Hamburg's Trade in Eggs. 



387 



land, amounted to .£1,208,200, whilst the exportations in 

 the same year attained a value of £833,400. These figures 

 were larger than the corresponding totals of 1897 and 1896, 

 in which years the imports were valued at £1,203,200 and 

 £1,125,400, and the exports at £833,000 and £799,400 

 respectively. The quantities arriving and despatched were, 

 however, as will be seen from the accompanying tables, some- 

 what greater in 1897, so that the intrinsic value of the eggs 

 was considered to be somewhat higher in the later year. 



The consumption of eggs in Hamburg, which is now esti- 

 mated to number nearly 700,000 inhabitants, is of course 

 large ; but the greater proportion of those brought thither are 

 destined for re-exportation, and come chiefly from the interior 

 of Germany by the Berlin-Hamburg railway, and through 

 Liibeck from Russia. The importations by sea, which until 

 four or five years ago were of trifling importance, have also 

 been increasing in extent of late; for during the year 1898 

 the value of the direct importations by sea from the Baltic 

 ports of Russia amounted to £131,500, as against £116,200 

 and £43,500 in 1897 an( ^ ^96 respectively. The impulse 

 to the extension of this direct sea-borne trade between 

 Russian ports and Hamburg has been given by the opening 

 of the North Sea-Baltic Canal. Before that event Liibeck 

 was the exclusive port of arrival for Russian eggs destined 

 for the Hamburg market. In spite of this diversion of trade, 

 the indirect importation via Liibeck did not diminish in any 

 considerable degree until 1898 ; and the falling-off in the past 

 year may possibly have been due to other causes. An in- 

 creasing though limited import trade in eggs will be seen to 

 exist between Morocco and Hamburg ; whilst the imports from 

 other countries are of very bmall account. 



By far the most important consumer of eggs exported from 

 Hamburg is the United Kingdom, for out of a total expor- 

 tation of eggs to the value of £833,400 in 1898 no less than 

 £732,900 worth were destined for this country. This 

 total has varied little in the last three years. The 

 exportations by sea to other countries are inconsiderable, 

 France, Norway, and the Netherlands being the most impor- 

 tant among them. The value of the eggs esq torted by rail to 



