piece-goods. 10 tons .. .. .. .. .. ., ,. 5 tons Tinder 5 Ions, as piece-goods. Rate in Pfennige per Ton-kilometre. 3-2 3-5 3 *8 4 -56 to 3 -84 5-7 to 4-8 The Preferential Tariff I contains the more important exports of German industries, especially of iron and steel industries, and is based thus ; — I Division (Category), 10 tons .. .. ., .. .. ,. .. II „ „ „ Ill „ „ „ For I to III for sending of 5 tons, the rates for 10 tons + 20 per cent, additional ; 5 tons, as piece-goods. under 2-2 3-5 2-5 2-0 1-75 [1021] M 82 For Fur (2.) For Central and Southern Kusaia. (Line Moskau-Minak-Brest, and South and East of.) Piecfi-i;oods Class, under 5 tons, as Class B + 50 per cent. Class A, 5 tons, as Class B + 20 per cent. .. „ B, 10 tons Special Tariff I, under 5 tons, as 10 ton class + 40 per cent. ,, ,, I, of 5 tons, as 10 ton class + 20 per cent. ,. ,. I, of 10 tons . . ., ,, II. under 3 tons, as 10 ton class + 40 per cent. ,, ,, II, of 5 tons, as 10 ton class + 20 per cent. ., II, of 10 tons .. ,, ,, III, under 5 tons, as 10 ton » liiss + 40 per cent. ,, ,, HI, of 5 tons, as 10 'in c'a'is + 20 per cent. „ Hi, of 10 tons .. Rate in Pfennige per Ton kilometre. 4 8 3 8-i ■i 2 ;i 7S 3 2 2 7 3 C8 2 68 2 2 ■> 45 2 1 1 -- The Preferential Tariff I, for quantities over 10 tons, is arranged on the same hasis as in No. 1 ; and for lots of 5 tons the rates of 10 tons + 29 per cent, additional are charged ; for lots of under 5 tons, rates for 10 tons + 40 per cent, are levied. Besides these, there are other special preferential rates, from German stations to both Russian districts, o: the foregoing Table uow tabulated here : — ■ Other Preferential Sates to Russia. No. Class of Goods, German District in which available. Reduced unit per Ton ptr Kilometre. 1 Manures of the Prefeiential Tariff in force in inland traffic — (a.) Raw potash (a.) From Stassf urt Same as in inland traffic. (h.) " Conrertcr " ,slag .. (6.) From Prussian and Saxon stations 2 Cotton, raw, and residue of cotton, yarn. From ports on Baltic and North 1 -75 pf. and twist Sea 3 Vcliieles — (a.) Passenger and goads carriages, From places where they are built («.) 3 '1 pf "I Per axle and per (c.) 15 pf. i kilom. on own axles (b.) Same, but not on own axles (e.) LocomotiTcs ,and tenders, on own axles ,j , 1- 2 -06 pf, per ton per kilom. (d.) Same, in pieces (e,) Tram cars, on ],)latfornis (e.) 2-45 pf per ton-kUom. (/.). Carriages for electric lines (/.) 10 pf. per piece and per kilom. Instead of charges for working expenses, the German dispatching railways bear a part of the additional Russian fees, svoraging 3 '48 kopek = "07 mk. per 100 kilog. For veliicles, tlie fee for working expenses is, («) for rolling railway stock, 3'(J0 inks., and (h) for street cars, '02 mk. per piece. For the direction from Russia, tlic Tariff for German sections is that of the ordinary classes and Special Tariff of the German Goods I'aviff, Part I, with the ordinary rate.s. In consideration of the additional Russian charge of about 6 pf. per 100 kilog. falling on the German lines, the regular charges for working expenses for "grande vitesse" are reduced bv 27 pf., and in other classes and special rates no cliarge is made. For importation the following rates also in force : Importation from Russia, No. Class of Goods. liristles, guts, skins, hides, lard, tackle, and cordage, cleaned turpentine oil, bladders — («.) 5 Ions (S.) 10 tons .. Rosin and seeds — (a.) 5 tons (h.) 10 tons Kcsidno of jute and india-rublier, rags, and animals' hairs — («,) 5 tons (h.) 10 tons Eggs, yellow andwh; e o" eggs, 10 tons District in which applicable to German side. Reduced Rate per Ton per Kilometre. J To those slations at which these articles are princi- -| pally made use of To North Seaports for exportation 1. (a.) (b.) 3, (,;.) Pf. 2. (a.) (b.) 3-5 5-0 3 4 -J S3 No. Class of Goods. Di-^trict in which applicable to G ennan side. Eeduced Rate per Ton per Kilfciuetre. Pf. 5 Live poultry in -nroggon loads Same as 1 to 3 . . 3-4 6 Man^lrcs , . To Prussian and Saxon stations , . Same as for inland preferential rates. These rates are reckoned, from Kussian dispatch stations to German ones, on Kussian scale : — Per ton 7 New cordage, &c. . . "1 per kilora. 8 Guts and bladders . . g Hides and skins To Danzig, Neufahrwasser, Konigsberg, Pillau, and -j ] llemel Pf. 10 Lard and fats For No. 7 and i) . , G -99—4 -19 11 Turpentine (not purified) „ 8 .. 3-49— 1-93 12 Eosin „ 10 .. 5-24— 4-19 13 Bone charcoal 1 „ 11 and 12 .. 4-19— 3-14 14 Acorns and beech-nuts J „ 13 .. 3-49—1 -68 „ 14 .. 2-79 And Prussian railways get -06 mk. per 100 kilog., or tlie Kussian additional fee. (b.) Siissian " Verhaiid" Trciffic with West Frunsia. For the trafBc between Danzig, Neufahrwasser, and three other towns on the one side, and Kussian stations on the other, Ti4 Mlawa, there is a direct local Tariff on the plan of the " Verband " Tariff of Germany and Russia. (c.) Frefereiitial Rates to HydtJaiTinen, Vrostlcen, Illowo, Mlaiea, Alexandrowo, and Sos/wwice. For the traffic-- 1. From German stations to them for Russian stations north, east, or south of the line Bialjstok-Brest-Kowel ; 2. From Danzig and Neufahrwasser to Mlawa (through) to stations of line Brest-Minsk-Smolensk-Moskau, and east or south of it ; 3. From Memel to Grajewo (for export to Russia) ; there are preferential rates (see No. 25, Division F, above), {d.) Traffic beticeen North Germany and South-West Jiitssia. For traffic with South-western Russia and to and from Eussian-Galician frontier Etations, the following reduced rates are in force on the German sections : — For " grande vitesse " (Eilgut), piece-goods, waggon loads, Classes A', B, C, and C", Special Tariffs A", I, II, and III, same as under No. 25, Division E. Also following Special Tariff : — 1. Goods of Piece-goods Classes I and II — 5 tons . . . . . . . . . . 10 tons . . 2. Collected goods and goods of all kinds to Russia — Under 5 tons . . , . . . . . . , 5 tons 10 tons .. 3. Eggs from Russia, for exportation by sea 4. For following articles in traffic to Russia : — (a.) Wools, beet-seeds, surphur, 5 tons, 10 tons : (i.) Bleaching earth, glass and wai-es thereof, 5 tons, 10 tons (c.) Mineral waters, 5 tons, 10 tons ., (c.) Colouring earths in barrels or boxes, glass and wares thereof (ordinary), porce- lain, Fayence c]ay wares and jars, 5 tons, 10 tons {/.) White of lead, litliarge, white of zinc, mill-stones (put together), lithographic stones, grinding stones (finer kinds), 5 tons, 10 tons (g.) Colouring earths in sacks or loose, earths, 5 tons, 10 tons : (/(.) Cement, grinding stones (not mounted), and raw, &c., 10 tons For export of other articles to Russia, see under each in body of Tariff, Nos. 1 to 24, above. Ff. 5-0 -H 6 4-0 -H () 5-7 to 4-8 -f 4-5 4 -8 to 3-8-1-3 3 -8 to 3 -2 -I- 3 4-0 -r 6 2-7-1- 40* 2-5 - 40* 2-2 -1- 40* 2-0 -)- 40* 1-75 + 36 G. — Teaffic with Italy and South Austria. In traffic with Italy and Austrian coast district (Istria) there exist, besides the already-given (in body of Tariff) preferen- tial rates, the following ones : — No. Class of Goods. Preferential Rate per Ton-kilometre in Pfennige. Ordinary Rale. Pf. 4 5 Remarks. 1 Raw sugar 2-7cts. =2-2-1-6 1 to 4. To increase exports of German pro- duels and of through trade. In traffic trnni stations in Berlin, Stettin, Katto- witz, and Bres'au districts, rale of 1 -89 pt\ only. , 1021] * For traffic with Silcsian stations (wisl of Mallintz), 3 pf. only instead ol 40 pf. ^I 2 81. No. Class of Goods. Mineral water .. Raw tobacco . . Soutliern wines, in barrels or " Bassinwagen " Lees of wine from Italian harbours Sumach Wine stone from — (o.) Italian intermediate stations (S.) Italian stations at ports Provisions in full waggon loads " grande vitesse " to Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Englanil Permanent white Preferential Rate per Ton-kilometre in Pfenuiae. 2-7 cts. = 2-2 + 6 5 tons, 5 cts. = 4'0 10 „ 3 cts. = 2-43 + I. 5 '5 cts. = 4'5 + 6 4 cts. = 3-24 + 6 5 tons, 5 cts. => 4 "0 10 „ 4 cts. = 3-6 V ^ / + 6 («.) 6-0 cts. = 4-9 (A.) 5-0 cts. =4-0 9 cts. to 5 cts. = 7 -29 to 4-0.5 + S 2 -7 cts. + (i Ordinary Rale. Pf. 4-5 6-7 6-0 B (6-0) 3-5 A=(5-0) Special Tariff 1 (4-5) 6-0 6-0 B (Eilgut) 4-5 Remarks. 3. From North Sea ports and Liibeck. From Aachen" and two other stations on Rhine only 4 -9 pf. for lots of 7 tons. 4. Goods for lots of 10 tons. 5. To compete with sea routes. Includes eggs, poultry, Tegetables, po- tatoes, condensed milk, fruit, edible oils, &c. This Tariff has been in force for many years, and serves particularly the through tralBe from Italy to England, Holland, and Belgium, and to Berlin. To com- pete with French railways and sea- routes. There is also a special goods service between Trieste, Fiume, Pola, and Rovigno, on the one side, and the stations of the Eastern Railways district of Germany on the other. The rates approximate to those of the German-Italian " Verband " Tariff. For other special goods, see body of Report, Nos. 1 to 25, above. H. — In Tbafi'io between Trieste, Fidme, and Saxony. For thruugli traffic to the Levant and Eastern Asiatic ports, the Trieste-Saxonian " Verband " Tariff is in force, to which the Prussian frontier stations, Gorlitz and Leipzig, also belong. It is based on the whole scheme of German Tariffs, and contains & number of preferential rates especially for goods for exportation to countries beyond the seas. J. — Teaefic to the Levant via Hamuukg. In combination with the German Levant Line Steam-ship Company of Hamburg, a Tariff, known as the Gei-man Levant Ti-affic Tariff, has been established for a direct goods service from stations of the State and other railways to the ports of Alexandria, Piraeus, Syra, Smyrna, Salonika, Dodeagatscb, Constantinople, Burgas, Varna, Galatz, Braila, and Odessa; also to stations of Oriental and Bulgarian railways. The object of these preferential rates was to increase, in competition with other countries, the exportation of similar German products to the Levant by means of a direct service i'rom German places of manu- facture and dispatch to the point of destination beyonil the seas, and on the basis of reduced freight charges for the direct forwarding. Besides the reduced sea freights of the German Levant Steam-ship Company and of the Oriental and Bulgarian railways, the ]ireferential rates for the Prussian railways are as follows. The further the distance of place of dispatch is from Hamburg, the lower is the unit rate charged : — Per Ton Charge for Description of Article. per Kilometre Working Expenses in Pfenuigc. per 100 kilog. Pf. 1. For iron of Special Tariff I, also sheet-lead and zinc in plates . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 to 2-0 fi -• For iron of Special Tariff II, raw lead, zinc, manganese ore, spath, sand for glass-making, infusorial earth, clay. alum, porcelain earth, stones, green vitriol, &c. 2 U to 1 -7 U 3. Cement 2-0 to 1-5 (> 4. For glass, porcelain, starch, tissues, yarn, paper and card- board, soda, jars, earthenware, white of lead, lead sugar. red lead, -white of zinc, pitch, spirits, mineral water, &c. 3-0 to 2-6 (i 5. Sugar 3-0 to 2-4 i; (J. Rock and kitchen salt, " Kalirohsalz," on dispatch of 50 tons 1 -6 ti 7. Wooden pegs 2-8 to 2-2 i; 8. For dispatch of above goods, Nos. 1 to 7, in quantities of 5 tons, rate 10 per cent, added to rates for 10 tons. 9. For piece-goods, special rates to suit circumstances : — (a.) For quantities under 1 ton, 5-5 pf. to 4-5 pf. + 10 per 100 kilog. (b.) For at least 1 ton, 4 -5 pf. to 3 -5 pf. + 10. (c.) For metals and wares thereof, agricultural and other machines, under 5 tons, 10 per cent, addctl to 10 ton rates. 10. " Collected" goods, 10 tons, 3 '4 pf. to 3'Opf. r G ; .j tons, 10 per cent, added to 10 ton rates. 85 K.— Ix Traffic via Hambubo to G-erman- East Africa. After the pattern of tlie Levant Tariff (see J above), a so-called " East Africa Tariff" (" Deutscher Ost-Afrika Verkehr ") was organized on April 1, 1895, in co-operation with the German East African Steam-ship Line; and a special through pre- ferential Tariif was started for goods from the stations of the Prussian and other Germnu State and private railways to the ports of Tanga, Pangani, Saadani, Bagamoj'o, Dar-es-Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilwa, Lindi, Mikindaui, Ibo, Mozanibicjue, (Juilimane, Chiude, Beira, Delagoa Bay (Lourenfo Marques), and Dui'ban (Port iS'stal) ; and also to the stations of the South African Railway from Johannesburg to Pretoria via, Delagoa Bay. The Preferential Tariff rates of the Levant traffic is, with very few small exceptions, also in force for this direct serv ice to East African ports, &c. The German East African Steam-ship Company have co-operated by granting specially low sea freights. Note. — There are four subsequent Tables of alterations of modification made from October ;30, 1895, to May 10, 1897, which can be seen in orig-inal ;it the Foreign Office, and are not translated here. No. 10. Viscount Gough to the Marquess of Salisbury. — (Received December 28.) My Lord, Berlin, December 25, 1897. I HAVE the bonour to forward to your Lordship herewith a Memorandum which [ have received from Mr. Barriss Gastrell, Commercial Attache to this Embassy, relatin;;- to further reductions of preferential railway rates on iron ores, Silesian coals, and on grain to East and West Prussian ports. I have, &c. (Signed) GOUGH. Inclosure in No. 10, Memorandum on furtlier Redactions of Preferential Railwaij Rates. THE newspapers, during- the last ten days, have announced several further reductions of preferential railway rates : — - 1. On iron ores. 2. On Silesian coals. 