IO44 



interests in Sicily was made by the law of August I, 1906. The output of stone from quarries, 

 the number of which has been on the increase, had in 1910 a value of over 2,000,000. 



Fisheries. The number of boats has again risen from 23,908 in 1902 to 26,676 in 1909, 

 manned by 111,272 persons, the value of the catch being nearly 900,000, according to 

 figures which are believed to be below the truth. The great rise in the price of fish, as of food of 

 all kinds, is noticeable. The sponge fishery, in the water of Lampedusa, produced 31 tons 

 of sponges, and the coral fishery only 50 tons (135 tons in 1908, but the figure varies greatly), 

 and only 515 men were employed. The tunny fisheries have also had varying fortune 

 (3,3oo in 1908 and 5,700 tons in 1909). 



Manufactures. Industrial progress has been strongly marked, despite the fact that 

 certain manufactures are still so highly taxed as to render their development difficult, jam- 

 making and the distilling of spirit from surplus wine being cases in point. Considerable 

 progress is visible in almost all the metallurgical industries. The production of pig iron 

 increased from 135,000 tons in 1906 to 353,000 in 1910, wrought iron from 237,000 to 311,000, 

 steel from 333,000 to 670,000. Importation of ores and metals continues to increase also 

 (with fluctuations owing to strikes, etc.) owing to the large increase in consumption in Italy. 

 (See Report on Trade of the Consular District of Milan for 1911; No. 4988). 



The total quantity of electrical machinery required in 1910 was about 16,000 tons, of 

 which Italy produced more than half. There is a rapid extension of the application of water 

 power to lighting. The production of raw silk shows a considerable decrease (from 6,047 

 tons in 1906 to 4,891 tons in 1910); and the cotton industry suffered greatly from the war 

 with Turkey, which in 1910 had taken over 10,000 tons of textiles from Italy; though other 

 causes also contributed to the crisis. The value of the chemical output has risen enormously, 

 from 4,093,000 in 1906 to 6,001,000 in 1910. The production of beet sugar has risen 

 to 173,184 tons, together with 62,700 tons of syrups and molasses. The output of alcohol 

 is slightly above that of 1906, but is much- below the average. Brewing has increased 

 greatly, from 359,921 hectolitres in 1906-7 to 598,315 in 1910-11. 



Labour Conditions, etc. The condition of the working classes has greatly improved. 

 Wages have risen, though owing to the general rise of food prices and rents also there is some 

 difficulty in making them go as far as before, especially as there has been no reduction of 

 taxation on the prime necessaries of life. The number of strikes varied irregularly between 

 1904 and 1910, from 628, involving 110,832 workmen, in 1905, to 1891, involving 327,113 

 workmen in 1907; while in 1910 there were 1021, involving 172,969 workmen. These figures 

 are far above those for 1871-1900. 



There has been a great and continuous rise in the deposits in the various savings banks, 

 credit banks, etc., showing a continuance of hard work and thrift. In 1901 the total of the 

 deposits showed an average of 3-4s.od. per head; at the end of 1910 it was over 2145 mill- 

 ions sterling, an average of nearly 6.3s.od. per head. In September 1911 the amount in 

 the post office savings banks had risen to nearly 74 millions (and it has risen another if 

 millions in the succeeding 12 months): while at the end of June 1911 the amount in the 

 ordinary savings banks was over 98 millions, representing a rise of two millions since Decem- 

 ber 31, 1910. At the end of 1910 there were 5,064 co-operative societies, and of these 

 statistics are available for 4,222: these had 817,529 members and a capital of nearly 4j 

 millions. The Cassa depos-iti e Prestiti, which was founded as early as 1863, has had its 

 functions considerably enlarged by various laws between 1896 and 1911. It is a central 

 State chest for voluntary deposits or those ordered by law, which are invested in State 

 bonds or guaranteed bonds or in loans to provinces and communes. Its principal receipts 

 are from the post office savings banks, but it also manages the revenues of certain benevolent 

 and provident institutions, such as the national sickness and old age pension fund, etc. 

 The total funds with which it had to deal in 1910 amounted to nearly 93 millions 

 sterling, of which nearly 6 millions came from the Post Office savings banks. 



Insurance. The law of April 4, 19 12^ constituted a State monopoly of life insurance, 

 and a national institution for carrying it on, which is obliged to invest its capital in State 

 bonds or bonds guaranteed by the State. It will place a large amount of capital at the 

 immediate service of the State, which will prevent the necessity of immediate taxation to 

 meet increased expenditure. In 1910, 358,325 workmen were subscribers to the national 

 pension fund (Cassa Nazionale di Previdenza), the number having risen very rapidly since 

 the foundation of the fund, which is an entity independent of the State, though under the 

 supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce. 



Commerce. in 1910 (excluding precious metals and goods in transit) the imports 

 amounted to 129,839,039, and the exports 83,199,095, showing an increase respectively 

 of about 4 per cent and 11.4 per cent over the preceding year. (See Report on Foreign 

 Trade of Italy for IQIO: Annual Series No. 4836). The increase in the value of imports is 

 due mainly to the higher price of raw cotton (imported mainly from the United States and 

 British India), and to a larger importation of cereals (from Russia and Rumania), and of 

 indiarubber (from Brazil). As regards exports, an increase of about 3,000,000 under the 

 head of spirits, wines and oils and of over 1,400,000 in cotton goods, has taken place, but 

 this was largely due to forced sales of accumulated stocks at a loss, owing to the higher price 

 of the raw material. With the exception of the silk trade, which has a decrease of li3OO,- 



