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soaps has risen from £ 4000 in 1906 to £ 10000 in 1909, whereas the val . 

 of the imports of toilet soaps from all other countries together amount 

 to €37000 in 1906 and £42000 in 1909. We are of opinion that there 

 is no reason why our German toilet soap industry should allow itself to 

 be elbowed out of this important market, and we are convinced that the 

 statistics of the current year will again show favourable figures so far as 

 the imports of German toilet soaps are concerned. It is said that the 

 imports of household soap into Japan have doubled since 1908. The ex- 

 ports of Japanese soaps, which go mainly to China and Korea, reached 

 a value of £ 69200 in 1909, as compared with £ 60900 in 1908. 



We cannot close the present review without a mention of China, 

 although our sales in that country afford no occasion for detailed comment. 

 An Imperial Edict recently promulgated establishes a uniform currency 

 throughout the Chinese Empire, with the Silver Dollar as the unit. As 

 was to be expected, the practice hitherto prevailing, under which each 

 provincial town minted its own silver and copper coin, had led, especially 

 in recent years, to a desperate state of confusion in the lower grades of 

 coin, and there is reason for the greatest satisfaction in the knowledge 

 that this state of things, which is almost unthinkable according to our 

 notions, is now to be finally swept away. 



Commercial Notes and Scientific Information 

 on Essential Oils. 



Almond Oil, pressed, from Almonds. Ph. G. IV. The rumours 

 which were current at the beginning of the summer concerning the con- 

 dition of the almond trees in the various producing districts were not 

 very cheerful, as everywhere considerable damage was reported to have 

 been caused by thunderstorms. Fortunately — as is often the case — 

 these rumours proved to be exaggerated, for it has since appeared that 

 the probable crop in Apulia is over 150000 bales, and in Sicily about 

 100000 bales of almonds. In the face of this result the prices, which are 

 maintained at about o4t 188. — per 100 kilos by speculative manipulations, 

 appear to be fully high enough, and are likely to undergo some weakening 

 within the next few months, unless an unexpected demand should set in. 

 We therefore hope that we shall be able to make a corresponding reduction 

 in our quotations for pressed almond oil. 



Almond Oil, pressed, from Apricot kernels. The warning to the 

 producers in Syria, expressed in our last Report, has unfortunately been 

 disregarded, and those concerned will now have to accept the conse- 

 quences. While the Syrian holders stood out doggedly for prices of from 