3. On grain to East and West Prussian ports. The " Borsen Courier " gives the following information on this subject. As i-egards the reductions on iron ores for long distances, it appears that the present concessions were unsuccessfully tried for a year ago. The " North-western Group of the Society of German Iron and Steel Industrialists " founded their petition for such a change on the folh:)wing groimds, that — («.) Since the expiration of the patent of the basic iron process ("Thomas patent"), the production of basic iron was steadily increasing in Belgium and France, where the freights on the raw material were far lower than in Germany. (b.) It would be good policy to favour, as might so easily be done by freight reductions, the possibility of substituting local for foreign iron ores containing pho.sphorus. The following rates were then agreed upon : — 1-8 pfennige per ton per kiloni. for 1 to 100 kilom. ; 1-5 pfennige per ton per kilom. for 101 to 200 kilom. ; 1 pfennige per ton per kilom. for every additional kilom : with a booking fee of 70 pfennige per ton. The railway management also undertook to consider other reductions in rates on raw iron and on foundry pig. With regard to Sile.'iian coals, it is reported that further reductions have been oranied by the State in order to counteract Euglisli competition, and will soon be put in operation. What they amount to is not )'et known, but they are expected to give a 86 great impetus to the development of coal traffic from Upper and F/ower Silesia to East and West Prussia, and to (inland) Pomeraina. Finally, the '• Berliner Politische Nachrichten " now announces that the reduction of freights on inland corn to Eastern and Western Prussian ports is now in force, and corresponds to that allowed to Russian wheat on the same railway sections terminating at those places. (Signed) WILLIAM S. H. GASTP.ELL. Berlin, December 23, 1897. No. 11. Sir F. Lnscelles to tht Marquess of Salisbury. — [Received January 17.) My Lord, Berlin, January Vl, 1S98. WITH reference to Viscount Gough's despatch of the 20th November, 1897, forwarding a complete report by Mr. Gastrell on the preferential railway rate system now in force in Germany, I have now the honour lo transmit herewith to your Lordship a further short report by liim on "Subsidies to German Steam-ship Com- panies and on assistance given to Ship-building in Germany." These two reports will, I hope, afford all the data asked for in your Lordship's Circular, Commercial, of the 8th July, 1897. I have. &c. (Signed) FRANK C. LASCELLES. Inclosure in No. 11. Report on Subsidies to German Steam-ship Companies, and on Assistance (jiven to Ship-building in Germa7iy. Abstract oe Contents. Part I. Subsidies to shipping Page 86 Pakt II. Assistauce to ship-buikling and in the fitting-out of vessels in German yards ]';,ge 90 Pakt I. — Subsidies to Shipping. IN April 1884 a Bill submitted to Federal Council proposing to devote an annual sum of 4,000,000 marks (200,000/.) out of Imperial funds for establishing and subsidising a service of mail steam-ships, similar to the Freuch IMessageries Maritinies, between German ports and Australia and Eastern Asia. The grounds on which this liill was founded were the advantages anticipated for German trade, for establishing direct and independent postal communication witii those parts of the world, and the gain to the country generally by an increase of the material for forming an efficient Naval Reserve, and the supply of first-class sea-going steam- ships, which, in case of need, could be utilized by the Government as cruisers in a naval war. This Bill embraced the following lines : — ■ 1. A main line from Hamburg and Bremen to Hong Kong, touching at Eotterdam, Antwerp, l^aples, Port Said, Suez, Aden, Colombo, and Singapore, with a branch line between Hong Kong and Yokohama. 2. A main line from Hamburg to Sydney, touching at Lisbon, Naples, Port Said, Suez, Aden, St. George's Sound, Adelaide, and Melbourne, with a branch line from Sydney to Auckland, the Tonga and Samoa Islands and Brisbane. This Bill failed to pass through the Eeichstag because of the amount of annual subsidy proposed. A new draft Law, approved by the Federal Council, was submitted to the Imperial Parliament in Novemljer 1884. This proposal differed from the original Bill in the increase of subsidy proposed, 5.400,000 marks instead of 4,000,000 marks (270,000/. instead of 200,000?.), and in the addition of a main line of steam-ships from a German port to Zanzibar, touching at Eotterdam or Antwerp, Havre or Cherbourg, Goree, Angra Pequena, Cape Town, Natal, Delagoa Baj', and Mozambique, and a branch line of the main Australian mail line to sail from Trieste or Venice to Alexandria. The Preamble to this new Bill draws attention chiefly to the commercial advantages which the measure will confer, and the additional interests which Germany will have to protect and provide for in the countries with which independent communications are proposed to be established. On the second reading of this Bill in March 1885, the proposed African line (with 50,000/. annually) was rejected, but the other two to East Asia and Australia were adopted ; and the subsidy was fixed at 4,000,000 marks or 200,000/. per annum. The new Bill finally passed at the end of March, and became law on the 6th April, lsS5. It empowered the Imperial Government to organize and subsidize a service of ocean postal steam-ships between Germany and Eastern Asia and Australia, with a branch from Trieste to Alexandria, with a subsidy of 4,400,000 marks (220,000/.) for fifteen years : 1. 1,700,000 marks (85, GOO/.) to East Asia line. 2. 2,300,000 marks (115,000/.) to Australian line. 3. 400,000 marks (20,000/.) to branch Mediterranean line. In proportion to the estimated worth of German exports at that time, it is said that these subsidies amounted to 6 per cent, for Australian line and to 18 per cent, on the Eastern Asiatic one. The Eeichstag vvas not prepared to sanction the more extensive scheme submitted to them by the Chancellor of the Empire, which included lines to the AVest and East Coasts of Africa. This subsidy Contract was then given to the North German Lloyd Company. The Government thus decided to give powerful support to the new colonial and commercial aspirations of Germany. Stipulations were made ia the Bill that the steamers to be placed on the new line should call in either at a Dut^h or Belgian port; this was made an essential condition, as those ports were the natural outlet for the trade of the lihiiie Provinces, Westphalia, Hesse, Baden, and the Alsac-Lorraine Provinces. The principle of subsidizing steamers, in order to obtain a reliable postal service to distant places, had been already long recognized. In the year 1885, the Stale postal authorities were already paying a total of 325,000 marks (16,250/.) to diff'erent steam- ship lines for this purpose. It is stated that no one had contended that the 1885 subsidy of 220,000/. was merely the value of the new postal service ; but it was looked upon as value paid for that service combined with the many and important interests of the German expoit industries, of the requirements of the navy, of a colonial policy, and of the wish to increase German prestige in distant places. The Sloman and Kingsin lines already took cargo to the Eastern Asia, but not to Australia. It was further deemed of considerable importance that the German flag should be displayed over large fast ships in which the goods of the Empire were exported. A supplementary Law of the 27th June, 1887, em]iowered the Imperial Chancellor to alter the directions of the branch line of steam-ships in the Mediterranean, laid down in paragraph 2 of the Law of the 6th April, 1885. On the 21st January, ISOO, a further grant of 900,000 marks (45,000/.) was agreed to for a period of ten years for an East African line from Hamburg to Eotterdam, Lisbon, Naples (for Berlin mails out and home), Port Said, Suez, Aden, Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Delagoa Bay. Tiie former, rejected in 1885, African subsidized line was to have gone 88 to the Ca])e and Zanzibar via tlie West African jjorts. Local German Zanzibar firms had already their own sleam-ships plying between that island and Hamburg; and there already existed French and English mail lines. In 1803 a further supplementary Law of the 20th March empowered the Chancellor, in consecjuence of the abandonment of the branch line by the Lloyd Company in the Mediterranean from Trieste, via Brindisi, to Port Said (with a subsidy of 400,000 marks or 20,000/. yearly), to grant out of Imperial funds the sum of 100,000 marks, or o.OOO/., to the person undertaking the postal service connection.s with East Asia and Africa by a line to a southern European ])ort ; and the branch lino to Samoa was replaced by the branch Singapore-Batavia-New Guinea. This change was made to favour the !Ne\v Guinea Company, which previously had to maintain its own line to Australia. The subsidized lines therefore cover the following ground for the following subsidies (February 1897) : — Marks. £ 1. By tlie ^'ovth German Lloyd Company for a sum of . . .. 4,090,000 = 204,500 2. By the Hamburg East African Company for a sum of . . 900,000 45,000 Both, total .. .. .. ' .. 4.990,000 — 249,500 Under 1 :- — (a.) European line to Asia : Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Southampton, Lisbon, Genoa, Naples (where St. Gothard mails are taken on board), Port Said, Suez, Aden, Colombo. (b.) East Asiatic line : Singapore, Hong Kong, Shangbae, and branch lines to Yokohama, Hiogo, Nagasaki. (c.) Australian line: Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and branch line, formerly to Samoa Islands, now to New Guinea. Under 2 : — East African line : Hamburg, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Naples, Port Said, Suez, Aden, Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Delagoa Bay. In 189(5 a considerable agitation was made in favour of a further subsidy to enable the establishment of a fortnightly service between Germany and China. A Bill was therefore brought before the Reichstag in November 1S!)7, by which a further 75,000/. a-year was to be granted to the German-Lloyd Company on their undertaking such a service. The following is a precis of the preliminary statement to this Bill, giving the grounds for its introduction, which strongl}' urged the im])ortance of at once placing the German mail service to the East on a par with that of l^'rance and Great Britain. Great emph-Msis was also laid on the proposed increase of subsidy as involving great possibilities of commercial progress and of national defence. The law of 1885, which established this service, has had the most satisfactory results. The tratfic on the China and Australian lines (apart from precious metals) amounted in 188^i to 5^,477 tons to the value of 8,725.000/., and in 1S95 to 152,415 tons to the value of 6,970,000/. The weight, therefore, of the merchandize carried has increased by 150 ])er cent., and the value nearly doubled. On the China line the goods carried have increased from 34,000 to 77,000 tons, and on the Austialian line from 24,000 to 75,000 tons. The export of goods of German origin (exclusive of commission trade) from Germany to China increased in ten years from a value of 840,000/. to 1 ,770.000/. To Japan from 225,000/. to 1,300,000/. To Australia from 290,000/. to 1,170,000/. The import trade from China was 47,000/. in 1885, and 924,000/. in 1895; from Japan 10,000/. in 1885, and 389,000/. in 1895; from Australia 454,000/. in 1885, and 5,924,000/. in 1895. Of the total amount of this trade about 40 per cent, was carried in the siiips o( the Imperial Mail Service. A large share in the trade was left to independent lines. The Kingsin line, for instance, with a fleet of thirteen ships, carried 41,000 tons, the Rickmers China line, with seven ships, carried 30,000 tons, and the German Australian line possesses a fleet of eight shijjs of 28,454 tons register. Tlie indirect advantages derived from the subsidy system are as great as the direct. From the institution of this system dates the success of German ship-building; till then all large siiips tor (ierman firms were ordered in l^ngland. Now the ships for the Transatlantic lines are built in German yards. The suius are tiius diverted from foreign to German yards ; it is calculated that the following amounts liave been expended in them on account of the ships sub.sidized by Government. For building, 830,000/. ; for repairs, 470,000/. ; and for extraordinary repairs, 1 44,000/. 