Vol. VIII. No. 93. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL 
[September, 1902.] 
245 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL AND 
INDUSTRIAL SUMMARIES. 
GENERAL COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
British and German Locomotives in India. — The ques- 
tion of the relative merits and cheapness of English and foreign 
locomotives is the subject of a Parliamentary paper dealing with 
the correspondence which has passed between the Under- 
secretary of State for India and certain firms of locomotive 
builders in this country. It appears that the India Office has 
recently given out to British firms some contracts for engines 
for the State railways in India, and to these firms the India 
Office wrote, when accepting the 'tenders, a letter which 
threatened the probability of future orders being giveai to 
Germany. 
Lord George Hamilton stated that he had received “from 
a firm of German manufacturers of the highest standing ” 
tenders which were more than 20 per cent, in the case of 
passenger engines, and nearly 20 per cent, in the case of goods 
engines, below the quotations of the eventually successful Eng- 
lish firms. Moreover, the date of delivery was, in respect to 
the passenger engines, twenty-five weeks earlier, and in the 
case of the goods engines thirteen weeks earlier. Now, remarks 
Lord George Hamilton, if it should be shown by experience 
that the German manufacturers are able and willing to turn out 
wotk which, though possibly inferior in respect of finish, is for 
practical purposes equal or nearly equal to that which is pro- 
duced in this country, at prices materially lower, and with the 
further advantage of much earlier delivery, it is obvious that, 
in justice to the interests of India, lie will be compelled to 
accept foreign tenders, and, possibly, to accept them on a 
large scale. 
The English firms in question — Messrs. Diibs and Co., 
Messrs. Nelson, Reid and Co., and Messrs. Nasmyth, Wilson 
and Co. — reply in detail to Lord George Hamilton’s challenge. 
With regard to the twenty per cent, difference in cost, Messrs. 
Dubs and Co.’s main contention is that, although in the late 
competition British and German manufacturers tendered upon 
the same specifications and drawings, they placed very different 
interpretations upon these documents, and naturally framed 
their estimates upon their interpretations. The British firms 
estimated to use the very best materials obtainable, and to put 
upon the locomotives a class of workmanship and finish which 
admittedly has not been reached by any foreign locomotive 
builders, whereas the German firms estimated to use much 
cheaper materials, and their standards of workmanship and 
finish were much below those of their British competitors. In 
a word, the Germans, it is contended, were offering a cheaper 
kind of thing altogether, notwithstanding the specifications 
with which they were supposed to comply. As to the difference 
in time of delivery, Messrs. Diibs and Co. pertinently recall to 
the India Office’s notice a letter to the press last December, in 
which the chairman of the East Indian Railway claimed that 
his Board, by accepting a German tender for 40 locomotives, 
had saved the shareholders not only large sums in the purchase 
cost, but thirty-nine weeks in their delivery. The German firm 
had undertaken to complete the work in forty-six weeks ; but, 
write Messrs. Diibs and Co, , “about forty-one of those weeks 
have now expired, and not one engine has yet been shipped, 
the delay having, wc understand, been caused by the wholesale 
rejection of materials.” 
COLONIES. 
Beet Sugar Cultivation in Ontario.— The Ontario 
Department of Agriculture has arranged for extensive experi- 
ments in sugar-beet-raising. These will be conducted at 
St, Catharines, Brussels, and Markham, and perhaps at Renfrew, 
Orangeville, and Guelph as well. About thirty farmers will 
raise beets at each point. This is the third successive year of 
sugar-beet experiments in Ontario. The results have been very 
satisfactory, and an effort is being made to ascertain if the 
soil is generally adapted for beet-raising. It is reported that 
the Ontario Beet-Sugar Company, with headquarters at Berlin, 
is taking an original way of securing acreage. The company 
is working in North Dumfries, particularly in the Dickie settle- 
ment. The farmer prepares the ground for the seed, but the 
company does the planting and all the rest of the work, includ- 
ing the thinning, cultivating, lifting, etc. For the use of the 
land, $10 an acre is paid. A good many contracts have been 
made ; in some cases, for two or three years. 
