March 1895.] EXTRACTS FEOM DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR 349 



REPORTS. 



so-called " Mittelland " canal project, if it could be made so as 

 to afford a practicable waterway from east to west without 

 communicating directly with the Russian waterways, would not 

 be open to this objection, and would be of great benetit to the 

 eastern agriculturists. The western industries would also profit 

 by the cheapening of the rates of freights eastwards, but the 

 agriculture of the central and western provinces would sufi:er 

 by it. The latter, however, is said to have a sufficient advantage 

 by being in the neighbourhood of the great consuming centres 

 to be able to support this loss. 



What has been said of canals applies equally to the navigable 

 rivers — the Oder, the Elbe, and the Rhine serve far more for the 

 importation of foreign grain than for the transport of the home- 

 grown article. 



The position of the forest industries with regard to canals is, 

 it appears, similar to that of agriculture. Tliey gladly avail 

 themselves of water carriage for their heavy transports of 

 timber and wood, but they deplore the facilities which the 

 waterways afford for the importation of timber from Russia, 

 Sweden, and Bohemia. 



The attitude of the Conservative party (which practically 

 represents the agricultural interest) and of that part of the 

 Centre party which is connected with agriculture, on the occa- 

 sion of the debates on the recent Canal Bills in the Prussian 

 House of Deputies, shows that the majority of agriculturists are 

 at present rather opposed to, than in favour of, an extension of 

 the canal system. 



[Foreign Office Report, Miscellaneous Series, No. 845. 

 Frice lOd] 



