Vol. Vi 1 1. No. 95. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[November, 1902.] 303 
merits of any description by passenger train (except 
liquors). 
(This does not include goods in trucks attached to 
passenger trains. ) 
2. Small parcels, etc ,- — Permits for small parcels and consign- 
ments of goods up to, but not exceeding, 100 lb. in 
weight, may be obtained from Civil Permit Controllers at 
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and 
Lourenpo Marques. 
These permits will be issued at the discretion of the 
Controller, and are only intended to afford convenience in 
fulfilling urgent requirements of consignees. 
3. Perishables. — No permits will be required for consign- 
ments of “ perishables ” forwarded by recognised 
“ perishable train." 
This does not include refrigerator or insulated trucks. 
4. Travellers' samples . — Permits for travellers’ samples up to, 
but not exceeding, 2,000 lb. gross weight, can be 
obtained on application to the “Transvaal or Orange 
River Colony Enquiry Office," Cape Town, also to Civil 
Permit Offices at Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East 
London, Durban and Lourenpo Marques. 
Tariff Amendments. — A ccording to a Times telegram, 
an Ordinance was issued on the 8th ult. amending the Customs 
Tariff. The amendments, which are provisional pending negotia- 
tions with the other colonies for a Customs Union, include the 
abolition of duties on machinery, building materials, metals, and 
agricultural implements, and reductions of duties on many 
articles. The duties on wines and spirits have been increased — that 
on perfumed spirits to ft per gallon, on liqueurs to 15s., and on 
other spirits to 14s. No change is made in the existing duty on 
dynamite, which was imposed with the intention of practically 
prohibiting importation, owing to the fact that some questions 
bearing on the conditions of manufacture and importation into 
the Transvaal are still under discussion, but this duty will be 
separately dealt with as soon as possible. The amended Tariff 
Ordinance abolishes the free importation of spirits from Mozam- 
bique and Orange River Colony. 
The special duties of 3d. each on poles and of id. per lb. 
on sulphuric acid, of 3d. on lead, and of 6d. on copper wire 
have been cancelled. All iron is admitted free, and the cost of 
building is greatly reduced by the removal of the duty of ns. 3d. 
per cask on cement and of 7^ per cent, on timber. The 
alteration of the duty on cigars and cigarettes, from 15s. 
per 100 in the former case, without distinction as to size, to 
6s. per lb., and in the latter case from 1.5s. per 1,000 to 4s. 
per lb. , is considered equitable. 
The special duty on jams of 40s. per 100 lb., which meant 
Sd. per tin, and the same duty on confectionery have been 
reduced to 12s. 6d., showing a reduction of 27s, 6d. per 100 lb. 
The special duties of 10s. on oats and 5s. on oat hay have been 
repealed. The anomalous duties, and most of those a change in 
which has been agitated for for years, have been amended. 
More especially the duty on matches, which were specially taxed 
at 4s. per gross for the benefit of a concession, has now been 
reduced to 2s. per gross. No mention is made of the special 
duties which were suspended in 1897 owing to the agitation in 
Johannesburg, but which the Government reserved the right to 
reimpose at one or three months’ notice. They remain sus- 
pended, and it is expected that they will be wiped out. 
The free list is extended to public and military stores and 
to the goods above mentioned. Apart from the abolition of 
special duties on fodder, bottles, and various other articles, the 
special duties on foodstuffs have been reduced. Further, the 
Ordinance gives notice that it will provide for the management 
of the Customs at the ports of entry, and that the regulations 
for importing and exporting goods and for regulating the 
rebates on importations will remain subject to permits required 
by the Director of Supplies. 
The revised tariff was to take effect on the 22nd ult. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Argentine Republic.— Importation of Plants and 
Seeds. — A n Argentine Law, dated the 10th July, 1902, allows 
the importation of plants and seeds into the Republic, subject 
to previous inspection, and to disinfection or destruction as the 
case may require. The regulations, dated the 23rd August, 
amplify the above Law, and state that Buenos Ayres is the only 
port at which such importations may be effected. Persons 
desiring to import plants or seeds, are required to address a 
petition to the Agronomical Section, setting forth the name and 
address of the importer, the name and place of origin of the 
plants or seeds, the means of introduction and date of arrival, 
and the purpose and (if possible) the place for which the goods 
are intended. 
The translations of the Law and Regulations, may be seen 
on application at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the 
Board of Trade. 
Cuba. — Alteration in Duties on Live-stock, etc. — 
The Board of Trade have received, through the Foreign Office, 
a translation of a recent Cuban Law altering the rates of 
Customs duty leviable on live-stock and on barbed wire for 
fencing imported into Cuba. The Law received the President’s 
assent on the 15th ult., and was to come into force on the 
26th ult. The following are the duties leviable under the new 
Law : — 
Duty per head. 
