368 GEOGRAPHIC NOTES 



Germany. The annual production of lumber in Germany is estimated 

 at 8,300,000 tons. The imports have risen from 2,800,000 tons in 1891 to 

 3,200,000 tons in 1S96, but according to Mr T. E. Moore, United States 

 commercial agent at Weimar, there is not the sligiitest disposition to relax 

 the stringent forest regulations which have so long been in force. Mr 

 Moore adds that at the rate at which the devastation of forests is now 

 going on in Russia, Sweden, and Galicia, those countries will soon have 

 the same experience as Spain, which has been deprived of a part of her 

 natural riches by the shortsighted policy of past generations. 



ASIA 



Korea. Korea is becoming to a large extent the rice granary of Japan 

 and Japanese manufactures are driving the products of other countries 

 out of the Korean market simply by virtue of their cheapness. 



Hong-Kong. The total tonnage entering and leaving the port of 

 Hong-Kong in 1896 amounted to 16^ millions. Of this about 7j millions 

 represented the tonnage of junks and river steamers, leaving about nine 

 million tons engaged in foreign trade, of which more than one-half was 

 British. 



Siberia. Railway commtmication has now been established between 

 Khabarovka and Vladivostok, and the line will be opened for traffic at 

 an early date. The Russian government has purchased ten tons of choice 

 seed grain from the Canadian experiment stations for distribution among 

 the Siberian farmers. 



NORTH AMERICA 



Canada. The mineral output of British Columbia in 1896 amounted 

 to $7,146,425, as compared with a total of $2,668,608 in 1890. 



Mexico. The Mexican government has officially promulgated a con- 

 cession for a railroad from Chihuahua to the Pacific coast. The length 

 of the line will be 372.8 miles, and to aid in its construction the govern- 

 ment agrees to pay the promoters a subsidy of $4,600,000. It has also 

 granted a concession, without subsidy, for the construction of a railroad 

 from Presidio del Norte, on the Rio Grande, state of Chihuahua, west, 

 via Chihuahua city, to a point on the Pacific coast in the state of Sinaloa. 

 U. S. Consul R. M. Burke states that the mineral wealth of the region 

 through which these roads must pass is beyond calculation;. 



AUSTRALASIA 



The Australasian gold yield during 1896 amounted to 2,375,948 ounces, 

 an increase of 16,704 ounces on the preceding year. 



The forests of the colony of Western Australia cover an estimated 

 area of 20,400,000 acres and contain marketable timber to the value of 

 £124,000,000. 



Queensland has at last agreed to join in the Australasian federation 

 movement, and the Federal Convention has adjourned until January, 

 1898, when Queensland will be represented. 