89 If to this sum is added the amount of 1,500.000/. for coals, provisions, &c., supplied from Germany, we arrive at the conclusion that while the IsTorth German Lloyd has during- nine and a-half years received the sum of 2,950,000/. by way of subsidy, it has expended nearly 3,000,000/. on products of German industry. The importance of the line being recognized, we are compelled to admit that it labours at a serious disadvantage in comparison witli the French and English lines in having not a fortnightly, but a monthly service. And besides, the foreign ships run at a higher rate of speed. But apart from service reasons, there are important considerations which make it very advisable, at the present moment, that immediate steps should be taken to improve communications with the Par East. The end of the recent war has led to an increased commercial activity ; Russia and France have sent out Commissions of inquiry to inspect the commercial conditions, and Japan has established a line of ships to run from Japan to London. There is, indeed, room for progress, as appears from tlie fact that of 180,000,000 taels worth of goods imported from China, 115,000,000 came from Great Britain, and only 18,0(j0,000 from Germany ; while of 121,000,000 yen worth of goods imported into Japan, Germany sent 8,000,000, and Great Britain -12,000,000. Another consideration is of a national character. It is only natural that the German Colonies in the Far East, who see their nation represented by a squadron of ships of war, should also desire to see the flag worthily represented by the mail ships of Germany, and able in size and speed to compare with their rivals. It need not be added that from the point of view of the Imperial Navy it is of the utmost importance that Germany should follow the example of other nations and provide for the eventual use in time of war of the subzidized ships of the mercantile marine ; this point has not suiiiciently been safe-guarded in the present contracts but the Government will take an early opportunity of remedying- the omission. The North German Lloyd have accordingly agreed, in event of the additional subsidy being granted, to provide a fortnightly service to China ; to send ships direct to Japan ; to fix the speed of their present mail ships at 13 knots and of the ships they may construct in the future at 13^ knots, and to meet the requirements of the Admiralty as to construction of ships and their crews. The scheme is as follows : Between Bremen and Hong Kong there will be a direct fortnightly service, the ships proceeding alternately to Shanghae and to Japan ; a branch line to proceed monthly to Shanghae so that there will be a fortnightly service to that port also. In return for this increased service the Company is to receive an increased subsidy of 75,000/. a-year and to have its contract prolonged for a term of fifteen years. In order to provide the extra services the Company will build four new ships at an estimated cost of (550,000/. With regard to the Australian line the Government pays what it did before, but the Company undertakes the following additional obligations. The size of the ships to be employed on the line is to be 5,300 register tons (6,000 for new ships) against 3,000 as at present. The speed is to be increased from Mh knots to 12-2 knots, and for new ships IH knots. New ships must fulfil the Admiralty requirements as to construction and to crews. The Bundesrath approved the Bill, granting the 75,000/. yearly subsidy for fifteen years for a fortnightly service to China, on condition of the speed of the steamers being a minimum of 13 knots, between the point in Europe where the mails would be put on board and Shanghae, and at least 12"6 knots between other parts. This Bill, however, was eventually dropped in June 1897, as it was found that there was so much opposition to it from interests, opposed to that of the North German Lloyd Company, that it was impossible to carry it through before the close of that Session of the Reichstag ; but it is understood that it will shortly be reintroduced in some form or another in the present and last Session (December 1897 to April 1898), and many articles are continually appearing- in the newspapers representing the necessity of some such measure. It is probable that this project will now receive much more support from the recent acquisition by Germany of Kiao-chow Bay as a naval station in China, and especially on account of a postal service in connection with a post otfice which, it is reported, is to be established there. [1021] N 90 Pakt [I. — Aasisttnici' to Ship building and in the Fitting out\of l^essels in German Yuida. On the 14th Marcli, 1S89, tlie Bundesrath decreed that the fittings of sea and river ships (which under Xd. 15 (d) of tiie Customs 'I'ariff are allowed to enter free of duty), includino ordinary ships' utensils, were also to remain free of all duty when landed or transferred to other vessels. The list of these articles (Annex E (1) to the ' Regulations for harbours and ports " of the 25th July, 1888) includes general tackle, anchors, chains, rigging, sails, boats and fittings, instruments, pumps, flags, &c., and, in fact, every possible article pertaining to a ship when ready for sea. Later additions have been : — December 29, 1890: Tron pieces for fishing-nets. March 3, 1892: Divers, steam-pumps, telescopes. July 2, 1892 : Nets for sea fishing. May 17, 1893 : Yards for fishing-nets. In GerniMuy assistance has been given to the construction and titting-out of ships by the following Law. Section 5, chapter 10, of the Customs Tariff Law of the 24th May, 1885, states: — '•'Materials destined for the construction, repairs, and outfitting of sea-going vessels, inclusive of the ordinary 'gear,' are admitted duty free. " This gear comprises : — " Eopes and rigging, anchors, chains, sails. " Mates' stores, including flags, compasses, sextants, quadrants, barometers, logs, blue-lights, &'c. " Boatswains' stores, including cannons, muskets, pistols, swords, pumps, handspikes, blocks, and pulleys, " Carpenters' stores, including axes, hammers, nails, hooks, tools, &c. " Boats and their appliances. "Engine-room inventory." The al)ove applies only to manufactured or partially manufactured articles imported from foreign countries, and is not the case with regard to pig-iron or any other raw materia], such as unwrought copper, upon which duty is levied. The Regulation of the Customs Tariff Law is limited by the requirement that duty must be paid on any material imported duty free for the construction of a ship which is afterwards not used for the purpose for which it was intended. On the 17th July, 1889, a Law was passed, called the " Regulations for Ship- building (' Schiffsbau Regulativ '), in order to carry out the provisions of section 5, chapter 10, of the Customs Tariff Law," above-mentioned. It came into force on the 1st October of that year (1889). Its chief provisions were briefly as follows : — (A.) General Regulations : — 1 . By sea-going vessels are meant all those with a fixed covered deck suitable for sea purposes. 2. A.11 the list of articles in the Annex E (1) to the "Regulations for harbours and ports" of the 2oth July, 1888 (see above) were included. Another list of articles (Annex E (2) to the same Regulations, &c.) which are attached to the ship by nails or rivets was included, as also the materials for making such " fixtures." For ships of the German navy, all those things belonging to artillery and armament purposes are to be treated as ordinary " ships' gear." As regards men-of-war building in the country for foreign nations, the highest financial autiiorities of the Empire have full power to allow or disallow such privileges, as they may deem fit, in every case occurring. 3. Those articles for building or outfitting purposes, introduced ready or in a pre])aratory stage from abroad, as well as the material imported for making such things in the country, are all to be freed from duty when due notice of their destination is made in accordance with the accompanying Regulations. CB.) Special Regulations as to the metal and non-metal materials exempt from duties and conditions attached. (C.) Method of claiming exemption from the duties. Annex, lists of articles, &c. (Note. — For these, see copy of tiie " Regulations of Ship-building of 1839," trans- mitted herewith to Commercinl hepartment of the Foreign Office. — -W.S.H.G.) 91 To the provisions of the Regulations for Ship-building (" Scliiffsbau-Regulativ ") of I' c]17th July, 1889, were later added— May 22, 1890: Rough-cut wooden veneers. March 3, 1892 : Fish-nets, linoleum. July 1, 1894: Steel tubes (rough tubes of forge steel), and rough unpolished pipes of copper, lead pipes for conducting steam to cabins. Febiuary 21, 1895: Asbestos packing. October" 14, 1890 : Naphtlia motors. January 14, 1897 : Ice-bnnker frames, rings, and covers. July 3, 1897 : Iron lea-boards for ships. Assistance to ship-building has also been given in one other form, and that is by preferential rates on certain German materials for the construction of vessels (see my Report, 1898, on preferential railway rates in Germany, under Iron, iS'o. 9, 2 {a). Iron and Steel of Special Tariff II). In the rates in force in October 1895, a preference rate of 1"7 pf. plus 12 pf. booking fee per ton. per kilom. was granted in lieu of the ordinary rate of 4'5 pf. to 3"5 plus 12 pf. In the remark column there, it is stated that the object is "to help the German iron industry and ship-building;" and that the same ])reference rate also applied to the following list of articles of Special Tariff II:— Rivets, nails, screws, screw- and rivet-plates, nuts, wire, files, ships' chains, frames of ships, anchors ; and all other things contained in Special Tariff 111 used in ship- building. There has quite recently been further agitation in Germany to further favour local ship-building, which has every prospect of a successful issue, as wiU be seen from the following account with which I close this Report. On the 2nd December, 1897, an important meeting took place in Berlin, at the invitation of the Management of the Altona portion of the State railways, of the repre- sentatives of the State lines of Altona, Eisen, Hanover, and Stetten districts, of the chief German ship-building yards, and of those steel works producing the chief material for the construction of vessels. The question to be discussed was the reduction of railway freights on the transport of certain materials, besides those already in force, for ship-building purposes, with special reference to the Petition to that effect which had been presented by the Society of German iron and steel industrialists to the Minister of Public Yv'^orks. This request had been formulated because the English manufacturers of materials for ship-building had, to a serious extent, under-sold the German rolling-mills ; and on the ground that the employment of German similar materials in these home- yards should be made possible by the co-operation of the Prussian railways with the said ship-building yards and steel rolling-mills. The special point discussed was, to what extent large orders would be given for iron for the construction of ships, and whether the works could carry them out quicker and more satisfactorily than formerly ; and it is reported that a highly satisfactory result was arrived at on both questions. It was then announced that a union of the German roiling-mills for rough iron plates had been effected in June of this year, which had increased its activity to such an extent that it was prepared to make contracts for large quantities of ship plates in direct opposnion to British comijetition, although this procedure might involve considerable sacrifices. Further, an agreement had been effected between several important rolling-mills as to delivering steel pieces for construction of the ship's framework, &c., and guarantees would also be given by them to the building-yards as to deliveries. On behalf of the shipping-yards it was declared that, in consideration of the above statements, they would now, on their side, take over a small part of the difference in price as against the English one ; and that they were influenced by the conviction that German ship-building could only be sufficiently firmly established by an almost exclusive use of German materials. But from both the side of the builders and of the steel and iron manufacturers the view was expressed that a third factor was necessary to bring about the desired result, and that was a reduction of the railway rates on these materials. The Berlin newspapers express the opinion that the Minister of Public Works cannot but now grant the reductions, and remark that an early decision on this point is very important to national industries. 1021 J , N 92 No. 12. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbuii/. — {Received January 17.) My Lord, Berlin, Janunri/ l'>, ISOS. I HAVE the honour to forward to jour Lordship herewith a Meniorantlum which I have received from Mr. Harriss Gastrell, Commercial Attnche to this Embassy, relating to furtlier preferential rates, granted to the transport of pig-lead in truck-loads, which came into force on the 1st instant. I have, &c. (Signed) ERAXK C. LASCELLES. Inclosure in No. 12. Memorandum on Further Preferential Rates for Pig-Lead. FROM the 1st January, 189S, the railway freig!;ts for ))ig-lead in track-loads have been reduced. Up to the present, this article had been carried at the rates of the Special Tariff I, i.e. — 4'.j pf. per ton-kilom. plus dispatch fee. 1-20 pf. per ton-kilom., when carried for longer distances than 100 kilom. Now it is carried at the rates of the Special Tariff III, i.e. — 3*.5 pf. per ton-kilom., plus the same dispatch fee as mentioned l)efore. The reduction for a truck-load of 10 ions on 200 kilom. is, therefore, 20 marks (1/.^. (Signed) WILLIAM S. H. GASTRELL. Berlin, .Januarij 15, 1898. No. 13. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbunj. — {Received February 7.) Mj-Lord,i^i|^-:J5^S ^TI^S Berlin, February 3, 1898. WITH reference tol mv despatch of the 2.31h December last, I have now the honour to report that it is announced in sevei'al newspapers that the proposed further reductions of the existing railway rates on the local conveyance of materials for ship budding have now been granted bv the Prussian Government on their railways. It is not yet known, however, what the reductions are. They will, undoubtedly, injuriously affect the importations from Great Britain of all such materials. I have, &c. (Signed) FRANK C. LASCELLFS. No. 14. