Vol. VIII. No. 93. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[September, 1902.] 
247 
Customs Tariff of France applicable to imports nto St. Pierre 
and Miquelon from foreign countries : — 
Fes. 
Tobacco, leaf . . . . 100 kilogs. 75 
,, for smoking or chewing, 
and snuff . . , ,, 75 
,, cigars and cigarettes. . ,, 250 
France (Senegal). “Customs Tariff of Senegal, — With 
reference to the Customs Tariff of Senegal, the Board of Trade 
have now received a copy of a recent issue of the Journal OJficiel 
du Sdndgal et Dependencies, containing the tariffs of import 
duties, consumption taxes, port and navigation dues, special 
taxes, and octroi duties now in force in Senegal. 
The following appear to be the only modifications which 
have taken place in these tariffs since the .publication of the 
notice above referred to. 
Import duties and consumption taxes. — No consump .on tax 
is now leviable on wines, spirits, beers, etc., but, as a consequence 
of the Brussels Convention of 8th June, 1899, spirits are subject 
to import duty at the rate of 140 francs per hectolitre of pure 
alcohol, in addition to the “Customs” duty of 7 per cent. 
ad valorem if the goods are of foreign origin. Wines and beers 
are liable to ‘ ‘ import " duty at the rate of 5 per cent, advalorem 
in addition to the above-mentioned “ Customs” duty of 7 per 
cent, if of foreign origin. 
Port and Navigation Dues. — Foreign vessels of two tons and 
under are not subject to registration dues when registered as 
French vessels, and foreign vessels of from 2 to 30 tons do not 
have to pay duty on the patent of registration. 
Municipal Octroi duties at Dakar. — Kola nuts, formerly . 
dutiable at the rate of 40 francs per 100 kilogs., are now subject 
to duty at the rate of 20 per cent, ad valorem. 
The complete Tariffs may be seen on application at the 
Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade. 
Germany. —Taxation of Sparkling Wines.— With 
reference to the new law for the taxation of sparkling wines in 
Germany, the Board of Trade are now in receipt of further 
information to the effect that the tax is leviable on all sparkling 
■wines and similar beverages, whether home-made or imported, 
destined for inland consumption. Imported sparkling wines 
must, before they can be cleared through the Customs or taken 
out of bond for consumption, be provided with a special , 
Customs label, bearing the words “ Duty-paid sparkling wine” 
(versollter Schaumwein). Sparkling wines exported or placed 
in bond are exempt from the tax. 
Tariff Classification of Filoselle and Filo- 
floss. — The Board of Trade are in receipt, through the 
Foreign Office, of information to the effect that the German 
Customs authorities have been instructed to treat filoselle , for 
tariff purposes, as threaded and coloured floret-silk, dutiable 
under No. 30c of the Tariff, at the rate of 36 marks per 100 
kilogs. (18s. 3d. per cwt,). Filofioss is to be dutiable as 
coloured thread made out of raw silk, dutiable under No. 30^ of 
the Tariff, at the (conventional) rate of 140 marks per 100 kilogs. 
(£3. ns. 2d. per cwt, ). 
Law Prohibiting the Production, Importation and 
Sale OF Saccharin, etc. — The Deutsche/' Reichs-Anzeiger 
for the 21st July publishes the text of a Law prohibiting the 
production, importation, or sale in Germany of substances 
possessing a higher sweetening power than refined cane or beet 
sugar, and not possessing corresponding nutritive qualities. 
Exception is made in cases where such substances are intended 
for medicinal or scientific purposes. This Law came into force 
on the 1st April last, and supersedes that of the 6th July, 1898. 
The text of the Law (in German) may be seen on application at 
the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade. 
Turkey (Roumania). — Commercial Convention. — With 
reference to the Turco-Roumanian Commercial Convention 
signed at Constantinople on the 12th August, 1901, the Board of 
Trade have received information to the effect that the ratifications 
of this Convention were exchanged on the 15th July, and that its 
provisions were put into force in Roumanian ports on the same 
day. 
