Vol. VIII. No. 88 
Imperial institute journal. 
[April, 1902.] 
10 7 
articles imported into the colony under the Customs Tariff 
Ordinance, No. 18 of 1895, as follows: — 
Rate 
Import Duty, 
s. d. 
Bread of all kinds, per barrel not exceeding 
60 lb. . , . . . .10 
Vermicelli (including macaroni), per 100 lb. 2 o 
Candles, per 100 lb. . . . . .22 
Drawbacks. — Section 4 of the above-mentioned Ordi- 
nance is amended by providing for a drawback of duties upon 
exportation of the above articles, and provision is also made 
for a drawback of duties on the exportation of the following 
articles manufactured in the colon) - , if the Collector of Customs 
is satisfied that they have been made from imported materials : — 
s, d. 
Hard bread or crackers, per barrel of not 
less than 60 lb, . . . . . i o 
Vermicelli (including macaroni), per 100 lb. 2 o 
Candles, per 100 lb. . . . , ,22 
INDIA. 
Countervailing Duty on Sugar from Holland. — 
Customs Circular (No. 5 of 1902), issued by the Finance and 
Commerce Department of the Government of India on 7th 
February last, revises the rate of additional duty on bounty-fed 
sugar imported into India from Holland, with effect from ist 
March, 1902, as follows : — 
Kinds of Sugar. 
Additional Duties Levied. 
Old Rate. 
New Rate. 
Raw sugar produced in Holland 
R. a. p. 
R. a. p. 
from beet-roots , per cwt. 
Sugar refined from beet-root sugar 
0 15 3 
O 
H 
4 “ 
O 
produced in Holland per cwt. 
Sugar refined from imported raw 
1 1 5 
0 15 n 
sugar . . . per cwt. 
0 2 3(a) 
0 1 11(a) 
(a) I11 addition to countervailing duty, if any, on the raw sugar. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
France. — Import Duties on “Colonial Produce,"— 
With reference to the French import duties on “colonial 
produce,’’ a Law, dated the 22nd February, 1902, has been 
published in the Journal Officiel, of which "the following is a 
translation : — 
Article 1. — The Government is authorised to accord pro- 
visionally, by Decree, the application of the Minimum Tariff for 
“ colonial produce " to imports from : — 
(i.) China, Corea, Siam, Abyssinia, Liberia, Hong Kong, 
the Straits Settlements, and the Federated Malay States, so 
long as French merchandise enjoys equivalent advantages and 
most-favoured-nation treatment in these States or territories ; and 
(it.) For the period of one year, commencing on the 24th 
February, 1902, to imports from the United States of America, 
Porto Rico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, British India, 
Ceylon, Mauritius, Seychelles, Jamaica, the Dutch East Indies, 
German possessions in Africa, and the Spanish possessions of 
Fernando Po, Annobon, Corisco and Elebey, and on the 
Western Coast of Africa. 
Article 2. — “Colonial products" admitted into Customs 
warehouses as being the produce of a country enjoying the 
Minimum Tariff at the time of entry into warehouse shall benefit 
by the application of that Tariff on their removal, even when the 
country of production has in the interval become subject to the 
operation of the General Tariff. 
Russia.— Articles which may be declared by 
Number in Inspection Documents.— An Annex to the new 
Russian Customs Regulations, contains a list of articles which, 
while subject to duty according to weight, may be declared by 
number in the “inspection documents" referred to in those 
regulations. 
The following are the articles named in this list : — 
Tariff No. 
Articles. 
5 s t 1 ) ^ 
Wood, of common kinds, in blocks, in beams, 
hewn or sawn (exceeding 2 in. in thickness). 
58 (1) £ 
Wood in planks and scantlings (exceeding^ in., 
and not exceeding 2 in. in thickness), not 
planed. 
58 (2) 
Wood, of superior kinds, in scantlings, billets, 
and boards. 
59 I 1 ) 
Wooden wares, having carpenters’ finish. 
59 (2) 
Barrels. 
61 
Furniture, of all kinds (except detached parts), 
whether upholstered or not. 
66 ( 3 ) 
Stone slabs, scantlings, grind and polishing 
stones of natural grindingstone, whether 
worked or unfinished. 
66 ( 4 ) 
Stone slabs, sawn or split, without further finish ; 
slabs cut in squares or rounds ; stones with 
sawn unfinished surfaces ; blocks of a thick- 
ness exceeding 5 vershoks (8£ in.). 
66 < 5 ) 
1 Similar slabs of a thickness not exceeding 5 
a and b 
J vershoks (8| in.). 
66 (6) 
Millstones in the form of grey 7 stones or of grind- 
stone. 
