II 11 



599 300 



ii 11 



549 700 



11 n 



512 600 



» >j 



390 800 



ii ii 



491 700 



Introduction. 7 



the increased orders from oversea markets as a result of their greatly enhanced 

 purchasing power. This subject is dealt with in detail in our references to those 

 particular countries. 



It is true that the difficulties which have been placed in the way of the shipment 

 of our commodities have not yet been legally removed since our last Report was 

 published, but the Commissions which have been appointed to draw up proposals of 

 settlement are hard at work, and the final and satisfactory solution of this serious 

 problem may therefore shortly be expected. 



The subjoined figures show the imports and exports of essential oils 1 ) into and 

 from Germany during the last six years: — 



1912 Imports of essential oils 1578 400 Kilos, Exports of essential oils 711300 Kilos 



1911 „ „ „ „ 1251200 „ 



1910 „ „ „ „ 1524 300 „ 



1909 „ „ „ „ 755 800 „ 



1908 „ • „ „ „ 911300 „ 



1907 „ „ „ „ 1498 600 „ 



The foreign trade of Germany in synthetics 2 ) during the past five years was as 



follows: — 



1912 Imports 18 400 Kilos, Exports 574 800 Kilos 



492 800 „ 



428 800 „ 



n 417100 „ 



280 000 „ 



It will be seen from the above figures that in our industry the exchange of com- 

 modities with foreign countries has made considerable progress in all directions in the 

 year 1912. This applies especially to the export trade, in which even the German 

 record-year 1907 was left far behind. 



Although the situation of the spirit-industry of Austria-Hungary does not as yet 

 display any noticeable improvement, and in spite of the fact that the struggle with 

 the Spirit-Trust, to which reference was made in our last Report, is still in progress, 

 we have no reason whatever to complain of the amount of sales of our manufactures 

 effected by our branch-factory of Bodenbach, our turnover there again showing an 

 important advance on that of the year 1911. The new law on the taxation of spirit, 

 which will inflict a burden upon all branches of industry in which alcohol is used, 

 was planned to come into force on March 1 st , but the date of its entering into operation 

 has again had to be postponed, because it was found impossible to carry the so-called 

 "Minor Financial Scheme" through the House of Representatives before Easter. It is 

 now probable that the introduction of the increased spirit-tax will be delayed until 

 September 1 st , when the manufacturing season opens, because an earlier enforcement 

 would cause technical difficulties of administration. We understand that it is con- 

 templated to increase the excise-duty payable upon alcohol from 0,90 to 1,40 Kronen 

 per hectoliter. So far as we are able to form a judgment of the state of the soap- 

 and perfumery-industries in Austria from the orders received by us, this branch has 

 continued to make good progress, in spite of the general complaints of keen compe- 

 tition and low rates of profit. In view of the serious increase in the cost of raw 

 materials during the past year, the Austrian toilet-soap and perfumery manufacturers 



1911 



ti 



17 300 



1910 



i; 



17 900 



1909 



n 



16100 



1908 



ii 



11300 



x ) Statistisches Warenverzeichnis, No. 353 b/c. — 2 ) Statistisches Warenverzeiehnis, No. 354. 