A list of articles of Turkish export affected by this Conven- 
tion, including various kinds of fish, oil, fruits, carpets, etc., and 
of the special rates of duty thereon to be charged by the 
Roumanian Government, may be seen on application at the 
Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade any day 
between the hours of 10 a. in. and 5 p.m. 
— — 
TRANSPORT AND FREIGHTS. 
The Freight Market. — Outward rates have declined in 
most directions, the exception being Colombo, which has paid 
14s. , an advance of 3s. 6d. , since our last report. Other recent 
fixtures have been on basis of 4s. Genoa, 5s, Venice, 4s. 6d. 
Port Said, 6s. Las Palmas, 12s. Rio or River Plate. American 
markets are steady, and 2s. 6d. is still the current quotation for 
new season's grain. Australia continues quiet. Newcastle 
paid 6s. 6d. Frisco, 6s. 6d. Tjilatjap, 7s. Java, north side. 
Westport— FI ongkong done at 12s. 6d. Black Sea shows a fur- 
ther advance, and recent berth fixtures have been on a basis of 
iis. Odessa and Sulina. Azoff firmer, and is quoted at 12s. 
to 12s. 6d. Eastern markets continue in a state of stagnation, 
the single exception being Java, which has taken one or two 
boats at 20s. Mediterranean markets are unchanged. River 
Plate. — Owing to the sudden European demand for maize, 
rates have risen rapidly, and 18s. has been paid for a handy 
boat, San Lorenzo limit. Several boats have been chartered 
for Australia on a basis of 23s. to 24s on d.w.— Weddel, 
Turner & Co., August 26, 1902. 
COLONIES. 
Canada and South Africa. — The Canadian Government 
have contracted with Messrs. Elder, Dempster and Co., Furness, 
Withy and Co. Limited, and the Allan Line, for the running of 
a line of steamers from Montreal and Quebec to Cape Town and 
one or two other ports, which have not yet been decided on. 
The vessels are to be fitted with refrigerating machinery and the 
sailings are to be monthly, the first vessel leaving Montreal 
on the 18th October. It is expected that there will be a great 
development in the trade between Canada and South Africa, 
and the above line has been started in order to take advantage 
of the employment. There is reason to believe that a small 
subsidy will be paid to the new service to the Cape. 
Mauritius. — Shipping Facilities. — The Merchant 
Service Guild have brought to the notice of the Board of Trade 
the serious inconvenience to ships and shipmastersarising through 
there only being one responsible official at the mercantile marine 
office at Port Louis, Mauritius. The Board of Trade referred 
the matter to the Colonial Office, who brought it to the attention 
of the Governor of Mauritius, Sir Charles Bruce. The guild 
have now received from the latter Department a copy of the 
despatch forwarded by Sir Charles Bruce, and from the appended 
extracts it appeal's that great improvements are to be effected : — 
(1). I have given the matter my careful consideration and have 
come to the conclusion that the most suitable arrangement is to 
bring the deputy-superintendentt of mercantile marine under the 
same roof as the superintendent, who will thus be able to carry 
on the business of the shipping office in the absence, through 
llness or otherwise, of the deputy. (2), The shipping office has 
accordingly been transferred to the port office, and 1 trust that 
the inconvenience complained of will not recur, and that there 
will be no cause for complaint in the future. (3.) Should, how- 
ever, the arrangement, after a fair trial, not prove satisfactory, 
steps will be taken to amend existing legislation, and invest the 
clerk attached to the mercantile marine office with power to act 
in the absence of the superintendent and deputy-superintendent 
of mercantile marine. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Argentine Republic and South Africa. — A regular 
steamship communication between Buenos Ayres and Cape 
Town has been established by the Argentine Government, and 
a Government transport, or, failing that, a chartered foreign 
steamer, will be despatched from the Argentine port on the 15th 
of each month with (principally) cattle and grain. The arrange- 
ment has been made for six months, to be then dropped or 
continued according to circumstances. 
