Vol. VIII. No. 88. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[April, 1902.] 
105 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL AND 
INDUSTRIAL SUMMARIES. 
GENERAL COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. 
COLONIES. 
Angora Goats in 'New Zealand.*— Angora goats appear 
to be rendering a good account of themselves in New Zealand 
as destroyers of briars and brambles, which spread so freely as 
to become veritable pests unless kept in check. These goats 
are already running in several parts of the colony, and are 
found to be particularly well suited to rough country. The 
Agricultural Department recently imported a number from 
South Australia, and these, according to the Wellington Post, 
have been doing well on Somers Island, where they were sent to 
undergo quarantine. There exists throughout New Zealand a 
considerable demand for these animals, but much difficulty is 
experienced in supplying it. The Turks, it seems, have pro- 
hibited their export altogether, whilst in Cape Colony a heavy 
export duty has been imposed. Besides their value for keeping 
down brambles, briars, and similar pests of the land, the goats 
give a good supply of rich milk, whilst from each animal it is 
possible to cut every year from 4 lb. to 6 lb. of mohair, worth, it 
is stated, from is. 4d. to 2s, per lb, It is estimated that there 
are at present about four million Angora goats in Cape Colony. 
Camphor Production in Ceylon. — The production of 
camphor has increased in Ceylon since 1900. With the high 
price of £10 per cwt. which is obtained m the principal producing 
districts of japan in consequence of the Government monopoly, 
the prospects of this new product in Ceylon are very favourable. 
Up to the present the camphor trees in some districts of the 
island are growing satisfactorily, and a series of distilling experi- 
ments gave very satisfactory results. 
Quebec.— Progress or Settlement.— According to the 
recent report of the Minister of Lands, the total area of the un- 
conceded territory of the province of Quebec (at present sub- 
divided into farm lots) available for concession 156,777,287 acres. 
During the last fiscal year 183,728 acres were sold for $95,026. 
Free grants to the extent of 1,700 acres were also made on 
certain colonisation roads, and 10,090 acres were conceded in 
the same manner to fathers and mothers of twelve living chil- 
dren. The Minister is pleased with the fact that the past year 
has shown an increase in the superficial area of the lands sold or 
granted for colonisation purposes, and in the number of patents 
issued in favour of settlers who have fulfilled all the settlement 
conditions, which indicate a marked increase in the number of 
farms in all those regions of the province where colonisation is 
in a flourishing condition. This improvement he attributes to 
the remunerative prices now obtained for farm produce, to the 
prosperous condition of the lumber trade generally, and to the 
great activity with which lumbering operations are being pushed 
all over the province, aud especially to the manufactures of pulp 
wood. 
Queensland. — Trade in 1901. — The total value of Queens- 
land imports for 1901 amounted to £6,070,706, and the exports 
were £8,611,044, comprising — gold, £2,544,959 ; hides and 
skins, £419, 331 ; preserved and frozen meat, £1,290,351 ; pearl 
shell and becke-de-mer, £119,792 ; sugar, £756,150; tallow, 
£213,227; tin, £114,111: wool, £2,109,068; green fruit, 
£101,535 ; all other, £942,520. Compared with the previous 
year, the imports show a decrease of £1,009,967, exports a 
decrease of ,6456,931. The border Customs for 1901 shows 
imports ,£259,460, and exports £454,909. 
South. Australia. — Discovery of Phosphates. — The 
Government geologist, Mr. Brown, has reported to the Govern- 
ment regarding the discovery of phosphates in the hundred of 
Clinton, York’s Peninsula. Iiis investigation of the deposits 
leads him to believe that the quantity of rock containing a 
sufficient percentage of phosphate of lime to render it of 
commercial value, is very large, and the configuration of the 
country most favourable to the opening of quarries, whereby 
rock can be raised cheaply and expeditiously, and shipments 
averaging 70 per cent, tricalcic phosphate and less than 6 per 
cent, iron and alumina could easily be selected. Mr. Brown 
says that it is most probable that deposits of phosphatic rock 
occur in other portions of the districts where Cambrian lime- 
stone occurs. The discovery is important, not only to South 
Australia, but to the Commonwealth generally, as, up to the 
present time, no similar deposit so likely to prove of such great 
commercial value has been found on this continent. 