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbun/. — {Received February 5.) My Lord, Berlin. February 3. 1898. I HAVE the honour to forward to your Lordship herewith a Memorandum which I have received from Mr. Harriss Gastrell, Commercial Attache' to this Embassy, relating to the proposed new postal subsidy to the North German Lloyd Company for a fortnightly service to China for a yearly payment of 75, COO/, during a period of fifteen years, which was laid before the Reichstag on the 1st instant. 1 have, &c. (Signed) FRANK C. LASCELLES. 93 Iiiclosure in No. 14. Memorandum on proposed New Postal Subsidy for Fortnigfdli/ Service to China. ON the 1st February the proposed new Subsidy Bill was laid before the Reichstag. Its proposals are as follows : — 1. An extension of the Laws of the Gth April, 1885. of 27th June, 1887, and of 20tli March, 189?'>, in order to establish a fortnii^btly postal service to China for a turtlier grant of 1,500,000 marks (75,000/.) for a period of fifteen years. 2. The averai;e speed on the Chinese-Japanese line must be, at the very least, 13 knots for the older, and 14 knots for the new, steamers to be built between the European ports of call for postal purposes, on the one hand, and the terminal East Asiatic harbours of the main line of steamers on the other ; that on the branch lines is to be a minimum of 12-G knots, 3. The Company that undertakes this service is bound, during the period of the contract, to increase the speed agreed upon (.both on the Chinese-Japanese and Australian main lines) for all the new ships to be built if, on other foreign and competing mam lines an increase is made in the contract speed. The increase in knots per hour to be made to equal that of any other Company is to take place without any special renmneration on the part of the Empire so long as the speed of competing Cooipanies is increased without further subsidies. The amount of the present subsidy to the North German Lloyd is 4,090,000 marks (204,500/.), for which that line maintains the following services : — 1. A main line between Bremen and China (Shanghae) with a direct service every i'our weeks vi;\ Antwerp, Southampton, Genoa, Naples, Port Said, Suez, Aden, Colombo. Singapore, Hong Kong; with connections, also every four weeks, («) irora Hong r<^ong to Japan (Yokohama); (/*) from Singapore, every eight weeks, to German New Guinea. 2. A main line between Bremen and Australia (Sidney), with a direct service every four weeks via the above-mentioned ports as far as Colombo, and then by Freemantle (up to a short time ago by Albany), Adelaide, and Melbourne. The speeds to be maintained are, at present, on the East Asiatic main line, 1.2 knots ; between Naples and Colombo, 12'3 knots; on the Australian main line, 11'5 knots; and between Naples and Colombo, 12'2 knots ; on the Japanese branch line, 11'5 knots ; on the New Guinea line, 9 knots. For the new ships placed on the main lines since the 1st April, 1893, a speed of 13'5 knots was agreed upon between Suez and Shanghae and Suez and Sydney. The proposal is that the steamers of the main line shall from Hong Kong go alternately to Shanghae and to Japan. To connect with the service to the latter a steamer will be put on between Hong Kong and Shanghae ; and the present Japanese branch line will cease to e-xist. By this means a direct fortnightly service with Hong Kong, and a fortnightly connection with Shanghae is effected alternately direct and indirect by transhipment in Hong Kong. A direct fortnightly service thus replaces the pi'esent indirect one. The proposed subsidy is to be given to the German Lloyd Company, if granted, who have, however, come to an agreement with the Hamburg American Company to have the ships of the new fortnightly service start from and to return to Bremen and Hamburg alternately. They have also agreed for the Lloyd Company to manage the service, but the Hamburg American Company will put on this service a number of tlieir new ships. (Signed) WILLIAxM S. H. GaSTRELL. Berlin, February 2, 1898. No. 15. Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received April IS.) My Lord, Berlin, April 16, 1898 WITH reference to my despatch of the 3rd February last, 1 have the honour to forward to your Lordship herewith a translation of the new Law which I have received from Mr. Harriss Gastrell, Commercial Attache to this Embassy, relating to "Postal Subventions to Shipping Companies." This Law was passed early in the month in the Reichstag, and grants a yearly subsidy of 75,000/. to the North German Lloyd Company 94 for a fortnitrhtiv service to China. Their former contracts and this new one are to be jointly continued for fifteen years. I have, &c. (Signed) FRANK C. LASCELLES Inclosure in No. 15. Lain supplementing existing Laws on Postal Subveiitions to Shipping Companies of April 13, 1S98. (Translation.) V. E, William, &c., decree in the name of the Empire, after due approval of the Bundesrath and Reichstag, as follows : — 1. The Imperial Chancellor is empowered to grant to the Company, which in conse- quence of the Laws of the 6th April, i88.% of the 27th .June, 1887, and of the 20th March, 1893, undertook postal communications with Eastern Asia and Australia, an increase of the present subsidies to the extent of 1,500,000 marks (75,000Z.) yearly in consideration of a fortnightly service to China. He is also empowered to grant a fifteen years' extension of the whole combined services, which are now extended by the increased subsidies now afforded. 2. The speed of the vessels on the Chinese-Japanese line 'must, on an average, be : — (ff.) Between those ports of call in Europe, in which the mails are taken on board or delivered, on the one hand, and the terminal port in Eastern Asia of the main line of steamers on the other hand, 13 knots for old vessels, and 14 for new-built ships. (b.) On branch lines, 12-6 knots. The speed on the Australian line must, on an average, be: — Between those ports of call in Europe, in which the mails are taken on board or delivered, on the one hand, and whatever the postal port in Australia may be on the other hand, 12"2 knots, and for new ships 13-5 knots. 3. The Company undertaking this contract is bound, during its duration, to increase the rate of speed, herein agreed upon for the Chinese-Japanese and Australian main lines, for the new ships to the same extent as the speed of foreign competing postal shipping Companies is increased. This is to be done, if required, by the Imperial Chancellor. Such an increased rate of speed is to take place without any corresponding^ com- pensation from the State, so long as that of the foreign steam-ship Unes is raised without increase of the contract subsidy. 4. The Company undertaking this contract is bound to dispatch the steamers on the Eastern Asiatic line alternately from Bremen and Hamburg. Given under our hand and seal at Homburg vonder Hohe, the 13th April, 1898. (Signed) WILHBLM. (Signed) Prince zu Hohbnlohe. GREECE. No. 16. Sir E. Egerton to the Marquess of Salisbury. — (Received July 28.) M> Lord ^//,.«..,Jm/?/19,_1897. WITH reference to y 'nr Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th instant, instructing me to report what particular, if any, chang-es have been introduced respecting bounties or subsidies on the construction or runnmg: of ships in (jreece, I have the honour to state that I am informed by Mr. Leveson-Gower that no direct subsidies or bounties are given in Greece, no change having taken place in this -espect since the date of Sir E. Monson's Report of the 21st February, 1889. 95 Mr. Leveson-Gower has, however, been informed on good authority that it is contemplated to introduce some such measures as soon as the present unsettled state of the country allows of the subject being dealt with. Although there are no actual bounties or subsidies on the construction of running of ships, vet the ship-building industry is indirectly benefitted under the Customs Tariff (clauses 49, 67 (b), 68 \b), 129, 250, 287 (a), 320 (d), 336), by which the following articles are exempted from duty : — "All wood unwrought and indisputably suitable for ship-building or repairing vessels. "Zinc in plates or sheets combined with other metallic substances suitable for ship-building. " Copper in plates or sheets combined with zinc or other metals suitable for ship-building. "Wooden pumps, oars, and other articles suitable for ships (except furniture and fancy goods). " Iron goods suitable for ship-building." 287 («). — Scientific and electric instruments as specified. 320 (d). — Ship's lanterns. 336. Vessels of all kinds, whether moved by steam or not; fishing-bo;its, boats whether moved by steam or not. (The above only applies to vessels registered within eight days in a Greek port, and belonging to Greek subjects.) I have, &c. (Signed) EDWIN H. EGEflTON. No. 17. Sir E. Egerton to the Marquess of Salisbury. — [Received July 28.) My Lord, Athens, July 19, 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th July, requesting me to obtain particulars with regard to the granting of preferential railway rates by the Greek Government, I have the honour to state that no such rates are granted in this country. 1 have, &c. (Signed) EDWIN H. EGERTON. ITALY. No. 18. Sir Clare Ford lo the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received .July 24.) ^y I^ord, Rome, July 21, 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular of the 8th instant, I have the honour to inclose herein a Report on bounties and subsidies granted by the Italian Government on the construction and running of ships in this country, which has been drawn up for me by Mr. Franz, Her Majesty's Consul in this city." With regard to the question of preferential railway rates, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that I have made inquiries at the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs whether such a system is in force in Italy, and I am told that such a system is quite unknown here, and that the meaning of " preferential railway rates " is not clearly understood. I have, &o. (Signed) FRANCIS CLARE FORD. 9G ) ' ■ Inclosure in Iso. 18. Memorandum on Bounties on Construction and Runninc/ of Ships in Italy. THE provisions now in force reoarciing- the bounties on the construction and funning of ships in Italy are embodied in the Law i-especting- the merciumt nav}- which was promulgated "on the 2ord July, 189G, superseding- the former Law of the Oth December, 1885. Articles 1 and 2. During a term of ten years from the passing of the Act a bounty shall be paid on the construction of the hull of mercantile vessels exclusively destined for navigation on sea, lakes, or rivers, both national or foreign, v.lien such vessels are built in Italy and registered in the first class of the Italian Itc^'-istry, or of such foreign registries as may, for the purposes of the Article, be assimilated to the Italian Registry by a Royal Decree. The said bounty is fixed at the rate of 77 lire (3/. Is. Id.) per ton of gross measurement for hulls made of iron or steel, and 17'50 lire (l-is.) for hulls made of wood. No bounty is granted for the construction of men-of-war ordered by foreigners; l)ut the customs duties paid on the different materials, machinery, &c., will be refiHided. In the case of men-of-war or.lered by the Italian Government, the amount of customs duties to be paid on the various materials, machinery, &c., will be taken into account in iixing the prices as compared with prices charged by foreign lirms. If in the construction of hulls of iron or steel the materials employed of home manufacture should be less than three-fourths, the bounty shall be reduced by 10 per cent., and a further reduction of 15 per cent, will be made if the engines and boilers are of foreign make. Article 1. No bounty is granted for the construction of vessels in which the fiamework is wholly of iron and steel and the outer covering of wood. Any increase in the gauge of a vessel will entitle tiie builder to a corresponding proportion of the bounty. Article 5. For a term of ten years from the passing of the Act a bounty shall be paid for the construction in Italy of marine engines and boilers. The bounty on engines is fixed at 12'50 lire (lO.v.) per unit of indicated horse-power. The bounty on boilers is at the rate of 9-50 lire {"is. Gd.) per quintal of weight (212 lbs.). Article 6. A bounty of 11 lire (Ss. dd.) per quintal is also granted on subsidiary marine apparatuses made in Italy not connected with the engines. Article 7 provides that the payment of the bounty on new ship engines or i)oilers or auxiliary machinery be made to the ship-builders, provided no stipulation to the contrary exists with the person for whom the ship is being built. Article 8. The bounties paid in accordance with Articles 2, 5, and G shall be icfunded to the Government if the vessels are applied to internal service of harbours and coasts within five years from date of launching. Article 9. During the period of ten years contemplated by the Law all exemp- tions from duty on materials applied to naval constructions are suspended, asvvell as the bounty on the construction of wooden ships granted by Royal Decree of the llth July, 18G6. Theduty paid on materials used for rejiairing the hulls of iron, steel, or wood engines, boilers; and other subsidiary