Bounties ou Shipbuilding in Russia.— The British Con- 
sul-General at St. Petersburg states in his report for the past 
year that, in order to ‘encourage the construction of merchant 
vessels and mercantile navigation generally, a commission was 
appointed under the presidency .of the Grand Duke Alexander 
Mikhailovitch. This body elaborated a scheme providing as 
follows : — 1. The grant to shipowners of loans, without interest, 
amounting to half the cost of construction of ships owned and 
built of Russian material in Russia ; repayment is to be spread 
over 20 years in equal instalments, the vessels to be mortgaged 
for the amount due during that period. 2. Insurance premiums 
on ships to two-thirds of their value to be paid by the Govern- 
ment, the shipowner paying 2 per cent, per annum on the 
amount, while the remaining third of the value may be insured 
by the owner when he pleases. 3. To encourage the export of 
Russian goods in vessels of Russian construction the Govern- 
ment will repay half the cost of the fuel consumed in working 
the engines, provided such fuel is of Russian origin ; the vessel 
claiming this privilege must load cargo at a Russian port for 
abroad to the extent of three-fourths of its carrying capacity. 
4. All these privileges will be granted exclusively to shipowners 
of Russian nationality and to associations of which all the mem- 
bers are Russians, and they are to come into force from 
January 1 next year. 
German West Africa.— A landing-stage,' reaching far out 
into the sea, is to be built at Lome, in the German African 
colony of Togoland, at the cost of the State. 
Russia.— Proposed New Line to the States. — The 1 
Odessa correspondent of The Times says it is reported that an 
Italian Company is at present negotiating with the Russian 
Volunteer Fleet with a view to opening up a new regular line 
between Black Sea ports and North America via Italy by means 
of Volunteer Fleet vessels. The Italian Company proposes with 
certain of these vessels to maintain a regular passenger and 
cargo service between Odessa and Naples, and to make a bid 
for the emigrant trade between Italian ports and New York. It 
is proposed as an experiment to put on the new line two of the 
vessels of the Volunteer Fleet now in reserve, the vessels men- 
tioned being the St. Petersburg and the Orel, two of the older of 
the fast vessels of the fleet. At present a definite plan in regard 
to an Odessa-Naples-New York service is said to be occupying 
the attention of the Volunteer Fleet Committee and the Italian 
Company, and a decision is looked for towards the autumn of 
the present year. 
South America. — Steamship Co-operation. — An ar- 
rangement has been concluded between the three mail packet 
lines running to the Peninsula, Brazil, and River Plate — viz., 
the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, the Pacific Navigation 
Company, and the French Messageries Maritimes, under which 
passage tickets issued by one line are also valid to travel by 
either of the other lines on the route. This arrangement will 
give facilities to tourists which will' enable them during a reason- 
able holiday to make themselves acquainted with the beauties of 
Rio de Janeiro and other foreign cities. 
♦ 
OFFICIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Ashton-under-Lyne.— Tenders are invited, until the 8th 
inst. , for Making and Delivering about 415 tons of Cast- 
iron Pipes, from 6 inch to 12 inch diameter, including irregulars. 
Particulars (£1. is.) may be obtained from Messrs. E. II. Hill ; 
and Sons, 3, Victoria-street, Westminster, and Albert-chambers, 
Albert-square, Manchester. 
Barnsley. — Tenders are invited, until the 17th inst., for 
the Construction of Four Filter Beds and other works 
near Upper Midhope, Particulars (£3. 3s.) may be obtained 
from Mr. J. Henry Taylor, Manor-house, Barnsley, and from 
Messrs. T, and C. Hawksley, 30, Great George-street, West- 
minster. 
Brighton. — Tenders are invited, until the 8th inst., for the 
Construction, Erection, and Maintenance of Pumping 
Engines, Boilers, Deep Well Pumps, Economiser, and 
other machinery required at Falmer Pumping Station. Par- 
ticulars (£5. 5s. ) may be obtained from Francis J. Tillstoue, 
Town-clerk, Town-hall, Brighton. 
Menai Bridge. — Tenders are invited, until the 8th inst., 
for: — (Contract No. 1). The removal of St. George's Pier — a 
stone structure about 150 faet long — the construction of a sea 
wall, promenade, etc. (Contract No. 2). The construction and 
erection of a pier and floating landing stage, consisting of iron 
piles, steel girders and pontoons, with greenheart dolphins, etc. 