Victoria.— Trade in 1901. — The Custom-house statistics 
for December enable the returns in Victoria for 1901 to be 
summarised. The increase in imports amounts to a little over 
3 per cent., while the rise in exports is equal to nearly 7 per 
cent. The imports of gold were less by £250,000, owing to the 
Perth Mint's operations. Wool imports were £188,000 less, 
but wheat, owing to the large Riverina crop, more than doubled, 
the rise being £121,000. In all other merchandise there was an 
advance of £895,000. In exports, gold dropped by £823,000, 
but wool was £84,000 greater. Wheat and Hour advanced by 
£563,000, but butter fell away by £245,000, and is still declining 
rapidly. All other exports showed a fair advance, and, on the 
whole, the return is a satisfactory one. 
Western Australia. — Mineral Oil.— It is reported that 
there have been important developments recently in connection 
with the petroleum and asphalt discoveries in the vicinity of the 
Warren River, and that arrangements have been made to test 
the country and to sink a trial bore to a depth of 1,500 feet. 
For many years past, it is stated, settlers in the vicinity of the 
Warren River, which is on the southern coast of Western 
Australia, have known that bituminous deposits were to be 
found along the coast between Capes D’Entrecasteaux and the 
Leuwin. Along the shore masses of asphaltum were found, 
apparently cast up by the waves. The analyst, Mr. S. S. 
Dougall, F.I.C., reports that this is a singularly rich asphaltum, 
being, for all practical purposes, pure, only a minute portion of 
foreign mineral matter (dry sea sand) being present. A little 
further inland traces of mineral oil were found in the sand 
dunes, and at a distance of about three miles from the shore 
sandstone, saturated with petrolene oil, was found in the water- 
course of the Warren River. 
INDIA. 
Cotfon-seed Machinery. — The Upper Indian Chamber of 
Commerce at Cawnpore desires estimates from manufacturers 
of cotton-seed oil machinery for a small plant complete, in- 
cluding machines for stripping the lint from the seed, removing 
the shell, grinding the kernel, and pressing the meal for oil, 
and also for an oil-refining plant, to include the arrangements 
necessary to enable the wastes given off by the oil in the process 
to be utilized in soap-making. 
Demand for Refrigerating Machinery. — Writing from 
Bombay an engineering correspondent of the Iron and Coal 
Trades Revieiv sends the following particulars of the class of 
refrigerator which finds extensive demand among the Indian 
hotels. They are comprised in the specification sent by 
Mr. Tata, who is building what will be one of the largest 
hotels in the Far East. "(1) The refrigeration machine is to 
cool a cold chamber on the ground floor, about 37,500 cubic 
feet in space, the chamber to be maintained at about 32 degrees ; 
(2) The machine is to make a ton of transparent ice per day in 
12 hours ; (3) The machine is to be capable of cooling by, say 
10 to 15 degrees, twenty suites of rooms at the western 
extremities of the building ; (4) arrangements should be made 
with a view to extending the cold chambers in future to include 
the basement. The motors for driving the refrigerating equip- 
ment are to be shunt-wound, two in number. They are to work 
at a potential of 100 volts and to develop 40 horse-power each 
at normal speed. 
Indian Textiles in Seistan.— According to a report of 
Captain Webb-Ware, the Political Agent at C hagai, a recent 
inspection of the Nasratabad Bazaar showed that, excluding a 
Russian cloth known as shikin maghut, the textiles sold in Seistan 
are almost wholly of either English or Indian manufacture. 
