Introduction. 17 



in good faith according to the best of their knowledge. But even an attempt to act 

 in this manner is impossible, because there is no basis whatever to proceed upon. 

 The businesses affected do not object to an increased taxation of perfumes, but they 

 ask that this shall be levied as part of the customs duty, and they refuse to submit 

 to the chicanery of a complicated system of Inland Revenue stamps. 



It is to hoped that in future our clientele will not be vexed by troubles of this 

 kind, which inflict serious economic injury upon them. 



In Uruguay also the situation during the past year has been satisfactory, the 

 wool-clip having yielded a better result than in 1911, because the climatic conditions 

 had been favourable to the sheep. The high wool-prices realised in Europe left plenty 

 of profit and therefore stimulated the purchasing power of the population. 



With regard to the sale of perfumery, soaps and toilet-preparations in Uruguay, 

 the German Consulate at Montevideo reports that the lion's share of the imports, 

 over 70 p. c, falls to France. Next in order come England, Germany, the United 

 States of America, and Belgium. The subjoined figures show that during the past ten 

 years the imports from Germany have not only increased actually, but also relatively 

 to the total imports. 



Total Imports Proportion of 



Y ear Imports from Germany total Imports 



Pesos Pesos p. c. 



1902 . .» 74 037 4157 5,61 



1903 . 76110 4616 6,06 



1904 50110 2 471 4,93 



1905 98 568 5 698 5,77 



1906 109 103 5 435 4,98 



1907 155 901 6130 3,96 



1908 137 988 8 299 6,oi 



1909 138 556 9 078 6,55 



1910 127 242 10 785 8,47 



1911 148 642 13 197 8,87 



10 Years 1 116 257 69 866 6,25. 



According to the German official statistics, the imports into Uruguay of soap, in 

 the solid and liquid form, were as follows: — 



1910 17400 Kilos, value 29000 Marks 



1911 19100 „ „ 35000 „ 



In Uruguay itself there are several large soap works, which produce chiefly 

 common grades, but in part also household soaps of better quality at low prices. 

 The raw material for the manufacture of soap is obtainable cheaply in the country 

 itself. 



We are also able to report favourably again on business in Chile. The principal 

 products of this country, copper, nitrate of soda and agricultural produce, have been 

 exported in increased quantities and have brought satisfactory prices. The resultant 

 profits will stimulate the consumption of foreign, including German, manufactures on 

 a still more extensive scale than at present, as soon as the excessive stocks now 

 held in the country have been used up. The existence of these stocks has already 

 brought about the ruin of many business firms. According to a report by the German 

 Consul-General at Valparaiso the crop-prospects for 1912/13 are good; cattle-raising 

 also has made good progress, which fact is the more important because the prices 



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