machinery referred to in Articles 2, 5, and 6, will, however, be refunded. The same as regards fittings. Article 10. In case within the jjcriod covered by the Law any change is made in tiie customs duties at present in force for materials employed in naval construe- tion, the Government are authorized to modify the bounties by raising or reducing them in propt)rtion. Navic/ation. Article 12 proviiles that a bounty on navigation shall be granted to Italian steam-ships or sailing-vessels — (a.) When starting from any port within the Mediterranean (including the Sea of Marmora, the Rlack Sea, the Sea of Azoll, or the navigation of the Danube) shall 97 pass through the Suez Canal or the Straits of Gibraltar or vice versa, or when they navigate between ports situate beyond the Suez Canal or Straits of Gibraltar; (h.) When they navigate between ports in the Mediterranean (including the Sea of .Marmora, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azoff, or the Danube), excepting between Italian ports; (c.) In the case of steam-ships the bounty is also granted when they navigate between Italian pons. The bounty is paid per ton of gross measurement for every 1,000 miles run at the following rates : — 80 centimes in cases referred to under heading (a) when not more than three years old, reducing- the amount by 10 centimes for every subsequent period of tliree 3'ears if steam-ships, and 15 centimes if sailing-vessels, with a minimum of 20 cents to the latter. Two-thirds of above bounty in cases referred to uneler iieadings (b) and (c). The Government are authorized to increase the bounty by 50 per cent, to steam-ships made in Italy vv-hicli reach a speed of IG miles an hour with full cargo, in a journey of twelve hours. Article 13 provides that the advantages mentioned in Article 12 shall apply lo— («.) Vessels entered in the list of registry of anj- maritime district of the Kingdom of Italy at the time of publication of the Act, provided they have been built in Italy ; (6.) Vessels built in Italy which maybe entered in the said lists within ten years from the publication of the Act; (c.) Vessels built abroad, provided the entry in the said list dates before the 1st January, 1887 ; (d.) Vessels which will be in course of construction at the time of the termina- tion of the period of ten years referred to under heading (0), provided they are entered in the list of registry before the lapse of two years from that time ; (e.) Vessels built abroad which have been entered in the lists of registry since the 1st January, 1887, and till the ,31st December, 1895, shall receive only half the bounty granted by Article 12. Article 14. In order to be entitled to the bounty, vessels should be registered in the first class of the Italian Registry proper, or of such other Italian registries as may be assimilated thereto, and their measurement in cases referred to under heading (a) of Article 12 should be not less than 500 tons if steam-ships, or 250 tons if sailing-vessels made of iron or steel, or 100 tons if sailing-vessels made of wood, or, in cases referred to under heading (J) of the said Article, their measurement should be not less than 100 tons. They must not be more than 15 years old if steam-ships, or 21 years old if sailing-vessels. Article 15. Pleasure-boats are excluded from the effects of the Act, as well as vessels engaged in mail services in consequence of the Maritime Conventions in force. Article 16. The bounty referred to in Article 12 will be due from the last port where commercial transactions shall h;ive taken place, and the port of arrival. The number of miles run is to be reckoned according to the distance between the ports measured by the shortest sea route. Article 17. In case of war, epidemics, anfl other extraordinary circumstances the Government have powers of requisition over the vessels receiving a bounty. Article 18. Steam-ships in receipt of navigation bounties are bound to carry gratuitously mails for the Italian post. The "Report on the Italian Merchant Navy for 1895," published by the Ministry of Marine, gives the following particulars of the bounties granted under the provisions of the Law then in force (6th December, 1885) :— Number of applications for bounty on the constructions in 1895 : — Woodeu sailing-ships . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 Iron sailing-sl.ips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Iron and steel steam-ships .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 Floating niateiial . . . . . . . . . . . . . , 45 Engines and boilers . . ,. .. .. .. ,. .. 6-i Subsidiary machinery .. .. .. .. .. .. Si [1021] O ys AiuoLint paid in huiiiities on construction : — M'jrcaiilile naw Military navy Total . . For con^truclior. u!' uooilen huiU .. .. .. , ., (if iron hulls . . of enfjiiif- . . ,, of boilo) s . . of auxiliary luachiacry Total . . Number of applications for liounties on repairs in 1895 Wooden hulls . . . . . . . . Iron hulls . . Engines Foreign boileis Hulls, foreign boilers, and enijines Hulls and engines Foreign boilers and hulls „ and engines . . Italian boilers Total . . £ 15,345 8,43'.) 23,784 3,30f; 9,012 4,C94 .5,845 927 23,784 259 HG 140 19 176 79 36 10 109 941 Amount paid in bounties on repair :- For hulls . - „ engines ., boilers ,, war— hips 'I'otrd £ 9,5S8 2,418 l.oSS None 13,594 Number of vessels earning the bounty for importing coal in 1895:- 31 sailing-vessel i .. .. 2 steam-fillips .. .. .. .. .. .. Amount of the bounty earned, £1,517. Bounties on navigation earned in 1895 by steam-siiips : — "Number of stcani-shijjs Tonnage Number of voyages Passengers carried Amount of merchandize Mileage covered . . Bounty earned Bounties on navigation earned in 1895 by sailing-vessels: — Number of vessels Tonnage NundHT of voyages Merchandize carried Mileage covered . , !5ounty earned Home, Jitlij 19, 1897. Tonnage. 19,46^2 2,769 11 14,998 66 42,107 34,989 tons 320,692 £14,783 106 96,494 220 220,509 1,486,388 £36,177 MONTENEGRO. No. ]9. Mr. R. J. Kenrmlji to thv Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received .Tuhj 20.) My Lord, Cettinje, Jul;/ IG, 1,897. I IIAYE tlic lionour to inform your bordship that no changes have been made by Montenegro respecting bounties and subsidies on the construction and running of ships since my Report to your Lordship of the 14th June, 1895. I have further the honour of stating that tl.ere are no raihvavs in this ctjuntry. I have &c. (Signed) ' ROBT. J. KENNEDY. NETHERLANDS. No. 20. Mr. Howard to the Marquess of Salisburi/. — {Received October 1 1 .) -My Lord, The Hague, October 7, 1S97. IN reply to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th Jidy last, I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a copy of a note from the Netherland Minister for Foreign Affairs, making a slightly amended Table of the subventions accorded by the Netherland Government to Steam-packet Companies, a translation of vvhich Table is also inclosed. With regard to the question of preferential railway rates, your Lordship will observe that M. de Beaufort states that no system of this kind exists either in the Netherlands or in the Dutch colonial possessions. I have, &c. (Signed) HENRY HOWARD. Inclosure 1 in No. 20. M, dp Beaufort to Mr. Howard. Ministere des Affaires Eirangeres, La Haye, M. le Ministrc, ie 30 Septembre, 1897- EN vous retournant sous ce pli I'annexe de votre office du 12 Juillet dernier, j'ai I'honneur de vous faire parvenir ci-joint un Tableau concernant les subventions accordees par le Gouvernement Neerlandais a des Societes de Navigation. Depuis le mois d'Aout 1895 il n'y a que la subvention accordie a la " Konink- lijke West Indische Maildienst " qui a subi des modifications, comme vous voudrez bien le relever du Tableau susdit, dans lequel les conditions principales de la Convention nouvelle avec cette Societe sont indiquees. D'apres ce que me mandent les Ministres du Waterstaat, du Commerce, et de I'Industrie et des Colonies, des " preferential railw.iy rates," c'est-a-dire des tarifs favorisant certaines lignes de vapeur a I'exclusion d'autres pour le transport de marchandises par leurs navires, n'existent ni aux Pays-Bas ni dans les Colonies Neerlandaises. 11 me reste encore a remaixjuer qu'a la page 30 de I'Annexe de votre office sus- mentionne il doit etre ajoute les chiff'res suivants. representant les paiements aux Societes " Nederland " et " Rotterdamsche Lloyd " |iour le transport des malles et des paquets de poste en 1895 et 1S96 : — (A.) — Malles dk Poste. 1895. 1896. A la Nederland A la Kotterdamsche l/loyd Florins. 161,860 (£13,488) 162.410 (£13,534) Florins. 204,000 (£17.000) 204,000 (£17,000) Total 324,270 (£27,022) 408,000 (£34,000) [io2i; O 2 100 (B.) — Paquets dk Poste. A la Ncdcrland A. la Rotterdanioche Llo_v( Total 189.: 18!i( Morins. 8,800 (£733) 7,880 (£656) Florins. 9.840 (£820) 9,460 (£788) 10,R80 (£1.389) 19,300 (£1,008) Une legere erreur s'est glisse clans le chilfre des paiements a la Societc dite " Koninklijke Paketvaartmaatschappij," pour rannee 189t, 650,830 fl. (5i,738/.), figurant a la page 32 de I'Annexe. Le chiffre exact est de 656,828 (54,735/.). On y peut ajouter : — Pour rannee — 1895 Subvention 1896 Subvention 94,658 milks aecomplis. . . 659,838 tl. (54,986/.). 95,142 niilles aeeouipli.-. .. 702,930 fl. (58,577/.). Veuillez, &c. (Signe) ^Y. H. DE BEAUEORT. (Translation.) Mimslry for Foreign Affair.s; the Hague, Sir, * " September 30", 1S97. I HAVt^ the honour to return herewith the inclosure in your note of the 12th July last, and I transmit at the same time a Tal)!e of the subsidies granted by the Government of the Netherlands to Steam Navigation Companies. The only subsidy which has undergone any change, since the month of August 189.'), is that granted to the " Koninklijke VVest Indische Maildienst," as you will see from the Table in which are specified the main conditions of the new Convention with this Company. I learn from tlie Minister of Waterstaat, of Commerce, and of Manufactures and Colonics, preferential railway rales, that is to say, rates giving the |)reference to certain steam-boat lines to the exclusion of others for the transport of goods by their steamers. do not exist either in the Netherlands or in the Dutch Colonies. It remains for- me to state that at p. 30 of the inclosure in your aforesaid note, the following figures should be added representing the payments to the " Nederland " and " Rotterdamsche Lloyd" for the carriage of mails and postal packages in 1^95 and lb9fi : — (A.)— :Mails. 1H95. 1S90. Nederland .. Rolterdanisclie Lloyd. . • • • • ' Florins. 1GJ,860 (£13,488) 162.410 (£13.534) Florins. 204,000 (£17,000) 204,000 (£17,000) Total i 1 324.270 (£27,022) 408,000 (£31,000) 101 (B.) — Postal Packages. 1895. 1896. Nederlaad . . Rotterdamsc'be IJovd. . Florins. 8,800 (£733) 7,880 (£656) Florins. 9,840 (£820) 9.460 (£788) Total 16,680 '(£1,389) 19,300 (£1,608) A slight error has crept into the total of payments to the " Koninkhjke Paketvaart- tnaatscliappij," for the year 1894, 656,836 fl. (54,738/.), appearing on p. 32 of the inclosure. The exact amount is 656,828 fl. (54,7-35/.). To this mav be added : — For the j'car — 189.i Subsidy 1896 Siibsidv 94,658 miles traversed. .. 659,838 11.(54,986^.). 95,142 miles traversed. .. 702,930 11.(58,577/.). Receive, &c. (Signed) W. H. DE BEAUFORT. Inclosure 2 in No. 20. Statement of Payments by the Netherland Government to Steam-packet Companies for Transport of Mails. Name of the Undertakiuj Steam Packet Com- pany "Nederland" Line over whicb tbe Transport extends. Amsterdam-Batavia Date and IJuration of the Agreement. Agreement of Novem- ber 12, 1892, sanc- tioned by the Law of April 8, 1893 (" Staatsblad," No. 59), concluded for fifteen years, com- menced Mav 1, 1893. Payments. The Company enjoys, in virtue of the Agrecmtnt concluded with the State on the 12th November, 1892, and sanctioned by tbe Law of tbe 8th April, 1893 (" Staatsblad," No. 59), for the transport of the mails, payment according to the scale, which was defined by the Postal Convention of Vienna of the 4th July, 1891, respecting the transport of mails, or which, in the event of the modification of the Convention, may hereafter be determined. For the transport of mails every fortnight the State guarantees the Company a payment of ;i,400 fl. (200Z.) for each outward and liomeward voyage. The voyages must be completed — 1. iprom Anisttrdam to Genoa, in twelve davs and nights. From Geniato Amsterdam, in twelve days and nights. 2. From Genoa to Batavia — C^ depai ture from Genoa between April 1 and September 30, in twenty-nine days and nights. October 1 and March 31, in thirty days and nights. 102 Xamu of the Undertakiiii;. Line over which the Transport extends. Date and Duration of the Agreement. Rotterdam Lloyd Rotterdam-liatavia Pa'Ninents. Agreement oi' Novem- ber 12, 1893, sanc- tioned by the Law of April 8, 1893 (" Staatsblad,"' No. 59), concluded for fifteen years, com- menciug IMay 1 , 1893. 3. From liatavia to Genoa — I )n departure from Batavia between April 1 and September 30, in thirtj'-one da3s and nights. October 1 and March 31, in thirty days and ni;;hts. Within five years, counting lioni the 1st May, 1893, the duration of the voyage must be shortened, namely : — 1. From Genoa to Amsterdam, in eleven days and nights. From Amsterdam to Genoa, in eleven or twelve days and nights, to be determined by the Ministers of Waterstaat, Trade, and Industry, and of the Colonies. 