Shikin maghut is a kind of moleskin cloth, which is manufactured 
in Russia in various qualities and shades, and forms one of the 
most important Russian exports to Central Asia. That this 
cloth appeals to the native taste is undoubted, but it is difficult 
to say why this should be so, for the dyes used are bad, the 
material is second-rate, and the prices asked are high. The 
Political Agent goes on to say : — “ There is little doubt that if 
Indian manufacturers were given a fair field, they could manu- 
facture a similar article of higher quality and sell it at a lower 
price in Trans-Caspia. Indian manufacturers might do well to 
turn their attention to the manufacture of this cloth, as it com- 
mands a ready sale on the frontier." The Political Assistant at 
Chagai is prepared to supply patterns on application. 
Rubber Growing in Burma. — It is satisfactory to read in 
the Administration Report that the experimental rubber garden 
at Mergui was worked profitably during the year. It has only 
recently been started, and the fact that it already shows a profit 
reflects considerable credit on Mr. Ryan, the forest officer, who 
is in charge of it. Judging from all appearance the demand 
for rubber throughout the world is likely to be an increasing 
one, aud the Government acted rightly, we think, in starting 
a good sized plantation at Mergui of 10,000 acres, the climate 
there being apparently very favourable for its growth. It 
would have been hopeless to expect private capitalists to 
undertake such a venture at the outset. But if the Govern- 
ment venture pays they will no doubt be glad to follow suit, 
and a new industry will have taken root in the province which 
promises to be a lucrative one. — Rangoon Gazelle. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
American Coal Depot in Messina. — An American 
syndicate has requested the Italian Government to grant them 
a* large piece of ground at San Raineri on the east side of the 
harbour of Messina, The syndicate will establish a depot for 
requirements of the navy and trading ships, as well as for 
trade purposes. The stock of coals will average about 40,000 
tons. — Handels Museum. 
British Trade with Argentina. — The imports of all kinds 
into Argentina in 1901 were valued at $113,959,749. Of the 
countries whence these were derived, the United Kingdom ranks 
first for $36,460,808, or 32 per cent, of the whole. Next come 
Germany, $16,724,549, or 147 per cent. ; United States, 
$*5.533. 6 39. or *37 P er cent. ; and Italy, $14,736,103, or 12-9 
per cent. 
Commercial Museum and Intelligence Departments in 
Bulgaria.— The Austrian Consul in Rustchuk states that the 
Bulgarian Ministry of Trade and Agriculture proposes to 
establish in Rustchuk, as well as in other important towns in 
Bulgaria, branches of the Bulgarian Commercial Museum and 
to increase by these means the utility of this museum. The 
Chamber of Commerce of Rustchuk resolved to follow the 
example of Philippolis in opening a commercial intelligence 
bureau. — Handels Museum. 
Demand for Machinery in Siberia. — According to the 
Bulletin Commercial there is now an opening in Siberia for many 
kinds of goods not formerly sent to that country. The classes 
of articles most likely to find a market in eastern Siberia are, 
according to this statement, agricultural implements, machinery 
and industrial material for flour mills, oil manufactories, butter 
factories, distilleries, tanneries, machinery for gold, iron and 
coal mines, saw mill '., machinery for brick fields and salt works, 
and machinery for manufacturing rope, paper, etc. ; while the 
demand for wines, spirits, silk goods, furniture, books, musical 
instruments and jewelry is apparently small. Commercial 
bodies desirous of seeking an outlet for their goods in Siberia 
should endeavour to get into touch directly with the consumers 
by the establishment of large deposit warehouses, where goods 
could be sold both wholesale aud retail. The Siberian trader 
is accustomed to add a large percentage on the goods he sells, 
so that by passing the merchandise through his hands he would 
obtain the greater part of the profits. 
German-American Competition in Cuba.— Exports from 
Germany to Cuba have largely increased since the U nited States, 
in the place of the different treatment of foreign goods which 
were imposed by the Spaniards, has given similar duties 011 all 
goods from different countries as those from the United States. 
