320 
prices of late years is due, as suggested, to the competi ition of 
wood-pulp. The figures are compiled from the circulars issued 
by Messrs. Ide & Christie, 72, Mark Lane, E.C :— 
Average Price per Ton, 
Source and Quality. 
1878. 1898, 
RAUA posa 
Spanish, fine to best ive suk sv wx pO 5-0 515 0 
ji fair to good... i T a E 10. 0.0 5. Gea 
Algeria 
oma frst — Us P sis PS us 7.10 0 8.6 8 
ODd. s. nan e zie ey p E d d 
Tipo handy -picked : ais ied ^ 6 10 0 F 1. 
fair average axe us x $e 0 0-0 216 3 
Messrs. ae & Christie furnish the following additional 
particulars 
* Total din aria’ into the United a of esparto and other 
oe fibre for making paper, viz 
1896, 1897, 1898. 
ons. ; ; 
Month ended 30th Pene Ps 5s 17,952 18,268 15,512 
Six months ended 30th June 103,707 | 110,977 110.655 
Importation for eal vede ending June 200,806 | 194,549 204,257 
| 
| 
“These statistics are the best evidence of the undiminished 
hold which esparto maintains on the estimation of British Bd acts 
makers, erage en read in conjunction with the enormou ight 
of the wood-pu ilb imports, testify to the remarkable expansion of 
the stalin ta 2 industry of this kingdom in recent year 