2. From Cienoa to Batavia — On departure from Genoa between April 1 and Septombei' 30, in twenty-geveu days and nights. October 1 and IMarch 31, in twenty-eight days and nights. 3. From liatavia to Genoa — On departure from Batavia between April 1 and September 30, in twenty-nine days and nights. (October 1 and March 31, in twenty-eight days and nights. As soon as the aicelerated service comes into force, the guar.anteed sum of l',400 fl. (200/.) per voyage will be increased to -1,000 fl. (333/. 6s. 8d.).* For late arrivals, except in the case of force majeure, fines are fixed. This contract forms one concluded with the Rotterdam Lloyd. This Company receives for the transport of the mails the same payment as the •' Nederland " Gomjjariy. With regard to the speed of the voyages, they must be compkted : — 1 . Rotterdam-.VIarseilles and vicf vcrsd, in twelve days and nights. 2. From Marseilles to Batavia — On departure from Marseilles be tween April 1 and Septemlier 30, in twenty - nine days and nights. October 1 and Mareli 31, in thirty rdam to Marseilles, by one day ard nisiht.* Moreover, the contract concludeil with the Rotteidam Lloyd is similar to that with the "Nederland" Company, and forms one witti it. • The accelerated passage was commenced in April 18'.)o, so that now the sum guaranteed amounts to 4,000 fl. (333/. Cs. 8 and from tlie Netherlands are con- cerned. Furtliermore. 260,000 fl. (21,66SZ. 13*. 4f/.) per year are guaranteed to the Company for the transport of th(,' foreign mails, calculated according to the payment (by the foreign Postal Administration) of 2 fr. ■per kilog. of letters, and 2r> centimes per kilog. of other packets (except articles of the Parcel Post). The amount received in excess of the 260,000 fl. (21,666/. ISs. 4rL) for the transport of the foreign mails is shared bv the Company with the State. The Company receives for the transport of the Letter and Parcel Post per passage from Amsterdam to Paramaribo and Curai^ao, and rice versa, 1,400 fl. If, however, the articles of the Parcel Post on the passage between two ports take up more s])aco than 2 cubic metres, a jjayment for the additional space shall be made of 40 fl. per cubic metre. The transport must be effected every three weeJvs. The passage must be completed — ? From Amsterdam - Paramaribo in nineteen days and nights ; From Paramaribo-Curasao in fifteen days and nights ; From Curasao- Paramaribo in fifteen days and nights ; From Paramaribo-Havre in nineteen days and nights ; From Havre-Amsterdam iu four days and nisrlits; '- '•-•i' '"\- ' Includi- , -"ii ' . 1 » ■ -* u^^ 'i"^ .^ ^""^ unloading at Para- )ttanbo and Cur.->9ao. Tf the service is increased to once per fortnight or twice per month, the Companv shall receive tor each passage payment only in pro- portion of 47,600 fl. per calendar vear tor respectively fortv-eiuht or fifty-'two passnj^es pi-v year. Belongs to the letter of the Minister of vA atersi^af Tradf. »nr] T...1 , 3rcl September, 1897, No. U8, section Trade and IndusSyast Division) '''^ "^ "'' (Signed) G. DE EOSCH KOMPEE, Secretary-Genera/.. 10-t PORTUGAL. No. 21. Sir H. MacDonell to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received August 2.) My Lord, Lisbon, July 28, 1897. IN obedience to the instructions contained in your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th instant, I have the honour to inclose herewith a Memorandum showing the most complete information which I have been able to obtain with respect to subsidies to Companies of Navigation and to preferential railway rates ill Portugal. I have, &c. (Siijned) H. G. MacDONELL. Tnclosure in No. 21. Memoranchini. SO far as can he ascertained, the only Companies of Navigation which are in recei[)t of subsidies from the Portuguese Government are the Azores line, the Algarve line, and the Guinea line, the amounts being 9,000/., 3,111/., and G,()G6/. respectively. No subsidy is accorded cither to the East or West African Coast service, but in lieu thereof the monopoly is granted of the carriage of Government Stores and passengers at a rebate of 10 per cent, on the current rates and fares. With regard to the grant of preferential railway rates, there is, strictly speaking, no such thing in Portugal. The Government lines do, iiowever, allow reduced rates on agricultural produce, manures, and chemical preparations for agricultural purposes and also on mineral ores, by special contracts fixing a minimum quantity to be carried per annum. This syiitem is of most frei|uent application on the railway systems of tlu; Minho and Douro and of the south and south-eastern districts. Lishou., July 28, 1897. ROUMANIA. No. 22. Lieutenant-Colonel Trotter to the Marrjuess of Salisbury. — [Received November la.) My Lord, Bucharest, November (i, 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th .July last, I have the honour to report that I have received a note from the Roumanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, in answer to tiie inquiries made in July by Mr. H. Browne, informing me tliat there are no ixjuniies or subsiciies in Roumania on tlie construction or running of ships. I would, however, beg to observe that tho Roumanian tiovernment has i-oni- nicnced running ships on its own account, and will shortly possess nine large steamers of their own. Two are now running i)etween Constanza and Constan- tinople, carrying mails, passengers, and general cargo. Another runs between the Danube and Constantinople, and tliree are employed in carrying general cargo between the Danube |)orts and Itotterdam. One is in reserve, and two will shortly be employed in running mails and general cargo between Constanza and Alexandria. 105 As for preferential railway rates (tarifs difterentiels) o-rantcd by the Govern- ment, I am informed that these are applied to the following- articles; cereals, vegetables, and oleaginous substances, potatoes, ice, walnuts, malt, sugar-beetroots, fire-wood, and wood for building purposes, stones, lime, cement, slate, petroleum, pitch, hay, straw, and coals. I have, &c. (For Lieutenant-Colonel Trotter), (Signed) HAMILTON E. BROWNE. RUSSIA. No. 23. Sir N. O'Conor to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received Ftbniari/ 17.) My Lord, St. Petershurgh, February 12, 1898. ^ IN compliance with the instructions conveyed to nie in your Lordship's Circular despatch of tlie 8r,h July last, I have the honour to transmit herewilli to your Lord- ship a Memorandum, "drawn up hy Mr. Consul-General Michel!, on the subject of the subsidies granted by the Kussian Government on the construction or running of ential railway rates. I have, &c. (Signed) N. R. O'CONOR. ships, as well as with regard to the granting of preferential railway rates I have, &c Inclosure in No. 23. Memorandum. NO modifications of any importance have been made in the Government subsidies- to existing Russian shipping hues since the last Report on the subject from St. Petershurgh in 1894. With a view to the encouragement of native shipping, the following additional measures have been adopted by the Russian Government since 1894 : — 1 . The privilege of the coasting trade, hitherto confined to Russian subjects and vessels plying between ports situated in the same sea, will, from the 1st (13th) January, 1900, be extended to all Russian ports situated in different seas. In this manner foreign vessels which had been allowed to carry goods — say, from a Russian port in the Baltic to one in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, or Wliite Sea, and vice versa, or from anv Russian port, in the Far East — will, from the above period, be precluded from doing so. Exception, however, will be made in favour of salt shipped from Russian, Black, and Azov Sea ports to those of the Baltic which may be carried in foreign bottoms, until notice to the contrary shall be given. At the same time, the privileges now enjoyed by Russian ship-owners of employing an unlimited number of foreign seamen on board their vessels will he withdrawn, and Russian seamen must, when the Imperial flag conies into operation, alone man the future high-sea coasters. 2. Russian ship-owners, when supplying themselves with vessels constructed abroad, now enjoy the privilege of paying customs duty on them, amounting from 25 to 30 per cent, on their cost, in instalments spreading over several vears. 3. The number of schools for the study of navigation, of which fortv-one are now in existence in the Empire, and which are maintained specially for the benefit of the mercantile marine, are to be considerably increased, and placed under the jurisdiction of the Dtpaitment of Trade and Industry of the Ministry of Finances. These schools have hitherto remained almost still-born; and the intention of the Government is to increase as [1021] P 106 well as to throw new life into them, with the view of making them efficient nurseries of commanders and officers of the mei'cantile marinf, which is to he called into existence on an enlarged scale. AVith regard to preferential railway rates, the rate that specially affects British interests is that imposed on tea brou2;ht to Russia in vessels of the Russian volunteer fleet. This tea, when brought to Odessa in such vessels from China, pays reduced railway rates on conveyance to Moscow of from 10 to 20 per cent., according to the bulk of the parcel of tea to be transported by rail, the exact initial differential rate being fixed by special arrangement within the above limits with the wholesale China tea importers in Moscow. Thus Ceylon tea, brought to Odessa in British vessels, would be at the disadvantage in point of railway rate of carriage of paying the ordinary full railway scale of charges imposed for the carriage of goods of this class — this being in evident contravention of the letter and spirit of our Treaty with this country, which stipulates for equality of treatment in matters of commerce. It must be observed that the preferential railway rates in question are levied at the Russian Black Sea ports exclusively in favour of goods brought in vessels of the Volunteer Fleet from the Far East. (Signed) JOHN MICHELL. St. Petersburgh, February 9, 1S98. SERVIA. No. 21. Mr. Macdonald to the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received .July 19.) My Lord, Belgrade, July 15, 1S97. WITH reference to the first paragraph of your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th instant, inclosing a copy of the Reports issued in 1895 respecting- bounties or subsidies on shipping, and requesting me to report any changes that may have been introduced in Servia since the date of the last report from Belgrade, I have the honour to state that the shares of the Servian Navigation Company are now allowed the privilege of being classed amongst the securities which the Government may accept in deposit in cases of contract, or under other circumstances, where security is equired. No further change has taken place since Mr. Fane's last report. I have, &c. (Signed) RANALD D. G. MACDONALD. No. 25. Mr. Eliot to the Marquess of Salisburij. — {Received July 26.) My Lord. Belgrade, July 23, 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th instant, I have the honour to forward a report on preferential railway rates in Servia, which has been drawn^up by Mr. Macdonald from data furnished to him by the railway authorities. I have, &c. (Sigued) C. N. E. ELIOT. 107 Inclosure in No. 25. Memorandum as to Preferential Rates yr anted on Servian State Railway. PREFERENTIAL rates for certain merchandize are i^n-anted by tiie Servian State Railway in favour of Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey under the Arranoenient known as the " Tarif a Quatre " of 1891. These rates are applicable to goods dispatched by slow train, and mav be classified as follows : — A. Goods dispatched from certain Austrian and Hungarian stations to the seven Servian stations of Belgrade, Kragoujevatz, Leskovatz, Xisch, Poratchin, Pirot, and Vranja, or goods passing through Servia in transit. B. Goods from certain Austrian stations to the seven Servian stations named in (A), or in transit through Servia. C. Goods from certain Austrian and Hungarian stations to Belgrade. D. Goods from Vienna and from certain Hungarian stations, and goods sent from Salonica to Belgrade. E. Goods from Salonica to Belgrade, or from Salonica to certain Austrian and Hungarian stations. F. Goods from the seven Servian stations mentioned in (A) to certain stations in Austria, Hungary, and Turkey, and to Bourgas. G. Goods from twelve specified stations in Servia to certain Austrian and Hungarian stations, or from Bulgaria and Turkey in transit through Servia. H. Goods from nine specified stations in Servia to certain Austrian, Hun- garian, Bulgarian, and Turkish stations. I. Goods from five specified stations in Servia, and from Bulgaria and Turkey, to Passau. K. Goods from fourteen specified Servian stations to certain frontier stations in Austria, and to certain stations in Hungary. Also goods in transit from Bulgaria and Turkey. L. Goods in transit from Ristovatz (Serbo-Turkish frontier) to certain Austrian and Hungarian stations. M. Goods from certain Hungarian stations to the seven Servian stations men- tioned in (A), and goods in transit through Servia. N. Goods from sixteen specified stations in Servia to certain Austrian frontier stations, and to certain stations in Hungary. Also goods in transit tlirough Servia. [1021J ; ■: P 2 108 Table sliowing goods ravoured by Preferential Tariffs witii Rates of Transpirt. Class. B C C C A B A A A A A A A A A A E B I A G G F A D A A A A A H K L Description of Gocds. Matches Carbonate of soda . . . . . . . . Zinc, rough, in lumps, plates, &e., zinc ashes Common soda, green vitriol Mixed goods of all kinds Petroleum residue in casks or tanks (fur gas) . . Glassware (packed) . . Window glass (not i)acked) . . . . Paper in bales or packets .. .. Papier mache for cardboard ; paper waste Hardware, tools, &e. . . . . . . Manufactured iron and steel (plates, rails, wire, nails, &c. Agricultural engines and fire-pumps Mineral water . . Furniture and furniture frames. . ,. .. Sugar in loaf, casks, sacks, or boxes . . . . Unmanufactured tobacco .. .. .. Lead in blocks, plates, ingots ; ordinary lead ware. . Fresh meat, eggs, slaughtered poultry Alcohol "] Wine vinegar > In casks or tanks .. Wine and brandy J Cordage . . . , Un])acked earthenware Salt . . > . . . . . Flour, bran, grit, &c. . . Beer in casks . . . . . . Beturned empty caslvs Plastei of Paris, calcined or ground Hydraulic cement ; concrete slabs nr mouldings .. Stone, undressed, blocks ; fire-proof bricks (local traffic) Wood for carpentry, planks, sleepers, fire-wood . . Dried plums and plum marmalade Cereals and leguminous vegetables Chrome ore , . I Bates per 100 kiloLi;. yw kilonietie for Quantiiies of — 5,000 kilos. Centimes. (1-5)* 1-2 1 -2 1-0 1-0 (1-2) 1-0 1 -2 1-0 1-2 1-0 1-0 (1-0) (1-2) (1-2) (1-0) 1-0 0-6 0-6 10,000 kilog. Centimes (1-5) (I 0) (1 •0) (1 0) (0 8) (1 •0) (I •0) (1 •0) (0 8) (0 •8) (1 ■O) (1 0) (1 •0) fl 0) (0 8) (1 0) (1 0) (1 0) (0 8) (1 0) (0 8) (0 8) (0 8) (1 0) (1 •0) (0 6) (0 fi) (0 •0) (0 6) (1 0) (0 6) (0 6) 8 8 8 7 5 6 6 6 5 6 6 55 5 5 5 5 55 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 45 45 25 4 4 4 25 The figuies in parentheses show the non-preferential or ordinary rates. Class. Live Stock Kates ])er Square Metre nf Tri Loading. ck Surface on 1 storey. 