British Central Africa Protectorate.— The report of 
Mr. Sharpe, the Commissioner of the British Central Africa 
Protectorate, for the official year 1901-2, has just been published. 
The description given of the condition of the Protectorate is, on 
the whole, very satisfactory. There was, indeed, a decrease in 
the production of coffee, which is the main product ; but there 
is every prospect of the current year’s proving an exceptionally 
good one for the planters, who have imported fresh and carefully 
selected seed from Jamaica. Tobacco has increased ; it finds a 
ready market in Rhodesia, and there is reason to believe that, 
with suitable cultivation and curing, the leaf would find 
acceptance at home. The soil and climate are both adapted 
to the growth of tobacco, labour is cheap compared with other 
tobacco-growing countries, and the cost of transport to the coast 
has lately been greatly reduced. The export of rubber has 
decreased, for the area producing it is small and has soon been 
exhausted ; the bulk of the rubber now leaving the Protectorate 
for Chinde, the port of export, passes through in transit from the 
territories to the north and west. The total imports, excluding 
specie, amounted to ,£126,592 last year, while the exports were 
tmly £21,739, Loth showing a decline on the previous year. 
The goods in transit amounted to about £51,000. As usual, 
about five-sixths of the total trade passed through Chiromo. 
Chinde is served by fortnightly steamers of the German East 
Africa Line from Hamburg, and by a monthly (which is some- 
times a fortnightly) steamer of Messrs. Rennie's, from London 
vid Durban. In referring to Lake Nyasa, the levels of which 
are carefully taken at certain points, Mr. Sharpe mentions that 
there is a very clear and definite water-mark which can be seen 
on the rocks all round the lake from north to south, and is 11 ft. 
7 in. above the present level. This would show that at some 
previous period, before Europeans had settled in that part of 
Africa, there was a great subsidence in the lake. The cultiva- 
tion of rice has increased, mainly on the shores of the lake, 
and there is a considerable market for it both in Zotnba, where 
there are now two battalions of native troops, and also in the 
Shir£ Highlands, where the planters find rice the best food to 
give their labourers. Skilled and unskilled labour is becoming 
more plentiful. Great improvements have been made on the 
main road from the Shird river to the Upper Shird, the gradients 
have been made easier, surfaces have been levelled, drains have 
been added as well as numerous culverts, and the less difficult 
part of the road has been so improved that it can be used by 
traction engines. The various transport companies are making 
efforts to replace native carriers by ox-wagons and donkeys. 
New game regulations, in accordance with the decisions of the 
International Conference of 1900, have been introduced. Game 
is not on the decrease, except perhaps in the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of the European settlements. There are large herds 
of elephants in Angoniland — Mr. Sharpe recently saw one herd 
there which numbered over 100 — where they do much damage 
to the grain plantations. When on these robbing expeditions 
the animals go in large bands, and the Angoni say that the 
tuskless bulls and cows always go first and act as scouts, the 
main body following. There were no military expeditions 
during the year, and the country was quite peaceful. Fort 
Maguire on the east side of Lake Nyasa has been abandoned as 
a military post, for the raids, which it was established to check, 
have wholly ceased. Military service has become very popular 
with the natives, on account of the good pay, and the favourable 
reports of soldiers returned from Mauritius, Somaliland, and 
other places. The mortality amongst Europeans has been 
below the average ; but small-pox has been prevalent in some 
districts, and the deaths amongst the natives have been numerous. 
Vast numbers of the people have been vaccinated by the Adminis- 
tration and mission medical officers. The growth of wheat and 
the production of flour have been taken up during the past year 
on a considerable scale ; a large area near Blantyre is under 
wheat ; milling machinery has been imported, and flour of 
excellent quality has been produced. The Europeans and Sikhs 
readily buy the flour. Stock-raising is likely to become an 
important industry in Angoniland, as the markets of Salisbury 
and Bulawayo are comparatively near. 