Dollars. 
Ewes ; cows suitable for breeding purposes ; cows 
with calf; heifers; oxen of the Jersey, Guernsey, 
Devon, Durham, Hereford, Porto-Rican, and 
Argentine breeds, providing the importer proves 
their origin 
Yearlings 
Fat oxen and steers : 
Florida, weighing more than 500 lb. 
Honduras ,, ,, 600 ,, 
Mexican ,, .1 7°° , , 
Venezuelan, Columbian, and other oxen and steers 
not specially mentioned, weighing more than 
800 lb. ........ 
Lean cattle, i.e., those which do not reach the above 
weights according to class 
Stallions above standard height (150 cm. — 14^ hands); 
asses above 130 cm. (13 hands) .... 
Mares suitable for breeding 
Other mares 
Geldings above standard height .... 
,, below ,, ,, .... 
Mules above ,, ,, 
,, below ,, ,, .... 
Barbed wire and staples for the construction of fences are to 
be admitted free of duty. 
The exportation of cattle is prohibited. 
A copy of the translation containing provisions as to the 
slaughter of cattle, etc., may be seen at the Commercial Intelli- 
gence Branch of the Board of Trade. 
German East Africa, — -Alteration in Export Duties 
ON Live-stock. — A supplement to the Tariff of German East 
Africa, recently issued by the International Customs Bureau, 
E2 bs/i 57 
Free 
5 
6 
7 
8 
2 
Free 
3 
i5 
i5 
2 
10 
5 
states that the export duties on live-stock in those territories 
have been modified, and are now as follows : — 
Cattle : 
Female . . . per head 20 rupees. 
Male .... ,, 10 ,, 
Sheep and goats . . ,, 2 ,, 
The privileged treatment accorded to European vessels by 
the circular of the 13th October, 1897, is maintained. In 
consequence, animals taken on board during the voyage as 
supplies for such vessels are to pay only half the duties stated 
above. The same privilege applies to navigation on the lakes. 
Netherlands.— Importation of Clothes, Linf.n, etc., 
FROM certain Ports Prohibited. — The Board of Trade 
are in receipt of information, through the Foreign Office, to 
the effect that a notice has been published in the Dutch Official 
Gazette prohibiting, on and after the 5th inst.. the importation 
into or transit through the Netherlands of rags, clothes, and 
unwashed linen and bedding from Bombay, Calcutta, Cape 
Town, and Port Elizabeth (Cape Colony). 
Passengers’ baggage, in respect of unwashed linen and 
bedding, is included in this prohibition ; but goods arriving 
from the ports named, which can be proved to have been 
originally forwarded from elsewhere, and to have been so 
packed as not to have been in contact with infected goods, are 
exempt from the prohibition, as also are goods destined for 
transit, the packing of which cannot be altered or tampered 
with in any way. 
Portuguese Guinea.— Alteration of Customs Duties. 
— The Portuguese Diario do Gove mo for the 29th July last con- 
tains the text of a Decree altering the rates of Customs duty pay- 
able on articles imported into Portuguese Guinea, as follows : — 
Reis.* 
Tobacco, leaf .... per kilog. 30 
,, manufactured . ,, 70 
Gunpowder ..... ,, 40 
Arms and ammunition 10 per cent, ad valorem 
Reis. 
Alcohol and spirits . -.600 
And for every additional degree per litre 2^52 
Wines and beer are to pay the rates given in the Decree of 
the 7th May last. Articles unenumerated above are to pay 
duty at the rate of 3 per cent, ad val. The general rate of 
export duty is reduced from 10 to 7 per cent, ad val. 
* The present value of the milreis (1,000 reis) is about 3s. 6d. 
Eussia. — Tea in Transit to Samarkand. — The Peters- 
burger Vicdomosti for the i7th/3oth ult., states, on the author- 
ity of the Turkestan Gazette , that the Ministry of Finance 
has authorised the transit of tea to the recently opened bonded 
warehouse at Samarkand, vid Batoum, Baku, and Krasnovodsk, 
under the same conditions as to other Customs-houses of Central 
Asia. 
San Domingo. — Tariff Alterations.— The Gaceta 
Official, of the Dominican Republic for the 5th July last contains 
the text of a decree reducing* as follows the Tariff valuation of 
certain beverages fixed by the Customs Tariff of San Domingo : — 
Valuations. % 
Pesos.f 
Brandies and similar spirits, in bottles , dozen 8 00 
Beer, in bottles 2 00 
Liqueurs, in bottle . . . . . ,, 7 00 
(Proportionately in other receptacles. ) 
White and sweet wines, common, in demijohns or 
casks gallon o 60 
Do. do., in cases of 12 bottles , case 3 60 
Generous or dessert wines, fine, such as burgundy, 
champagne, Cyprus, sherry, Madeira, port, 
Rhenish, etc. . . . case of 12 bottles 15 00 
Common claret or red wines, in demijohns or 
casks gallon o 40 
Do. do., in cases of 12 bottles . case 3 00 
Claret or red wines, fine, in cases of 12 bottles ,, 7 00 
Samples of ■wine, not for sale, are exempt from duty. 