North American commercial houses think the cause of this, to 
them, disquieting state of affairs is that there are direct steam- 
ship lines between Germany and the harbours of Cuba, whilst 
the centres of trade in the north-east of the Union have no such 
direct steamship lines. New York exporters, therefore, put them- 
selves into communication with shipowners for relief from this 
want of communication, and, as a result, a new line of steamers 
has been established between New York and Havana, which will 
also touch the sugar-exporting ports of Matanzas and Cardenas. 
— Handels Museum. 
Japanese Commercial Attaches. — The Japanese Govern- 
ment has decided to send commercial attaches to some of the 
principal towns and manufacturing places, and to commence 
with London, New York, Tientsin, and Shanghai. Those in 
London and New York will be concerned with financial and 
general industrial matters, whilst those in Tientsin and Shanghai 
will only have to look after the interests of Japanese exporters 
and traders. An expert is to be sent to a North American town, 
either Boston, Philadelphia or New York, in order to report to 
the Japanese Government as to the customs of trade there. — 
Hajidels M useum. 
Joint Agents in Mexico. — American merchants deal with 
Mexico frequently through joint representatives. Producers of 
various goods form a group which is represented in Mexico by 
one representative, who receives a fixed allowance for travelling 
expenses, rents, taxes, and sample depdts. These men work 
exclusively for their firms, and are in a better position to serve 
their interests than the agents of European houses who do not 
receive such an allowance. Under these circumstances, it is 
quite to be understood that agents who previously represented 
European firms, will only continue to do so if they receive a 
similar allowance. If this is refused then they will work 
preferentially for North American firms. — Handels Museum. 
Openings for Capital in Foochow. — It is mentioned by 
the British Consul that, as a manufacturing and mining field, 
Foochow has not yet been exploited, and in both respects there 
are great possibilities. The establishment of the match factory 
and saw mills was a move in the right direction, and indications 
are not wanting of a serious intention on the part of the provincial 
authorities to examine into and utilize the unquestionable 
mineral wealth of Fokien. Foreigners, too, are interesting 
themselves in mines, especially of coal, of which a good descrip- 
tion of anthracite is to he found in the interior , while not far 
from Foochow deposits of coal of as yet doubtful quality are 
said to exist. It is also stated that there is clay of good brick- 
making quality not far from Foochow, and, with the cheapness 
of coolie labour, it will no doubt be utilized before long. 
Foochow granite, of which the quantity is practically unlimited, 
is occupying the attention of some enterprising minds, and 
building stone of a rough quality is abundant. The vast number 
of camphor trees in this province are rarely cut for camphor 
production, the timber being at present put to many other uses 
boats even being built of it. 

LABOUR MARKET. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Employment in the Coal Mining Industry in 1901.— 
Particulars have been issued by the Home Office regarding the 
production of coal and the number of persons employed in the 
principal colliery districts of the United Kingdom. It appeal's 
that last year the output of coal was 219,037,240 tons, as against 
225,170,163 tons in 1900. The number of persons employed in 
and about mines under the Coal Mines Regulation Act, was 
806,735 last year and 780,052 in 1900. It is interesting to note 
that during the past live years the output has increased 12 'i per 
cent, and the number of persons employed 16 '5 per cent. The 
following table shows the numbers employed in each inspection 
district, comparative figures being given for 1900 : — • 
Number of Workpeople ero- 
-p,> . ■ t ployed in Mines under the Goal 
Mines Regulation Act, in 
Northumberland , . . , 
IQOG. 
39,728 
1901. 
4I.I45 
Durham ..... 
112,835 
“3.934 
Yorkshire ..... 
107,901 
111,810 
Lancashire and Cheshire 
87,976 
92,791 
Derbyshire . . . . 
46.788 
49>9 I 3 
Notts, and Leicester . 
34,108 
35. 3 22 
Staffordshire .... 
47,788 
49.475 
South Wales and Monmouth 
I 47>65 2 
150,412 
West Scotland .... 
73,400 
75.732 
Fife 
16,339 
17,420 
Other Districts .... 