British Guiana, — The position of the gold, diamond 
and forest industries of British Guiana for the year ending 
June 30 last, has been reported on by the council of the 
Institute of Mines and Forests. The gold industry has been 
marking time, but apparently this is not for the lack of the 
precious metal, for the report declares that “although it is 
perfectly true that the richer parts of the regions already pro- 
spected no longer offer large profits to unskilled workers and 
wasteful methods of working, it is equally true that up to this we 
have barely scratched the surface of the gold-bearing deposits of 
the colony.” Lack of capital and initiative are said to have been 
responsible for the almost entire cessation of properly-conducted 
prospections, and those now engaged in the industry have 
settled down to take out the gold at something like half the cost 
per ounce that was expended, and largely wasted, ten years 
ago. There are not, however, wanting signs that the next 
twelve months will see a large increase in the gold export, a 
very large amount having been spent on hydraulic works. As 
regards diamonds, 132,077 were declared at the Department of 
Mines during the year under review, and an encouraging sign 
has been the discovery lately of stones larger than the ordinary 
run. The greatest present drawback to the industry is the 
difficulty and danger of reaching the diamond district. 
New South Wales Mineral Production.— The value of 
the State's mineral products last year amounted to £6,006,635, 
being a decrease of £564,183 on the total of the preceding year. 
An increase of £617,341 was contributed by coal, shale, opal, 
lime, iron and bismuth. The decreases amounted to 
£1,181,524, silver, lead, and zinc showing a shortage of 
£328,429, owing to reduced market values ; while gold 
decreased £273,239 and copper £14,734. The fall in values 
has stimulated the exercise of economy in the working. It is 
officially declared that never previously have the mines been in 
a better position as regards large outputs. 
New Zealand. — Agricultural Returns. — Revised 
returns have now been published by the Agricultural Depart- 
ment of the season’s yield of the principal classes of grain. 
The report states that it has been exceedingly difficult to 
obtain an accurate return of the yields this year, the weather 
having for some months been of an exceptional nature. In 
the early summer very dry weather over a large portion of 
the colony stunted the growth of crops to such an extent that 
when the estimated yields were declared in January last, it was 
deemed advisable to deduct 9,000 acres from area of wheat, 
oats, and barley for thrashing purposes. The long period of 
dry weather was followed by heavy rains, in consequence of 
which much of the wheat sprouted and was rendered unfit 
for milling. The oats and barley are sound, but much of the 
grain will be discoloured. The revised estimates of the yield 
show an increase of about 9 per cent, on the average of oats, 
and 15 per cent, in that of barley, but a decrease of about 
1 per cent, in that of wheat, the area under crop remaining 
as declared in January. The yield of wheat is considerably 
below several previous years, being less in both area and average 
per acre. The Department states the position of the supply 
as follows : — 
Bushels. 
Quantity on hand on 31st of October last . . 3,182,000 
Estimated yield 4,046,589 
I imports of wheat and flour to 28th F ebruary, 1902 1 ,455 
7,230,044 
Exports of wheat and flour to 
28th February, 1902 . . . 196,196 
Estimated consumption from 1st 
November, 1901, to 20th March, 
1903 ...... 6,670,000 
Required for seed, say 200, 000 acres, 
at 2 bushels per acre . , . 400,000 
7,266,196 
Apparent deficit ..... 36,152 
Buyers are not taking kindly to the American flour that has 
been imported, and it is unlikely that there will be further 
importations from that quarter at present. Even Adelaide 
flour, once a prime favourite in this market, is not now regarded 
with favour, although its quality is beyond question. 
