10 REPORT OF SCHMMIEL 8 Co. APRIL 1914. 
of activity in the soap-industry was compensated by increased demand in other depart- 
ments. The law regulating the Excise Duty on Alcohol which had so long been 
expected, was enacted on 234 January 1914, and came into force on February 15+. 
Under its provisions the excise duty on alcohol established by the law of 8t July 1901 
has been increased, the manufacturing-duty and the duty payable on sale for con- 
sumption (lower scale) being raised to 1.40 Kronen per liter alcohol and the duty on 
sale for consumption (higher scale) to 1.60 Kronen per liter alcohol. Although this 
new tax constitutes an unpleasant burden for the liqueur-industry, which is not very 
prosperous in any case, yet it cannot be said that the increased tax oppresses this 
branch to such an extent as was often stated to be the case in the press before the 
tax was enacted. Moreover, concurrently with the increase in the excise the Aus- 
trian spirit-trust reduced its selling prices, so that the price-raising effect of the law 
was largely counteracted. To give an example, we have found it possible to leave 
the prices of by far the greater part of our alcoholic essences unchanged. 
The import- and export-movement of essential oils in the Austro-Hungarian 
Monarchy during the last two years has been as follows: — 
IMPORTS. 1913 1912 
Laurel-, rosemary-, juniper- and light camphor oil . . 20200 kilos 15900 kilos 
Essential oils not especially enumerated . ... . . 109900 , 95800 __,, 
Essential oils and fruits of the Citrus-family. . . . . 19500 ,, 23:300 ins 
Bitter almond oil, cajuput oil, melissa oil, peppermint 
oil, sandalwood oil, sassafras oil, mustard oil and 
cedarwood oll’, #8) ARETE GS enemy sh Sl AOL OO oem 36900 _,, 
190 300 kilos 171900 kilos 
EXPORTS. OE Hs 
Laurel-, rosemary-, juniper- and light camphor oil . . 320600 kilos 22 400 kilos 
Othervessenitial ‘oils ® 0k Oe TR eee te 8 eS BOO tary 44700 ,, 
84 400 kilos 67 100 kilos 
According to the December-issue of the Statistical Returns relating to the foreign 
trade of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy‘), the commercial balance of the year 1913 
closes with an excess of imports over exports of 516,5 million Kronen, showing an 
improvement of 226,5 millions compared with the previous year, when the balance on 
the same side was 743 millions. 
The increase of our trade with France last year was so great as to constitute a 
record, and we mention this fact with the greater pleasure because competition is 
exceptionally keen in this very receptive market. We see in it fresh proof that the 
French perfumery industry, which means the industry of the connoisseurs in our branch 
of trade, fully appreciates our efforts to supply only the best of the best. We shall 
know to honour the confidence of these customers in the future as we have done in 
the past. ) 
We are informed by the Central Bureau for the preparation of Commercial Treaties 
that according to the returns for 1913 supplied by the General Direction of the French 
Customs, the imports into France from Germany in that year reached a value of 
1074 million francs, and French exports to Germany a value of 869 million francs. As 
compared with the preceding year, therefore, the imports from Germany have risen 
1) Nachr. f. Handel, Ind. u. Landw. 1914, No. 19 
