COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 209 



The imports from France and Germany, consisting more especially 

 in silks, woolen goods, etc.. rather than in cotton goods, have also fallen 

 off very materially since Italian manufacturers have begun to produce 

 the same articles with increased success. Recourse must still be had 

 to foreign countries for articles of " haute uouveaute"," and for textiles 

 of superior quality. 



Tuscany produces principally light cotton goods; Piedmont and 

 Liguria manufacture heavier articles; Lombardy excels in the produc- 

 tion of shirtings. Of late years the manufacturers have not only im- 

 proved the quality of their goods, but have also improved in the dressing 

 and bleaching. Shirtings, gray cloths, etc., are salable in southern 

 Italy, provided they contain more or less starch, hence they are not 

 sold by weight but by measure. 



There is an establishment at Messina that produces cotton shirting 

 and prints. The shirting is woven by hand. The calicoes (used for 

 prints) are imported from England (the duty on the same being com- 

 paratively light) and the printing is done at a very handsome profit. 

 They have still much to learn in this art, but as the great majority of 

 the population seeks cheapness rather than quality, this establishment 

 finds ready sale for its goods, both in Sicily and on the continent. 



KINDS IMPORTED. 



As to the quantity of cotton textiles imported into Messina during 

 the year 1888, the figures furnished by the director of the Messina cus- 

 tom-house are as below : 



Plain woven cotton goods, weighing, per 100 square meters : 



Kilograms. 



13 kilograms and upwards 96,796 



7to 13 kilograms ". 170,830 



Less than 7 kilograms 1,656 



Cotton goods not specified 20, 024 



WHENCE IMPORTED. 



) Kilograms. 



England 259,566 



Austria 3,691 



France 16,094 



Germany 3,149 



Switzerland 4,994 



Belgium 353 



United States 1,459 



Total 289,306 



DUTIES. 



Total duties collected on above, $60,418. Goods are usually bought 

 at thirty days, with 2 per cent, discount, or at three months without 

 discount. 



608A 14 