65,537 
68,781 
United Kingdom 
. 780,052 
806,735 
The considerable change which took place in the wages of 
coal-hewers is shown in the following table, which gives the 
percentage above "standards " at the end of the years 1900 and 
1901 in the principal districts : — • 
Principal Districts. 
Percentage 
above 
“ standards ” 
at end of 
Increase (+) or 
Decrease ( -) on 
"standards ” 
compared with 
1900. 
1901, 
A year 
ago. 
Five years 
ago. 
Northumberland 
61-25 
31-00 
~3°‘ 2 5 
+ 27-25 
Durham .... 
65 'OO 
40 'OO 
-25-00 
+ 25-00 
Yorkshire, Lancashire and 
Midlands . 
50 'OO 
60 ‘OO 
+ IO'OO 
+ 30-00 
South Wales and Mon. 
7375 
66-25 
- 7'5° 
+ 56-25 
West Scotland . 
XOO'OO 
50 "OO 
— 50*00 
+37 ’5° 
East Scotland . 
97-50 
47 '50 
-50-00 
+ 47 '50 
It may be added that the average value of coal at the pit's 
mouth rose from 5s, io^d, per ton in 1896 to 10s. 9^d. in 1900. 
The corresponding average for 1901 is not yet available, but in 
Northumberland the mean of the ascertained quarterly averages 
fell from 10s, 3^d. in 1900 to 8s. 9^d. in 1901. 
COLONIES. 
The monthly report, compiled by the EMIGRANTS' INFORMA- 
TION Office, states as follows: — Canada. — The report of the 
Dominion Labour Bureau for February states: "Except in 
those trades in which temporary cessation of employment is 
expected because of the nature of the season, industry and trade 
are active and few hands are idle.” "In manufacturing and 
mining, work has for the most part been plentiful and steady 
throughout the month, and the condition of labour in most 
individual trades may be described as good." Persons 
emigrating to Canada this year should start in the spring. The 
principal demand is for competent farm labourers and female 
servants. 
Australasia (New South Wales).— The building trade is 
not so brisk as it was, and less wages are being accepted. The 
engineering trade continues good, with full rates of pay. The 
strike among the tailoresses has been settled, and the minimum 
wage has been fixed at 17s. 6d. to 22s. 6d, a week. The wharf 
labourers are agitating for a rise in their wages to is. 3d. 
instead of is. an hour. Country districts are suffering much 
from the severe drought, and in some parts it is impossible to 
obtain employment owing to want of water and of feed for 
cattle. The coal trade continues busy, but silver-mining at 
Broken Hill is very slack, and many hands are out of work. 
The labouring classes generally are complaining of the increased 
cost of living, owing to the new tariff. (Victoria). — There is a 
good demand for farm labourers, and especially for men able to 
milk, but employment is not always regular. The difficulty of 
getting good milkers has been one of the principal causes of the 
recent reduction in the output of butter, and is seriously hamper- 
ing the dairying industry. There is no special demand for 
mechanics in Melbourne or other towns. (South Australia). — 
Considerable numbers of mechanics and labourers, more especi- 
ally those in the engineering trades, have been out of work at 
Gawler. Copper-mining has been very slack lately, owing to low 
prices, and many hands have been thrown out of employment at 
the Moonta mines and by the closing down of the Port Augusta 
smelters. (Queensland).— According to the report of the 
Government Labour Bureau for the quarter ending December 
31st, 1901, the only demand in the north was at Townsville, 
Charters Towers, and neighbouring places for female servants, 
general labourers plantation labourers, and a few farm 
labourers and mechanics ; in the central districts the only 
demand was for a few general labourers ; in the south there was 
a large demand for farm labourers and general labourers, and 
some demand for plantation labourers. Miners were not in 
demand in any part of Queensland. (Western Australia}.— 
Reports received at the Government Labour Bureau in Perth 
at the end of last year show that there was a good demand for 
I 
