EUROPE: BELGIUM. 



59 



It is to be remarked that the figures above given represent what 

 is called "commerce special" in this country that is to say, they 

 represent merchandise which has been declared for internal consump- 

 tion either before importation or at the time of its release from the 

 custom-house. 



It will be observed that the importation during the year 1897 from 

 our country was relatively of small importance, but considerably in- 

 creased in 1898. From reliable sources, it is ascertained that, owing 

 to the formation of a syndicate of Belgian newspaper publishers for 

 the importation of the American product for their purposes, the 

 Belgian manufacturers have been obliged to lower the price of 

 the same variety of goods. 



In regard to the valuation of the paper imported, referring to 

 the table before given, in which the statistics of importation for the 

 years 1897 and 1898 are stated, the valuation for customs purposes 

 was in the case of wall paper 19.3 cents per 2.2046 pounds; card- 

 board, 3 cents per 2.2046 pounds; printing, packing, writing, and 

 drawing paper, 9 cents per 2.2046 pounds. 



IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. 



The following table shows figures giving the total of Belgian im- 

 portations and exportations of paper during the last four years. In 

 this case, as in that of the table previously given, it will be borne 

 in mind that the figures represent the special commerce of the 

 country, as explained. 



In all cases where figures are given, the sources from which they 

 have been taken are the latest publications of the treasury, the De- 

 partment of Railroads, and the Department of Industry and Labor, 



