330 MALT AND BEER IN SPANISH AMERICA. 



BEER. 



The total imports of beer and cider in bottles for the half year end- 

 ing December 31, 1884, were as follows: 



* In United States money, t In Mexican money. 



These are the latest dates given in Mexican statistics, by which the 

 details of imports as above can be stated. It will be seen that even as 

 far back as that date we sent more than 50 per cent, of all the beer, and 

 our volume and proportion have steadily increased each year since. 



For the year ending June 30, 1888, the imports from the United 

 States are stated at 



For this last date I am not able to give imports from any other coun- 

 try nor am I able to say certainly whether the money stated is in 

 United States gold invoice values or Mexican plaza values. 



The import duties on beer are as follows : ^ 



Beer or cider : Ccntx- 



In bottles (net weight) kilo.. 20 



In barrels (net weight) do.. 10 



No allowance for breakage or leakage. 



Additional: Liquor tax, 8 per cent, on import duty, and 2 per cent, tax additional 

 on gross for harbor improvements, and 2 per cent, on gross for stamps. 



From this it will be seen that the import duties on beer in bottles are 

 very high, about 75 per cent, of the frontier price, and as a result the 

 importation is not large. In the United States and in Europe the 

 larger part of the consumption of beer is by the poor or moderately 



