112 SUGAR 



c onsumer, a price, after deducting the duty, about double 

 the price in outside markets ; (3) the quantity of sugar to 

 be kept in reserve, a portion of which was to be thrown 

 on the market if prices rose above the fixed limit. Each 

 manufacturer was allowed to send into consumption 

 a fixed quantity of sugar, and then his surplus produc- 

 tion was apportioned to the home market in proportion 

 to his total production. Here was not only a security 

 for good profits in the home market but also a constant 

 stimulus to over-production. Fortunately the Russian 

 consumption, in spite of the high price, steadily 

 increases, owing to the constant extension of the Empire 

 eastwards. But at times there is a large surplus to 

 be got rid of, which has to be thrown on the outside 

 markets and sold, for what it will fetch. The high price 

 at home maintains even then, for the Russian producer, 

 a large average profit far beyond the natural level. 

 This is, in fact, a " Combine " or " Cartel," established 

 and regulated, not by the industry but by the Govern- 

 ment, and strictly supervised by them. The details 

 have been modified from time to time, but the main 

 features remain. The production in Russia was 159,000 

 tons in 1875, 475,000 tons in 1885, 679,000 tons in 1895, 

 1,127,000 tons in 1909-10, and exceeded 2,000,000 tons 

 in the two following years. The year before the war, 

 Russia produced 1,750,000 tons, but by 1916-17 the 

 production had fallen to 1,160,000 tons. 



During the war the production in Germany, Austria, 

 and France has fallen considerably, as shown in 

 Appendix II. 



Turning~to the exports from Germany and Austria, 

 the former exported, in 1875, 7,245 tons of refined sugar, 

 and, in 1897, 503,928 tons. Austria in 1875, exported 

 39,887 tons of refined sugar, and, in 1897, 460,154 tons. 

 The raw sugar exports in 1883 were, from France 42,236 