2 storeys. 4 storeys. M N N N Horses ,. Cattle .. Swine, sheep, 5«;c. .. Poultry . . Centimes. 3-5 1-5 2-0 25 Centimes. • • 1-25 Centimes. . . o' 85 SPAIN. JSo. 26. Mr. Barclay to the Marquess of Sulisbunj. — (Received November 22.) My Lord, Madrid, November 10, 1S97. IN reply to yimr Lordship's Circular of (lie Stli July, I have the honour to state that 1 am informed by the Minister of State that there liave been no changes in or additions to tlic subsidies granted by tlie Spanish Government for tlic construction or 109 running- of ships since the dale of the last report on the subject from Madrid, i.e. 2»5th August, leOo. (Signed) ' G. BARCLAY. No. 27. Mr. Barclay to the Marquess of Salisbury. — (Received December 1.) My Lord, Madrid, November 28. 1897. WITH reference to your Lordship's Circular despatch of the 8th July last respecting preferential railway rates in Spain, I have the honour to transmit herewith a Memorandum containing information on the subject supplied by the Ministry of Fomento. I have, &c. (Signed) G. BARCLAY. Inclosure in No. 27. Memorandum respecting Preferential Railway Rates in Spain. THE only preferential rates existing are those granted to Government in the original concessions of the Companies. Mails are carried, army and navy officers and men travellins; on duty, police, prisoners and the Government Inspectors of the lines are conveyed free or at reduced prices. The percentage of reduction for officers and men of the Spanish military forces varies with the different Companies, but is in any case very large. With these exceptions everything pays according to Tariff. The Companies cannot alter the Tariff without the consent of the Government. They may, however, carry passengers at lower rates, or reduce the freights on goods, or make an}' private contracts they think proper provided the rates charged do not exceed those in the Tariff, and provided they pay the Treasury tax as if the Taritf rates had been adhered to. A commercial concei'n can thus come to special terms with the Railway Companies, but Spanish produce as such enjoys no particular advantages or exemptions. Madrid, November £7, 1897. SWEDEN AND NORWAY. No. 28. Mr. Pakenham to the Marquess of Salisbury. — (Received February 21.) My Lord, Stockholm, February 17, 1898. HEREWITH I have the honour to inclose copy of the reply of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the note which, ou the lltli August last vear, I addressed to him requesting information on the subject of bounties on navigation or lines of steamers, as also on lines of railway. It will be seen from the contents of this note that in Sweden there has been no change since the date of Count Douglas' note of the 16th September, 1895, copy whereof Avas forwarded to the Foreign Oflfice in Sir Spenser St. John's despatch of the 19tli September, 1895. As regards Norway, Count Douglas kindly incloses a Memorial drawn up by the competent Norwegian authority, and also various documents touching the tariffs no on the railways both iu Sweden and in Norway. Inasmuch, however, as these papers are in the Norwegian and Swedisli languages, I have been compelled to invoke the aid of a translator, and will forward the result of liis labours to London witli the least possible delay. I have, &c. (Signed) F. PAKENHAM. Inclosure in No. 28, Count Douglas to Mr. Pakenham. M. lo Ministre, Stockholm, le 15 Fevrier, 1898. I'AR line lettre en date du 11 Aout dernier, vous avez bien voulu vous adresser a raon intei-mediaire, afiu d'obtenir des informations sur les primes ou subventions allonees dans les Royaumes-TJnis a la navigation ou a la construction des navii-es, ou bien a des lignes de bateaux a vapeur, et vous m'avez exprime, en meme temps, le desir d'etre reuseign6 sur le syst6me adopte taut en Suede qu'en Norvege par rapport aux reductions des tarifs des chemins de fer. En reponse, j'ai I'honneur, d'abord, de vous informer que, d'apres une com- munication que j'ai regue du Ministere de I'lnterieur a Stockholm, il n'y a rien a ajouter jusqu'ici aux renseignements sur les susdites subventions en Suede — en tant qu'elles concernentla construction de navires — contenus dans ma lettre a Sir S. St. John en date du 16 Septembre, 1895. Quant aux subventions allouees en Sudde aux lignes de bateaux a vapeur, vous trouverez des informations la-dessus dans le Memoire ci-joint, elabore par rAdmiuistration Generale des Postes (Annexe 1). Pour ce qui concerne en suite la question des subventions a la navigation en Norvege, j'ai rhonncur de joindre a ce pli un Memoire di'esse par I'autorite competente Norvegienne ct rendant compte des subventions accordees a des lignes de bateaux a vapeur — la seule espece de subvention a la navigation commerciale qui existe en Norvege (Annexe 2). Pour donner suite a la demande formulee dans votre letti'e precitee, d'etre renseigne sur le systeme adopte dans les Poyaumes-Unis par rapport aux reductions des tarifs des chemins de fer, j'ai I'honneur, enfiu, de vous transmettre ci-pr^s deux M6moires : I'un (Annexe 3) pour la Su^de elabore par 1 'Administration Royale des Chemins de Fer de I'Etat, et I'autre (Annexe 1') pour la Norvege, dresse par les soins du Ministere des Travaux Publics a Christiania, et accompagnc des textes de R^glement (Annexe 5) et de la Circulaire (Annexe 6) y mentionnes. Veuillez, &c. (Signe) L. DOUGLAS. Annex 1. (Translation.) The amount which is paid out of the funds of the Swedisli Post Office to Swedish and foreign steam-sliip owners consists for the most part, and with the only exceptions herein- below stated, of such compensation as, according to decisions applicable and agreements made, is paid out as direct remuneration — in certain cases simple payment for freight — for tlie conveyance of mails whicli is performed by the respective steam-boats, and so cannot be considered as a subsidy to the steam-boat lines in question. Only in two of the conqiacts entered into by tlie General Post Office with Steam- boat Companies are inserted such provisions that the fixed remuneration can be regarded as really imposing a subsidy for the maintenance of the steam-boat communications in question, and to be of such importance in regard (hereto that without the reumnenition mentioned the communication would, probably, not be realized — not have been established. The compacts liere referred to are: — 1. The Contract which on the o(h— 10th November, 1896, according to His Majesty's gracious authorization, was passed between the General Post Office, on behalf of His Majesty and the Crown, and the Gothland Steam-boat Joint-Stock Company concerning the maintenance during a period of five years, reckoned from the autumn of 1896 — and with the fixation of a sailing season from and after the 15tli November to the 15th of the following April for every winter season — with steamers belonging to the Ill Company, of a regular conveyance of mails, merchandize, and passengers between Gothland and tlie mainland of Sweden, with, on tlie one hand, two crossings both ways weekly between AVisby and Stockholm, and. on the other, the same number of crossings both ^^ays weekly between AV'isby and Vestervik and Norrkoping respectively, with 1 enumeration for each and every complete postal trip in both directions, on the Wisby- Stockhnlm line of 500 kronor from the Post Office and 200 kroner from the Commercial and Shipping Fund, or together 700 kronor; and, on the Wisby- Vestervik and Wisby— Norrkoping lines, for each such trip, of 500 kronor from the Tost Office, which remunera- tion, as regards the winter senson 1896-97, amounted -in all to 49,850 kronor, of which 42,750 kronor from the PostOffice and 7,100 kronor from the ConuiKrcial and Shipping Fund. 2. The contract which, also according to His .Majesty's gracious authorization, was passed on the 12tli September, 1896, between the General Post Office and the Swedish and Continental Ship-owners' Joint-Stock Con^pany for the furnishing during a period of ten years I'rora and after the 1st May, 1S97, of half the number of steamer trips required- for the maintaining during thp !-aid period of postal communication by sea once a-day in both directions between Ti elleborg and Sassnitz, while the other half of the number of steamer trips required for the said purpose shall be furnished by German ship-owners according to compact made by the German Imperial Government Post Office; there being fixed in this case a subvention — including compensation also for the conveyance of all mail -matter coming, and of the requisite postal staff, and the setting apart of a cabin of sufficient size for the handling of the mail-matter — amounting to 100,000 kronor, paid to the Swedish ship-owners for each of the ten years contemplated in the Contract, and to 100,000 marks ])aid to the German ship-owners yearly for the same period, the General Post Office and the Imperial PosTTJffice being under obligation to bear, each, one-half of the thus mutually fi.xed amount of subvention. In regard to the matter at present in view, the Postmaster-General considers it his duty to call attention to the fact that in Article II of the Convention concerning postal communications between Sweden and Eussia, which, on the 4th (IGtli) May, 1895, was concluded at St. Petersburgh, and, later, was ratified by the Swedish and Russian Govern- ments, are inserted provisions to the effect that conveyance of the mails by steamer shall be kept up during the winter months between Hango and Stockholm, or some other .suitable point on the coast of Sweden, so long as both the contracting countries find this necessary and advantageous : that the cost of the conveyance of the mails, which shall be provided and kept up by the Finland Postal Department, shall be equally borne by that Department, and by the Swedisli Postal Administration ; so, however, that Sveden's share be fixed at most at 10,000 Finnish marks yearly, and that if, during one and the same winter, the number of postal trips both ways he fewer than twentj'- six, Sweden's contribution be fixed at most at 400 Finnish marks for each double trip. Stockholm, December 1, 1897. Annex 2. (Translation.) Contributions from the public funds for the following steam postal routes to foreign parts are at present desired : — Kr. (a.) For a daily dispatch between Christiansand and Fredrikshavn .. 153,300 yearly. (A.) For a dispatch twice a- week between Bergen-Haiigesund-Stavanger and Newcastle in summer, and between Jiergen and Newcastle, touchint!: alternate times at Stavanger, in winter .. .. 125,000 „ (c.) For a weekly dispatch between Trondlijem and Newcastle .. .. 125,000 ,, (Of these sums, 80,000 kronor, 7-5,000 kronor. and 100,000 kronor respectively are paid as direct subvention for the maintenance of the routes, while the rest in each case is paid as compensation for the conveyance of the mails.) {d.) For conveyance of mails between Christiauia and Hamburg, about .. 