South Africa.— Tobacco Cultivation.— The Tobacco 
Trade R eview seems to think there is a good prospect before a 
tobacco-growing industry started in South Africa. Speaking 
from special knowledge, says our contemporary, we have often 
directed attention to this potentiality, which is admitted by those 
who know the very varied districts of South Africa to be great. 
There are other tobacco-growing lands under British rule, but 
the Empire can still welcome the appearance within its own 
borders of a producer of the first class, such as this promises to 
be. A Cape Town authority says : “ Hundreds and thousands 
of tons of tobacco have been grown in South Africa, the flavour 
of which was entirely distinct from British-prepared tobacco, 
and it is a moot point whether, with the application of science, 
both to the cultivation and to the manufacture, the quality 
cannot be materially improved. Then it is quite possible that 
it will be more popular than the American leaf, will solve the 
difficulty of the present competition, be an enormous staple 
article, and enrich the country ; but it requires the application 
of British industry and British capital to produce the desired 
results." 
Transvaal.- — Trade Returns. — The Customs returns of 
the Transvaal for the six months ended June last, show that the 
total value of imports during that time was £4,217,698, as com- 
pared with £1,143,192 during the corresponding period of last 
year. The Customs dues during the six months amounted to 
£527,065, against £168,446 during the corresponding period of 
1901. The imports vid Natal amounted to £1,825,420, those 
via the Cape to £2,017,989, and those vid Delagoa Bay to 
£374.289. 
INDIA. 
Coal Production. — The latest returns of Indian coal pro- 
duction show that the industry, though still comparatively small, 
is steadily developing. In 1901 the output was 6,635,727 tons, 
as against only 4,066,294 tons in 1897. Bengal produces more 
than four-fifths of the total quantity. During 1900 and 1901 
there was great activity in the opening of new mines and in the 
floating of new companies under the stimulus of higher prices 
that ensued upon the temporary rise in English coal prices. 
During 1902 prices have receded, and the rush to produce that 
followed upon the competition of buyers has been checked. 
The development of Indian mines has been closely associated 
with the growth of railways, which in 1901 consumed nearly one- 
third of the total output of coal. In recent years the demand 
for Indian coal for mills and factories has largely increased, 
especially in the neighbourhood of Calcutta. The recent im- 
provements in railway communications between the great 
Jherria coalfield and Calcutta and Bombay will doubtless ensure 
a still more rapid growth of the industry. The discovery of 
new seams is reported from the Bengal coal region. The coal- 
owners are pressing for lower freights by rail and steamer. If 
this boon were combined with a reduced cost of output the con- 
sumption of coal both internally and abroad would certainly be 
promoted. The export of Indian coal to foreign ports is as yet 
relatively small. High prices of English coal sent up the Indian 
exports to 541,445 tons in 1900--01, but in 1901-02 there was a 
decline to 524,687 tons. The latest information from India 
shows that English coal imports into Bombay, to which coal can 
be transported from the Indian mines only at great expense, 
have increased considerably, this movement being favoured by 
abnormally low rates of freight. It is stated that the Indian 
mine-owners aim at provisioning with coal all ports from Suez 
to Singapore or beyond, and they propose to send commissions 
to Egypt, the Straits Settlements, and Japan to discover the 
best methods of extending the sale of Indian coal. 
Cotton. Export Trade. — The annual review of the Indian 
cotton season for 1901-2 has been published by The Times of 
India. Figures still demonstrate the tendency of India 
becoming a source of supply for the raw material for the 
spinning industries in the Far East rather than those for Europe. 
The report states : — In connection with the movement for 
increasing the supply f of cotton for the spindles of England 
from British colonies and dependencies, in order that British 
spinners and manufacturers may be less dependent on the 
United States growth, it may be pointed out that the proportion 
of the shipments, from India now sent to this country is not 
encouraging so far as that dependency is concerned. During 
eight years of the total exports of Indian cotton, the proportion 
sent to the United Kingdom was 237 per cent., as against 717 
per cent, to the Continent of Europe, 2*5 per cent, to Japan and 
China, and 2‘i per cent, to Calcutta and the Indian coast 
generally. For the cotton year 1901-2 the proportion to Great 
Britain was 07 per cent, only, to the Continent of Europe 41 
per cent., to China and Japan 57^3 per cent., and to Calcutta 
and the coast generally 1 per cent. 