72 (1) 
Common bricks. 
72 (2) 
Fire bricks ; roofing tiles without sculpture or 
ornamentation ; slabs of fire clay ; stock 
bricks. 
73 
Earthen drainage or water pipes. 
74 (1) 
Stove tiles and ornaments ; glazed bricks and 
tiles ; clay slabs for paving or walls, of 
uniform colour. 
U 9 
Firearms (not including accessories for firearms). 
167 
Sewing machines, complete, put together. 
172 {4) 
Musical instruments of all kinds (not including 
appurtenances for musical instruments). 
209 (7) 
Ladies’ hats and other head-dresses of all kinds, 
trimmed. 
210 (3) 
Leather and lacquered hats. 
* A translation of these regulations has been published as No. 569 
of “ Miscellaneous Series” of papers issued by the Foreign Office. 
Spain. — Payment of Import Duties on Certain 
Articles in Gold. — The Gaceta de Madrid for the 23rd 
February contains the text of a new Spanish Law, which received 
the royal assent and was to come into operation on the ist ult., 
requiring the payment in gold of Customs' duties upon certain 
articles upon their importation into Spain. The following are 
the chief provisions of the Law as now enacted : — 
Article 1. — All the articles of exportation and the duties on 
importation on the merchandise comprised in the following 
sections of the Tariff shall be paid in gold — 
Tariff No, 
Articles.* 
6 
Coal and coke. 
0 
rH 
1 
03 
Petroleum and mineral oils. 
11 
Oleonaphthas, mineral lubricating oils, vaselines, 
and mixtures of these products with animal 
or vegetable oils or greases. 
12 
Benzine, gasoline, and other similar products. 
306 
Coaches and berlins with four seats, and light 
carriages with two “ tableros ’’ and boxes , with 
or without hoods ; new, used, or repaired. 
3°7 
Berlins with two seats, with or without folding 
seals; omnibuses with jnore than 15 seats, and 
diligences ; new, used, or repaired. 
308 
Other two or four-wheeled errriages, without 
“tableros,” with or without hoods, without 
regard to number of seats ; omnibuses up to 15 
seats, and carriages not specified in the pre- 
ceding classes ; new, used, or repaired. 
316 
Steel or iron or composite vessels, of any tonnage. 
3 2 4 
Cod and stockfish. 
325 
Fish powder. 
332 
Wheat. 
333 
Wheat Hour. 
33 6 
Cereals not separately tariffed. 
342-3 
Cocoa in the bean, not roasted, and cocoa husks, 
of any origin. 
344 
Cocoa, roasted, ground, or in paste ; also cocoa 
butter. 
345-6 
Coffee, in the bean, not roasted, of any 7 origin. 
347 
Coffee, roasted, ground ; chicory, roasted or not, 
and other similar products. 
348 
Cinnamon of all kinds, and imitations thereof. 
349 
Pepper, cloves, and other spices, and imitations 
thereof. 
35 ° 
Tea, and imitations thereof, and verba matd. 
355-9 
Wines of all kinds, in barrels or in bottles. 
* Articles which were not named in the Bill as originally introduced 
into the Cortes are printed in italic type. 
Article 2. — A reduction shall be allowed in payments of the 
above-mentioned duties corresponding to the average rate of 
exchange on foreign countries. By “ average rate of exchange" 
is meant the premium in Madrid upon bills at sight on Paris, 
according to the “ Bulletin of the Madrid Bourse," in the period 
preceding that in which payment of the import or export duties 
is effected. The Minister of Finance shall fix, on the 15th and 
on the last day of each month, the said average rate of exchange, 
and the reduction to be made on payments of duties during the 
succeeding period ; these rates of exchange to be published in 
the Gaceta de Madrid. 
Article 3. — In the payment of duLies in gold the following 
are to be admitted at their full face value : — 
Gold coins of Spanish currency. 
Gold coins of the countries forming the Latin Union. 
Bank notes of the Bank of France. 
Bills of exchange or cheques on Paris, London, Brussels or 
Berlin, provided they are made payable in francs, pounds 
sterling, francs, or marks respectively, and are duly guaranteed. 
Article 4. — In the payment of duties in gold the fractional 
sums of less than 10 pesetas may be paid in Spanish currency, 
which will be taken at its full nominal value. 
Article 5. — Payments paid, or to be paid, in virtue of the 
Royal Decree of 30th November last are to be considered as 
definite. 
Regulations under the above Law . — According to a Royal 
Order containing regulations for the carrying out of the above 
Law, which appears in the same issue of the Gaceta de Madrid , 
the rate of reduction applicable to the payment of duties upon 
goods imported into Spain will be that in force at the date of 
the shipment of the goods for Spain. 
