FILES IN SPANISH AMERICA. 255 



Every one of the above prices is subject to a discount that now is and 

 for some time bas been i>'2.[ per cent. 



Any and every article manufactured under the foregoing specified 

 list at Sheffield has a fixed price as specified above. The dealer here 

 must make the best terms possible with the Sheffield dealer. It is need- 

 less to go through the entire list in the Troy circular. There are the 

 prices lor the above articles and a proportional price runs through the 

 entire list of this class of goods manufactured in Sheffield. In fact, -the 

 Sheffield manufacturers formed an organization some years ago, fixed 

 their prices, and have not deviated from those established prices since, 

 so I am informed. 



I have no doubt the Troy File Works Company can obtain on appli- 

 cation to any Sheffield manufacturer a price-list of all articles manufact- 

 ured by them.* To this price list, I am informed, the manufacturers 

 adhere. As far as I can learn, the purchasers here pay cash on receipt 

 of goods, receiving as before stated a discount that has often reached 

 62.} per cent. 



The rate of discount varies, of course, with the demand for the arti- 

 cles. There are three large hardware houses in the city ; one English, 

 selling on its own account and on commission also, and two Brazilian 

 houses doing business in the same way, I believe. 



The present rate of duty on all files and rasps is 500 reis, or say 25 

 cents per kilogram. 



It is probable on or about January 1 proximo, the present tariff 

 schedule will be revived. Whether the duty as it now stands on these 

 articles will undergo a revision is as yet unknown. The other charges 

 lor discharging, employment of lighters, etc., are more or less the same 

 as paid to similar labor in the United States. 



DAVID N. BURKE, 



Consul. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Bahia, December 9, 1889. 



PERNAMBUCO. 

 REPORT BY CONSUL BORSTEL. 



For the following information, in answer to the file circular, I am 

 indebted to Mr. William Halliday, the principal of the largest wholesale 

 iron-mongers in this city. Mr. Halliday informed me that if this matter 

 was pushed by a competent salesman he had no doubt but sales of 

 American files could be made here. 



* The Sheffield price-list, was transmitted by Consul Mercian, and is printed, 

 page 244. 



758A 2 