Particulars (£3. 3s.) may be obtained from Mr. John J, Webster, 
M.I.C.E., 39, Victoria-street, Westminster. 
Retford. — Tenders are invited for Supplying and Erect- • 
ing a Pumping Engine complete, with Deep Well Pumps 
capable of raising 35,000 gallons of water per hour. Particulars 
(£2. 2s. ) may be obtained from J. B. Fenwick, engineer, Gas 
and Water Office, Retford. 
COLONIES. 
New South Wales. — The tenders for the construction of a 
bridge over Sydney Harbour were opened by the Government 
on July 1. The following were the tenders : — 
Joseph Bentley, 26, Brisiiol-road, Leeds, £7,720,478. 
Alex. Findlay & Co., Motherwell, Scotland, three tenders 
ranging from £1,523,837 to £1,661,866. 
Wm. Arrol & Co., and Head, Wrightson & Co., £1,710,688. 
Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company, Darlington, 
England, £1,794,118. 
Compagnie de Fives, Lille, I'rance, £3,050,750. 
E. and C. Bridge Company, England, three tenders ranging 
from £1,666,000 to £i(943>975. 
J. Stewart & Co. , Sydney, six tenders ranging from £1,112,859 
£i. 933. !94- 
Gilbert Weaver, Sydney, £1,775,207. 
Henning & Hildebrand, New York, £2,000,000. 
The matter is now in the hands of a Bridge Board, specially 
1 appointed to consider the tenders. 
INDIA. 
Emigrant Ships Wanted. — The Crown Agents for the 
Colonies will, on the 1st December, receive Tenders for 
Sailing Ships or Steamers to convey Indian emigrants from 
Calcutta to Demerara and from Demerara to Calcutta, and also 
from Calcutta to Trinidad and from Trinidad to Calcutta, for 
three or five or seven seasons, commencing on the 7th July, 
1904. Particulars may be obtained on application at the Office 
of the Crown Agents for the Colonies. As the tenders will be 
referred to the Colonial Government for consideration, tenderers 
must be prepared to keep then tenders open till the 1st March, 
19°3- 
Southeru Mahratta Railway. — Tenders are invited, 
until the 9th inst., for (1) Safety Chains, (2) Spiral Springs 
for Safety Chains. Particulars (£1. is. each specification), 
may be obtained from the secretary, at the company's office, 
46, Queen Anne's-gate, Westminster. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Holland. — The Municipal Council of Amsterdam invite 
Tenders, until the 8th inst. for the Delivery and Laying of 
the entire net of Cables for the Municipal Electrical Works, 
consisting of about 150 kilometres of divertible steam cables, 
about 70 kilometres of direct steam cables, about 25 kilometres 
of wire and telephone cables, with the necessary appurtenances. 
Particulars (43. 2d,) may be obtained from the Municipal Printing 
Office, and at the office of the Director of the Electrical Works, 
O.Z., Achterburgwal 213, Amsterdam. 
Portuguese West Africa.— Tenders are invited until the 
17th October, for the Supply of Medicines for the hospitals of 
the province of Angola for two years from 1st January next. 
The unit of weight in all cases is to be the kilogramme, and the 
prices must be expressed in reis ; but the freight and insurance, 
the latter to be taken out by the contractor, are on account of 
the State. The proposals should be based on all the regular 
medicines, etc., announced in the last catalogue of the firm of 
Collin. A provisional deposit of 500 milreis, or about £86. 10s., 
is required to qualify any tender. 
Russia. — The S r r. Petersburg Stadt-Amt (Town 
Council) require Tenders, until the 1st November, for the 
Reconstruction of the Three Town Tramway Lines, 
hitherto worked by horse traction, to Electrical Power, and 
the Construction and Equipment of an Electric Power Station. 
Particulars will be sent free at once either by post or wire. 
Applications should be addressed : — Stadt-Amt, St. Petersburg, 
Russia. 