The complete text (in Spanish) of the Law, and of the 
Royal Orders containing regulations applying its provisions, 
may be seen by those interested at the Commercial Intelligence 
Branch of the Board of Trade, 50, Parliament-street, S.W., 
any day between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

TRANSPORT AND FREIGHTS. 
The Freight Market. — Outward market continues weak 
at last rates, with the exception of one or two directions, where 
charterers have had to pay up to secure tonnage for a market 
which is absolutely lifeless homewards. Last fixtures have 
been on basis of 6s. Genoa, 4s. qd. Malta, 7s. Adriatic, 5s. 9d. 
Constantinople, 5s. 9d. Port Said, 6s. gd. Las Palmas, 13s, 
Buenos Ayres or Rio. American markets continue weak, with 
a downward tendency. Australia quiet, with less demand. 
Newcastle-Manila paid 12s. There has been some time 
chartering at 6s. foreign, 7s. to 7s. 6d. coasting. Black Sea 
weaker, with very little cargo available. Eastern markets 
have relapsed and current rates are on the basis of 13s, 6d. 
Bombay, 22s. 6d. Calcutta, and 22s. 6d. Rangoon. Mediter- 
ranean markets continue extremely dull. U nited States done 
at 22s. 6d. from Sicily and xos. from Spanish ore ports. River 
Plate has collapsed, owing to the excessive quantity of tonnage 
available. — Weddel, Turner & Co., March erst, 1902. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Bristol.— New Avonmoutii Docks.— On Wednesday, 
March 5, the Prince and Princess of Wales cut the first sod of 
the new dock, which is to be constructed at Avonmouth at a 
cost of about a million and three-quarters sterling. Mr. Howell 
Davies, in asking the Prince's acceptance of a silver model of 
the steam “ navvy" with which the first sod was to be cut, said 
that the undertaking included a new dock of 30 acres, capable 
of expansion hereafter, and a graving dock 850 feet long. The 
approach would be by a lock 850 feet in length and 85 feet in 
breadth, with a depth on the sills of 36 feet at high water of 
ordinary neap tides. The dock wharves would be equipped 
with the most efficient type of sheds, cranes and elevators, and 
would be connected by sidings with the Great Western and 
Midland Railway Companies’ systems. The terminal and 
siding arrangements would be of the most modern character, 
for dealing rapidly and economically with the cargoes of vessels 
up to 20,000 tons capacity. Pie maintained that Avonmouth, 
for the Atlantic passenger traffic, had advantages over even such 
favoured ports as Liverpool and Southampton, in that coal 
could be obtained at lower cost and because of its central position 
in the country. The Prince of Wales was then conducted to 
the steam navvy, and he set the machinery in motion by means 
of a lever. The Prince and Princess afterwards visited the 
Port Royal , which bad just arrived from Jamaica with bananas 
and other fruit. 
COLONIES. 
Cyprus.— Abolition of Shipping Dues. — With reference 
to recent legislation as to shipping dues in Cyprus, attention is 
called to the fact that, except in the case of sailing vessels which 
choose to compound by a lump payment of a shilling a ton every 7 
half-year, no duty is now levied on a ship's tonnage, but charges 
are made on certain imports and exports. Particular attention 
is directed to the fact that only wharfage charges on goods 
landed or shipped are now levied, and that the shipping dues 
have been abolished. 
Lagos. — Railway Tariff. — All goods, not including agri- 
cultural produce, are divided for railway transport into three 
classes for the purpose of fixing the rates at which they are carried. 
The following are the rates fixed for the three classes 
Class I. . , . qd. per ton per mile. 
Class II. . . . 6d. ,, ,, 
Class III. . . . 3d. ,, ., 
A rebate of 7% per cent, is allowed to any consignor who 
forwards a consignment of not less than 10 tons, and 10 per cent, 
for a consignment of not less than 15 tons. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
American Trade in the Levant. — The Times 
correspondent, at Vienna, writes, under date February 26 : — 
One of those instructive reports on economic affairs in the 
Levant periodically published by the Deutsche Zeitung, of 
Vienna, appears in to-day's issue of that journal. In presence 
of the pending exchange of civilities between Germany and the 
United States, the following facts are of special interest. 
According to the report in question, two Hamburg shipowning 
firms have organised a direct steam navigation service between 
New York and Constantinople. The first steamer of this line 
will have arrived at Constantinople within the last few days. 
This new enterprise has been undertaken jointly by the German 
Levant line and the Hamburg-Ameriean line, A few years ago 
the Americans themselves attempted to establish a direct service 
between New York and Constantinople, but eventually gave it up. 