* By a previous Decree the valuations of all beer, wine, and spirits 
were doubled. The valuations here given are reductions only in com- 
parison with these doubled rates. 
t The nominal value of the Dominican peso is 4s. 
J Duty is levied on these valuations at the rate of 50 per cent,, 
excluding surtaxes. 
“+■ 
TRANSPORT AND FREIGHTS. 
The Freight Market. — Outwards, the chief feature has 
been the American demand for coal in consequence of the 
United States miners’ strike. A considerable amount of business 
was done at 9s. 6d., but with the termination of the strike all 
orders have been withdrawn. Rates were not materially affected 
in other directions, and recent Welsh fixtures have been on basis 
of 3s. 9d. Malta, 5s. Genoa, 5s. 3d. Alexandria, 5s. 3d, Port 
Said, 5s. 6d. Venice, 6s. Las Palmas, 10s. River Plate, ns. 6d, 
Rio. One or two steamers taken for rails to San Francisco at 
24s. American markets have been surfeited with coal-laden 
tonnage. Northern Range to c.f.o. quoted at is. 6d. Australia 
has taken two boats for wool at 21s. 6d, to 22s. per 40 cu. ft. 
Newcastle-Manila taken several steamers at 10s. to 12s. 
Westport-Hong Kong done at 12s. Black Sea dull, and rates 
have fallen 6d. to is. Azoff quoted at 11s. Eastern markets 
are rather firmer. Calcutta quoted at 21s. ; Bombay, 13s. ; 
Kurrachee, 14s. Mediterranean markets continue weak. 
River Plate steady at 17s. Several boats have been fixed for 
live-stock to South Africa. — Weddel, Turner & Co., October 
28 th, 1902. 
COLONIES. 
British Railways in West Africa. — Mr. W. Bradford, 
chief constructor of the Sierra Leone railway, who left Liver- 
pool on Saturday morning in the Elder, Dempster liner Biafra, 
for Freetown, made a statement to Reuter's Liverpool repre- 
sentative, in the course of which he gave some very interesting 
particulars of the progress which had been made with the 
railways in the Sierra Leone colony. Mr. Bradford's present 
intention is to inaugurate the work for the new mountain 
railway, a line which is to run from Freetown up the well-known 
mountain so prominently visible from the sea. The new line 
will be about five miles in length, and he expects to complete it 
within 12 months, notwithstanding that the gradient will be 
somewhat steep. It is anticipated that this line will be an 
important factor in improving the health of Sierra Leone. The 
Sierra Leone railway, Mr. Bradford said, is now open for traffic 
for over 80 miles up to Rotofunk, the place where the American 
missionaries were massacred during the native rising some 
years ago. In fact the line is now completed to Myumba, thence 
it goes to Bo, and from there on towards the frontier of Liberia. 
The railway enables commercial and missionary enterprise to 
be extended into the interior, and mission stations have been 
already established at Myumba. Mr. Bradford had several 
assistants with him. The Biafra had also amongst her 
passengers a very large party of men for the Gold Coast 
railway, the contractors being evidently determined to push on 
this important work during the coming dry season. 
Natal. — Durban Harbour. — The Natal Government 
Gazette, of 9th September, publishes, for general information, 
the report of the Durban Inner Harbour Enquiry Committee, 
who were appointed to enquire into the requirements of the Inner 
Harbour of Natal, the future facilities required, and the best 
means of carrying out the same. 
Under the heading of present requirements, the report 
states that the witnesses, though differing considerably on some 
questions, are in agreement as to the more pressing wants of 
the port, which may be summarised as follows ; — 
First, and by far the most important, is the necessity for 
improvement to the harbour entrance, This subject is, however, 
outside the scope of the enquiry. 
Second. — More wharfage, more accommodation, special 
berths for regular lines of steamers and for special cargoes, 
more deep-water moorings, more storage room and stacking 
ground, facilities for boat builders and the fishing industry, 
and an area for repairing shops. Government cold storage, 
with a bonded cold store near a wharf, is very urgently 
required. 
Third . — Greater despatch in dealing with, and removing, 
cargoes after landing. This embraces such subjects as deficient 
railway power to remove goods, including lack of shunting 
engines, and lack of mechanical appliances to save hand labour 
in transporting and moving cargo. 
Fourth, — A large dry dock, and also slipways. 
