l6o PAPER IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



small; and, as the risks are great, -the advisability of building up 

 American exports under existing conditions is doubtful. 

 There are no exports of paper or pulp from this district. 



GENERAL. 



All merchandise (paper included) is brought to Greece by water. 

 The Austrian, Greek, and British ships carry the bulk of the cargoes. 

 There are several regular lines of steamships and a large number 

 of tramp ships which visit the ports in this consular district. 



CUSTOMS DUTIES ON PAPER. 



The following are the duties levied on paper imported into Greece : 



Writing paper; Cents. 



Unglazed per pound... 3 



Glazed do sf 



Wrapping paper do. if 



News paper, imprinted do i 



Common white (pad) do 2^ 



Pasteboard do 2f 



All printed matter is admitted free of duty. 



ALONZO C. YATES, 

 PATRAS, January 21, 1899. Consul. 



ITALY. 



CATANIA. 



After being much delayed by the slowness of the paper dealers 

 in complying with my request for samples and prices of paper, I 

 have finally been told that they are ready to receive samples and 

 quotations; but they do not care to state the present cost. They 

 seem distrustful of the use to which the information would be put, 

 and, as the publishers referred me to the dealers, I am unable to 

 give current prices. 



POPULATION. 



The population of this consular district is estimated at 1,250,000. 

 It is doubtful if an official census has ever been taken. The last 

 one of this city (in 1881) gave the population at 103,000; it is now 

 officially estimated at 1 24,000. The percentage of illiterates is placed 

 at between 60 and 70. One of the odd and interesting sights to a 

 stranger visiting the city is the groups of men of from 40 to 100 each 

 on the wide walk facing the sea, listening to readings by one of their 