American merchandise destined for the Levant is forwarded 
almost exclusively via England by means of transhipment, 
which naturally increases the cost price. It is certain that 
the venture of the two Hamburg shipping firms will pay well. 
South Russia and Turkey import from America more especially 
agricultural machines, small ironware, textiles, etc. Those two 
countries export to America metallic ores, hides, carpets, opium, 
currants, etc. The amount of freight will increase in the same 
proportions as the demand for American goods. 
The Americans have been making great efforts to gain a 
firm footing in the markets of the Levant, but hitherto they had 
met with some difficulty, not only 7 on account of reluctance on 
the part of Eastern traders to comply 7 with their commercial 
usages, but also owing to the absence of a direct steamer service. 
Now that the latter hindrance has been removed, it is expected 
that the Turkish markets will receive large quantities of American 
merchandise. But as the consumption among the native 
population increases very slowly, it is evident that the imports 
from other countries will suffer from American competition. 
German industry will also be affected, but on the other hand 
the Hamburg shipowners will be the gainers, 
France. — Port Works. — The following are some par- 
ticulars relating to the improvements projected and in course 
of progress at the principal French ports, extracted from a 
report drawn up by M. Aimond, Deputy, on the improvement 
of the canals, rivers, and ports of France : — 
Dunkirk. — At Dunkirk the entrance to the port is being 
dredged, the outer port is being enlarged, dockyards are being 
constructed, and the graving docks are being repaired. A 
building for the service of the port is also in course of con- 
struction, as well as a tidal wharf. The expenditure during 
1901 was estimated at 2,500,000 francs (,£100,000). The projected 
works, including the lengthening of wet docks Nos. 3 and 4 of 
the Freycinet basin, the displacement of the fortifications, and 
the acquisition of the land required for the future enlargement 
of the port, will entail an expenditure of 26,000,000 francs 
(£1,040,000). 
Dieppe. — At Dieppe the tidal harbour is being dredged, a 
sum of 150,000 francs (£"6,000) being credited for this work 
during 1901. The projected works include the improvement of 
the entrance to the port at a cost of 4,900,000 francs (£"196,000), 
and various works in connection with the fishing industry to 
cost 920,000 francs (£"36,000), 
Havre. — At Havre it is proposed to construct a lock to 
provide communication between the Bellot dock and the new 
quays of the Tancarville canal, and also a railway siding. 
Other works projected are the lengthening of the Eure basin, 
the construction of quays, and the re-construction of the large 
quay 7 to the north of the present outer port. These works are 
estimated to cost 20,000,000 francs {£800,000), 
Nantes. — It is estimated that a sum of 22,000,000 francs 
(£880,000) will be required to open the port of Nantes to vessels 
having a draught of over 5 ‘25 metres. 
Bordeaux. — As regards Bordeaux, it is estimated that a 
sum of 13,000,000 francs (£520,000) will be required for the 
construction of another floating dock and of a graving dock. 
Besides those enumerated above, proposals are made for 
improvement works at other ports, viz., Boulogne, Cette, 
Bayonne, etc. 
Madagascar and Reunion.— Messrs. Charles Strecker 
Ain6, of Antwerp, are establishing a regular service with first- 
class French steamers from Antwerp to Marseilles, Madagascar- 
R6union (Diego Suarez, Majunga, Mananzary, Tamatave, 
St. Denis), and Point de Galle. The pioneer steamer (the 
Montaigne) leaves Antwerp on 31st March. 
Roumania. — The Port of Constantza. — The Braila 
correspondent of the Levant Herald says, with reference to the 
importance of Constantza as a grain-exporting centre, that 
never before has so much business been done at that port as at 
the present time. Grain is being shipped on an extensive scale, 
more particularly maize and barley, for which the demand from 
England and Italy is daily 7 increasing. Improved appliances 
have been introduced in the new harbour, and loading opera- 
tions have been greatly facilitated. The Administration of 
State Railways has laid new lines on the quays, so that steamers 
coming alongside can load direct from the waggons. In the 
completed portion of the new harbour there is berthing room 
for 15 steamers. 
United States. — Reduction in Port Disinfection 
Charges at New Orleans. — H.M. Consul at New Orleans 
reports that at a recent meeting held at the State Board of 
Health, the following reduction was made in the disinfection 
charges at New Orleans, to take effect immediately :■ — 
Steamers from 130 dols. to 105 dols. 
Vessels from 80 dols, to 65 dols. 
Barques from 60 dols. to 50 dols. 
The above means nearly a 20 per cent, reduction. 
/ 