Uruguay. — Tenders are invited, until the 15th December, 
for the Construction of Sanitary Works in the Port of 
Montevideo. The works to be constructed consist of ( a ) a 
tunnel, in rock, of 1,278 metres length, 365 mitres height, and 
3 metres in breadth ; (b) a main collector-sewer of 1,157 ‘fio 
metres + 1,283 ’30 metres long, in oviform section 1 ‘So metres 
and 170 metres in height respectively in earthen subsoil ; (c) 
a secondary collector 2,016 metres long of oviform section vary- 
ing from 170 metres, 1 ’25 mitres, and o‘98 metres height, 
partly in rock and partly inearth; (d) the auxiliary collectors, 
inspection chambers, etc. Particulars can be obtained in 
Montevideo, on application direct by letter to the “ Ministerio 
de Fclmento,” and in Europe through the respective Legations. 

COMMERCIAL LAW INTELLIGENCE. 
Commission.. — This was an appeifl from a judgment of 
Mr. Justice Mathew. Mr. John Preston sued Messrs. 
Furness, Withy & Co. for commission on the sale of three 
steamers. In 1900 plaintiff was asked to sell certain steamers 
which were either built by defendants or in which they were 
interested, and he offered them to the FIolland-American Line. 
In February, 1901, the directors of the Holland- American 
Line came over to this country and wrote letters to various 
shipbuilders in the North, including defendants, and they 
afterwards paid a visit to defendants’ shipbuilding yards to 
see what was being built there. They ultimately purchased 
three of the defendants’ steamers at £80,000 each, and plaintiff 
now claimed 1 per cent, commission on the total, contending 
that the sale resulted from the introduction of the previous 
year. It was stated in defence that the steamers sold were 
entirely different from those plaintiff had endeavoured to sell in 
’ the previous year, and that the directors of the Holland-American 
Line were in communication with defendants as far back as 1S98 
with reference to building ships. Mr. Justice Mathew had given 
judgment for plaintiff for £300 for commission on the sale of 
the three steamers, holding that plaintiff did to some extent 
bring about the sale, but did not wholly bring it about. 
Against this judgment both parties appealed, the plaintiff on the 
ground that he had not been given a sufficient amount for com- 
mission. Their Lordships allowed defendants’ appeal, with 
costs, and dismissed plaintiff’s cross appeal, with costs, it being 
held that there was no evidence that the sale of the steamers was 
effected through plaintiff's intervention at all, and that he was 
consequently entitled to no commission. 
International Law. —Before the Lord Chancellor and 
Lords Macnaghten, Brampton, Robertson, and Lindley, in the 
House of Lords, the case of his Excellency Rear-Admiral 
Jose Ramos Yzguierdo y Castaneda and others v . The 
Clydebank Engineering and Shipbuilding Company 
and the Liquidators of the Company was heard. This was an 
appeal from a decision of the Second Division of the Court of 
Session in Scotland reversing a judgment of the Lord Ordinary. 
The appeal raised an important question of international law. 
The respondents undertook to build four torpedo-boat destroyers 
for use in the Spanish Navy, and to deliver them by specified 
dates. The contracts were completed, and the vessels delivered, 
the company receiving the stipulated price, but they, it was 
. alleged, were not delivered by the contract time, and an action 
was brought in the Scottish Court to recover damages for the 
delay in the delivery. The plaintiffs in the action were Rear- 
Admiral Don Castaneda, the Spanish Minister at the time when 
the action was brought, two gentlemen who were described , the 
one as chief and the other as commissary of the Spanish Royal 
Commission in London, and the Commission itself. The de- 
fendants maintained that the contract having been for the 
supply of warships for the Spanish Government, the King of 
Spain alone could sue in the action. The Lord Ordinary (Lord 
Low) held that the Spanish Minister of Marine had a title to 
sue, and gave judgment for the appellants, but the judges of 
the Second Division, Lord Young dissenting, set aside his de- 
cision, being of opinion that the King of Spain was the proper 
perso» to sue. The appellants now contended that this judg- 
ment should be set aside on the ground that they had a good 
