— II — 



for the country. In Brazil there has lately been talk of the intro- 

 duction of a differential duty on German goods as a reprisal for the 

 increase, in Germany, of the duty on coffee. Unfortunately this 

 project appears to meet with much favour in Brazil, which is a matter 

 of great regret from the point of view of the interests of German 

 exports to this popular market. 



Since our last Report no change of importance has occurred in 

 the state of business in Chili. It is true that the creation of a special 

 harbour police sendee, under the control of the customs department, 

 in the ports of Valparaiso, Talcahuano, Iquique, and Antofagasta has 

 brought about some degree of improvement in the conditions pre- 

 vailing in those ports, which formerly defied description, but strong 

 complaints of robbery of merchandise continue to be the order of 

 the day. It has been ascertained by the German Consul - General 

 n Valparaiso that these robberies chiefly take place while the goods 

 are stored on open lighters, and on the roads. The new harbour 

 works which have been projected for Valparaiso for some time, and 

 the execution of which, it was thought, would do a good deal towards 

 removing the prevailing unsatisfactory conditions, unfortunately do not 

 appear much nearer realisation, chiefly owing to financial difficulties. 



The following particulars of special interest to our branch are also 

 taken from a report of the German Consulate referred to above: — 

 In 1908 the value of the imports of pharmaceutical preparations and 

 drugs amounted to $ 2686412 x ); the value of the drugs exported 

 was $ 2940; perfumery was imported to a total value of $ 681 719, 

 mainly from France, Germany and the United States. The import 

 value of face-powder alone amounted to $ 147 188, this preparation being 

 very popular in Chili, while $ 143568 worth of toilet soap was im- 

 ported from abroad. It is said, however, that it is difficult to import 

 soap, because it is subject to a high protective duty, and is very largely 

 manufactured locally. There is, for instance, a large toilet soap factory 

 in Valparaiso, which is said to have a turnover of from $ 7000 to 

 $ 1 2 000 monthly ; and another in Santiago with a monthly turnover 

 of $ 14000. 



Interesting comparative statistics of the foreign trade (imports and 

 exports added together) of Argentina, Brazil, Chili and Uruguay from 

 1892 up to 1908 inclusive have been published by the Department 

 of Commerce and Industry of the Argentine Ministry of Commerce. 

 These figures speak so plainly and enable us to draw such important 

 general conclusions with regard to the development of the foreign 

 trade and the purchasing power of the various republics concerned, 

 that we feel compelled to place them before our readers: — 



r ) One Peso gold = 18 d. 



