SOUTH AMERICA: VENEZUELA. 



Importation of paper for printing for t lie years 



375 



1895 .... 



1896 .:. 



1897 ... 



Kilograms. Pounds. 

 1,031,683 = 2,274,448 

 1,580,614=3,484,622 

 I, 263, 279=2, 785,025 



Country of origin of paper imports for the years 1896 and 1897. 



Germany has gained steadily since 1897, generally at the expense 

 of Belgium and England. Italy has also gained. The official figures 

 for 1898 are not at hand, and exact data can not be given; but it 

 may be stated as a fact that the Germans are making continued 

 gains in this line here. 



ALBERT W. SWALM, 



MONTEVIDEO, January 26, 1899. Consul. 



VENEZUELA.* 



WRAPPING PAPER. 



Large quantities of wrapping paper are sold and used in Vene- 

 zuela, 90 per cent coming from Germany. Not a German steamship 

 arrives at this port from Europe that does not bring wrapping paper. 

 This is wood paper and is consequently a product which the United 

 States ought to be able to sell as cheaply as any country. 



Most of the printing paper for newspapers, etc., comes from the 

 United States, which is a proof that we can compete with Europe in 

 certain papers, and if American manufacturers study the wants of 

 this very valuable trade, they ought to be able to win it. 



Wrapping paper is sold in sheets of a light chocolate-brown 

 color; it is thin but strong; the size of sheets is 18^ by 13^ inches; 

 it comes in packages of 5 reams of 400 folded sheets per ream, or a 

 total of 2,000 sheets, weighing when packed for shipment 9^ kilo- 

 grams (20.94 pounds), or 1.9 kilograms (4.18 pounds) per ream of 

 500 sheets. 



*The above report, although not in answer to Department instruction, is included in the series 

 because of the similarity of interest. 