15,000 (e.) For conveyance of mails between Stavanger or Christiansand and Hamburg, about , , . . . . . , . . . , g OOO „ There is further desired, as State subvention for a route between Norway and Spain, a sum of 75,000 kronor, which route, however, is not for the present a postal one. 112 Annex 3. (Translation.) In rep^ard to the Tariff' for conveyance by tlie State railways, His Majesty has, by gracious Decree of the 29th November, 1889, explained that, as the Royal Board of Eailv\ay Directors had the right to conclude compacts with other Railway Administrations in regard to combined traffic, so the Board should be competent, on the one hand as regards passenger and other traffic, not including the forwarding of goods and mercliatidize — wliile in the main keeping, near to what has been before done, according to circumstances that arose, and keeping in mind the principles heretofore acted upon — to fix the prices for monthly, family, sleeping-car, and rctuin tickets ; also for such conveyance in general as, in case a deviation from the prescribed charges be allowed, may be expected to have for consequence an increase of traffic and income ; and on the other hand, as regards goods traffic, to allow, for traffic between various stations on the State railways, as well as, after compact entered into with the Railway Administrations concerned, for combined traffic between State railways and stations on private railways, sucli reduction of price to a figure below the provisions of the tariff, as may be considered called for by necessity and compatible with the economic interests of the State railway itself. As regards the tariffs for transports by private Swedish railways, the respective Administrations of the lines are at liberty, after the fixation of the tariffs by His Maje.sty, to grant a reduction on the fixed charges for freight where such seems suitable and necessary. Stockholm, September 25, 1897. Annex 4. (Translation.) With respect to the Ordinance delivered thoreanent, the present Department is empowered to allow such latitude in, and deviation from, the normal charges for conveyance as may be to the economical interest of the railways, in order to preserve or to increase their income. The permission given hereby to allow such latitude in regard to the Uules applicable is to be availed of, therefore, chiefiy where, by a reduction, a considerable increase of business may be gained, or where a reduction — e.g., in case of competition on the part of other lines — is necessary, in order to preserve the traffic. With legard to the Rules in force concerning free passage or redu.ction in rates for other purposes (scientific, benevolent, and the like), the decisions applicable to the cases are to be found in the Royal Decree of the 13th July, 1878, a copy of which is appended. With reuard to the more definite application of the reduction treated of in §1 (o) and (b) (of that Decree), see the appended Circular No. 594 issued by tiie Board of State Railways, dated the 21st June, 1892. As will be seen, permission s given to the Department in § 2 of the Decree, to grant a reduction of charge on a free passage in cases besides those named in the Decree. Christiunia, November 30, 1897- Annex 5. Regulations concerning Modifications, ^c, of Charges for Conveyance on State Railways, ratified by Royal Decree of July 13, ] 878. (Translation.) § 1. A competent management may grant: — («.) Modification (reduction) of prices for excursion trains of schools, wurking- men's Societies, and other like bodies. {b.) Reduction, even to half-price of the generally applicable tariff, for persons attending scliool, mission, agricultural, and similar meetings. The same is applicable to the conveyance of things sent to and from exhibitions of farming, gardening, and other productions in the three Northern Kingdoms. ((■) Vrcr. conveyance for officials employed in carrying on the «ork of railways for general use. 113 ^\''ith regard to the officials of other raihvajs, such free conveyance cannot, without the consent of the Home Office, be stretched so as to inchide the members of their househokls. (f/.) Carriage without cost, of goods for their own household use for officials belonging to the line on which thev are conveyed. (e.) Free conveyance of ofiicials employed on the construction (or the estab- lishment) of Norwegian State railways, as also of foreign railway engineers. § 'J. With the consent of the Home Office a reduction of prices or free passages may be granted by the Administration concerned, in other cases also and to other persons other than those mentioned in § 1 . § 3. The Traffic Manager can issue free passes for all the State railways to persons officially occupied in the working, the construction, or the inspection (or surveying ? ) of railways for general use. and, with the consent of the Home Office, to other persons. § 4. Free passes may be issued either for a single journey or for a longer period, not extending, however, beyond the end of the current year. § 0. The holder of a free pass is in respect to allow-ance of luggage, and in regard to other prescriptions concerning personal conveyance, in the enjoyment of Ihe same rights and under the same obligations as paying passengers. §6. When any one engaged in the service of the Norwegian State railways, or official on duty, either in the laying down, the construction, or the working of a State railway, travelling on account of railway business, has occasion to use the permission to have a free pass, the not using it does not entitle the person to any compensation. Annex 6. Circular dated June 21, 1892, concerning the (/ranting of Reductions in Railway Charges to Schoola and Working Men's Associations in regard to Excursions, to Persons taking part in Meetings, S)C. (Conf. Royal Decree of July 13, 1878, § 1, leiters (a) and (b). (Circular No. 497 T (No. 100), is hereby abrogated.) FOR all the districts together of the State Eailways, or for several of them, the Director of the Traffic, and for a single district the Traffic Manager concerned, may grant a reduction of prices : — 1. For the conveyance of schools, AVorking-men's Associations, and similar bodies, on the presentation by each participant of a card of authentication filled up and signed by the Manager of the school concerned, or by the Foreman of the Association (Schema 195 a/b), or on tlie handing in by the said Manager or Foreman of a duly- signed statement of the number of the excursionists, return tickets (1st, 2nd, or 3rd-class) are delivered at single fares, provided there he at least forty tickets taken, or that that number be paid for; for schools going on excursions with a view to instruction, there must be at least ten applicants, or payment made for that number. For primary (communal = board) schools, secondary schools, gymnasiums (colleges or high schools), technical schools, and similar institutions, which may be regarded as children's schools or as continuations of such, children's tickets will be issued for the pupils without regard to their age. Two pupils can have one adult's ticket for the two. On the other hand, to pupils of schools which are intended for adults exclusively, such as schools of navigation, of engineering, &c., adults' tickets are issued. To teachers of both sexes adults' tickets are in all cases issued. 2. For persons taking part in school, missionary, agricultural, and similar meetings (conferences, conventions), these will receive 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-class return tickets, covering the period fixed for the conference, on presentation of a card of authenticatinn (Schema 195 a/b) filled up and signed by the person appointed to this office by the meeting (conference) in question. 3. For objects (articles) which are sent to be exhibited at agricultural, horti- cultural, or other exhil)itions in the three Northern Kingdoms, in sending to the place of exhibition these will be paid for at ordinary full rate, but on the return journey they will be carried free of charge, when this takes place within a fixed time, by the same route, and if to the way-bill tiiere is appended a certificate from the Exhibiti(m Committee concerned declaring that the obiects have been exhibited, that the full tarilF price was [1021] Q 114 paid on them in going, and that they have not been sold nor changed hands durnig the time of the exhibition. Of the circidars which the Traffic ^Managers (1st to 4th district inclusive) issue in regard to this, a copy shall be immediately laid before the office of control. (.Signed) C. KKEFimG. (Signed) L, Seglbke. C. L. ANDERSEN FoKii No. 193 A. CARD OF AUTHEN IICATION FOi: KEDUCflON OF FARE (In accordance with the Circuhir, No. , of the Director of the Traffic Department) forM iVoni to ..class, and return. Notice, — In regard to the control the ticket clerks are forliidden to sell tickets at reduced prices unless the card of authentication be fully filled up by the person who issued it. TURKEY. No. 29. Sir P. Cmrie to the Marquess of Salisburi/. — (Received Auyiist 30.) My Lord, Constantinople, August 2G, 1897. WITH reference to the Circular of the Sth ultimo, I have the honour to forward to your Lordship herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from Her Majesty's Consul at Constantinople in answer to the Circular in question. I have, &c. (Signed) PHILIP CUPtRIE. Inclosure iu jS'o. 2'.). Consul Eyres to Sir P. Curric. Sir Constantinople, August 24, 1897. WITH reference to your E.xcellency's (icspatch of the Kith instant, trans- mitting a Commercial Circular from the Alarquess of Salisbury relative to bounties on shipping and preferential railways rates, 1 have the honour to state that so far as I am able to discover, no changes have been introduced with regard to bounties or sul)si(iies on the construction or running of ships since the date of the last report '\n 1895. Tiiere are also no Government railways in tiiis country, and consequently no grants of preferential railway rates by the Government exist. I have, &c. (Signed) IL C. A. EYRES. 115 UNITED STATES. No. 30. Mr. Adam lo the Marquess of Salisbury. — {Received August 28.) My Lord, Manchester, Massachusetts, August 15, 1897. IN obedience to the instructions contained in your Lordsliip's despatch. Commercial, of the 8th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit herewith a summary drawn up by Mr. Rei^inald Tower, Second Secretary in this Embassy, of information supplementary to that inclosed in Lord Gough's despatch to your Lordship of the 27th June, 1S95, respecting bounties or subsidies on the construction or running of ships and respecting preferential railway rates, which has been kindly procured by tlie Department of State from the Treasury, Post Office, and Literstate Commerce Commission. I have, &c. (Signed) C. F. FREDERICK ADAM. Inciosure in No. 30. Summary of Information furnished by the United States Secretary of the Treasury, the Postmaster-General, and the Interstate Commerce Commission. THE Secretary of the Treasury states that there have been no changes since June 1895. The Postmaster-General malces a similar statement with regard to the payment by the TInited States of bounties or subsidies in connection with ships employed in the conveyance of the mails. In reply, however, to the inquiry " as to the granting of preferential railway rates either by the Government of the United States or those of the several States," the Postmaster states that, understanding this inquiry to refer only to payment for the carriage of the mails by railroads, no preferential rates are allowed except in a i'ew cases where Congress provides a comparatively small appropriation for special facilities, viz., payments for extra or special faciHties furnished by the Railway Companies at the request of the Government, to expedite the transportation of the mails between certain important points. The expenditure for the tiscal year ended on the 30th June, 1896, used as a special facility fund for a fast mail service from New England and New York to southern States, reaching as far south as New Orleans, was as follows :— 1. New York to Philadelphia (Pennsylvania Railway Company), 96'65 miles ; pay per annum 11,3-31 dol. 25 c. (say 2,266/.). 2. Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., 137"53 miles; pay 17,191 dol. 25 c. (o,438L). 3. VVashington, D.C., to Lynchburg, Va. (Southern Railway Company), 173T3 miles ; pay 21 ,755 dollars (4,351/.). 4. Lvnchbur^:, Va., to Danville Junction, Va., 65"52 miles; pav 8,217 dol. 50 c. (1,643/.).' 5. Danville Junction, Va., to Charlotte, !N.C., 142-29 miles; pay 17,850 dollars (3,570/.). 6. Charlotte, N.C., to Atlanta, Ga., 267-71 miles; pav 33,463 dol. 75 c (6,692/.). 7. Atlanta, Ga., to West Point, Ga. (Atlanta to West Point Railway Company), 86-32 miles; pay 10,790 dollars (2,15S/.). 8. West Point, Ga., to Montgomery, Ala. (Western Railwav Company of Alabama), 86'40 miles; pay 10,800 dollars (2,160/.). 9. Montgomery, Ala., to New Orleans, La. (Louisville and Nashville Railway), 318-72 miles ; pay 39,840 dollars (7,968/.). The Secretary of the Interstate Commerce Commission writes, under date of the 31st July, 1897, that " preferential railway rates have not been granted by the Govern- ment of the United States. The railways engaged in interstate commerce are entitled to 110 charge such rates as they deem proper, subject to the prohibitions against unreasonable- ness^ unjust discrimination, and undue preference, and to requirements for publication and filing of rate schedules, as set forth in tiie Act to regulate commerce, copy of which is inclosed.* " The fourth section of the Statute provides for the granting of relief from the opera- tion of its provisions upon application by carriers to the Conmiission and alter due investigation, and several relieving orders have been granted under that section ; but such orders have been based upon special facts which seem to justify a departure from the rule of the Statute. " Some of the States have similar methods of regulation, and in others a Board or Commission has authority to prescribe classifications and rates of transportation, but this Commission is not advised that preferential rates, as between railways or in favour of particular localities, have been granted in any of the States." * Deposited in the House of Commous Library. ejJ T- J^gS. '-.-c^^-r