German and Indian Indigo.— The British Consul-General 
in Marseilles, referring to the competition of artificial indigo 
made in Germany and France with the Indian natural indigo, 
says that the future of natural indigo depends on whether the 
old methods of the Indian indigo-planters can be sufficiently 
improved to enable natural indigo to be produced at a profit to 
India at a much lower cost than is the case at present. He is 
convinced, from the experiments already made, that this is quite 
possible. Artificial indigo is preferred by small dyers because 
it can be purchased in small quantities, and does not, like 
natural indigo, require to be stored and carefully watched. It 
is easy to keep and prepare for use, and is economical. It is 
pure and vivid in colouring, and uniform shades can be obtained 
with almost mathematical precision. The chemical compounds 
from which it is extracted — naphthalene and toluene— are cheap 
and unlimited in quantity. Artificial indigo is already manu- 
factured in enormous quantities, but cannot yet supply the 
demand. Its price can, however, follow the price of the natural 
product, with a considerable margin of profit. As soon as the 
supply of artificial indigo is equal to the demand, it will control 
the market, and manufacturers could well afford to lower prices 
to a rate to which, under present conditions, Indian indigo 
cannot follow. To meet this fall the growing and preparing of 
Indian indigo should be so improved that planters could afford 
to place it on the market at a much lower price than is the case 
at present, yet with substantial benefit to themselves. The 
points in favour of the Indian product are that it gives more 
solidity to the cloth, and is therefore still in demand for dyeing 
in large quantities cloths that are expected to stand much 
exposure to sun and rain. The French Government still insists 
on the use of the natural dye for uniforms. The German 
Government, on the other hand, has given way, in view of the 
immense German interests involved in the industry of artificial 
chemical colours. The markets in the Levant, supplied from 
Marseilles, refuse the artificial dye owing to native objection to 
any innovation. Natural indigo has lost within the last 
12 months from 10 to 12 per cent, in value under the influence 
of artificial indigo, in spite of the short crops in Bengal. 

LABOUR MARKET. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Employment Changes. — The Labour Gazette for August 
states that there has been a slight recovery in the metal trades, 
but employment in these industries is still worse than a year ago. 
The wages of coal miners continue to fall. In the 222 trade 
unions, with an aggregate membership of 550,169, making 
returns, 21,859 (or 4'o per cent.) were reported as unemployed at 
the end of July, as compared with 3^4 per cent, in the 216 
unions, with a membership of 539,422, from which returns were 
received for July, 1901. 
Changes in Rates of Wages. 
The changes in ratesof wages reported in Julyaffected 293,91 
workpeople, and the net effect of all the changes w as a decrease 
averaging 7I4I. weekly per head of those affected. Of the total 
number 15,631 received advances, and 278,280 sustained 
decreases. The changes of the previous month affected 343,486 
workpeople, the net result being a decrease averaging is, g^d. 
weekly per head. During July, 1901, the number affected was 
272,768, and the net weekly result was a decrease of is. i^d, 
per head. The principal advances reported during the month 
affected 6,400 ironstone miners in Cleveland, 1,500 limestone 
quarrymen, etc,, in Weardale, 3,500 blast-fumacemen in 
Scotland, and 1,140 steelworkers at Eston. The principal 
decreases w'ere those sustained by about 277,000 coal miners in 
South Wales, Monmouthshire, Scotland, and Northumberland. 
Trade Disputes. 
Twenty-five fresh disputes began in July, involving 104,642 
workpeople, of whom 17.907 were directly, and 86,735 indirectly 