The Canadian and South African Line.— A Renter mes- 
sage from Liverpool, dated October 18, stated that Messrs, 
Allan Brothers have informed Reuter's Liverpool representa- 
tive that their steamer Ontarian , which inaugurated the ser- 
vice between Canada and South Africa by sailing on October 18 
from Montreal, had a full cargo consisting of grain, provisions, 
lumber, dairy produce, and so forth. It is also understood 
that the Elder, Dempster liner Melville, which is the second 
boat, and is to sail on November 18, is also booked full, or 
thereabouts. The steamers are not passenger boats. It is the 
intention to go from Montreal and Quebec in the summer 
months, and from Halifax and St. John in the winter. The 
Ontarian goes to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Durban, 
whilst the Melville is to call at Cape Town, East London, and 
Durban. The Furness Line steamer Oriana is to sail on 
December 18, and is the first boat to start from Halifax and 
St. John, The ports in South Africa to which cargo is taken 
are Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Algoa Bay (Port Elizabeth), East 
London, Durban, and Deiagoa. Bay. Each steamer is pro- 
vided with refrigerator accommodation for perishable goods. 
The Jamaica Fruit Trade. — The Times' Kingstown cor- 
respondent writes under date October 1 : — Important develop- 
ments have taken place during the past few weeks in connection 
with the Jamaica fruit trade with England. It was first an- 
nounced that the Imperial Direct West India Mail Company 
had handed over the handling of its fruit cargoes to Messrs. 
Elder and Fyffes, an associated English company. This was 
soon after followed by the intimation that Messrs. Elder and 
Fyffes had abandoned its local fruit agency, and transferred 
the business of loading its ships to the United Fruit Company, 
the arrangement being that the United Fruit Company would 
do the work at cost and receive 25 per cent, of the profits. It 
has now been made public that this agreement has been 
abrogated in favour of a closer union. The U nited Fruit Com- 
pany has purchased one-half of the capital stock of Elder and 
Fyffes, and the latter is to be worked as one of the associated 
companies of the American organization, which has now again, 
therefore, complete control of the banana trade in Jamaica and 
Central America. A minor development has been the trans- 
ference of Constant Spring Hotel by the Imperial Direct West 
India Mail Company to a separate London company. All 
these arrangements have been effected in England. Local 
opinion is very much divided on the subject, but the movement 
is the natural outcome of events. The United Fruit Company, 
who have behind them an experience of 20 years, have been 
sending over bananas in increasing quantities to the United 
Kingdom, while the Direct Line have lately been threatening 
to invade Central America, and have actually sent one ship 
there ; they have also been making enquiries in Dominica with 
a view to extension in that direction. When Mr. Preston, the 
president of the United Fruit Company, went over to England 
a few weeks ago he had no difficulty in arriving at a mutual 
understanding with Sir Alfred Jones, w r ith the results already 
mentioned. An important factor in the question was the ap- 
parent inability of the local management of Elder and Fyffes 
to send fruit in fit condition into Bristol. Several losses were 
incurred from time to time, and on a recent trip of the Port 
Antonio the entire cargo of bananas had to be thrown over- 
board before Bristol was reached. There was also great diffi- 
culty in securing full cargoes for the new subsidiary service 
between the north side of die island and Manchester, and Elder 
and Fyffes were compelled to ask the United Fruit Company to 
load up their first vessels. These shipments were so successful, 
although the voyage was longer, that the advantage of having 
the agency in the hands of the United Fruit Company was 
demonstrated. It is believed that the result of the combination 
will be an enormous increase in the output of bananas. The 
United Fruit Company state that it means for them the open - 
iug up of a steady and profitable market for an additional 
5,000,000 bunches of bananas. How it will turn out for the 
growers remains to be seen. They have met in conference 
and discussed the situation, and have formed a Fruit Growers' 
Union to protect their interests in the future, if necessary, but 
past experience of similar voluntary combinations in Jamaica 
affords little hope that the organization will fulfil the useful and 
practical purpose which it might very well serve. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
New Steamship Lines to Mexico. — A recent report 01 
the United States Consul at Vera Cruz records the latest 
action of the Mexican Government in the establishment of 
steamship lines. According to this, it has granted a concession 
to Jose Gabriel Escalante, of Progreso, Yucatan, for the 
establishment of a line of steamers, to be called the “Yucatan 
Steamship Line," to ply between Progreso and New York, with 
the privilege of calling at Vera Cruz, Tampico, Galveston, New 
Orleans, and Mobile. The concessionary is authorised to 
organise a company, and the vessels employed must be owned 
by the concessionary or the company, or chartered for at least 
six months at a time. The Mexican mail will be carried free of 
charge, in compensation for which the vessels will be entered and 
cleared at any time, day or night, except national holidays. 
The owners of this line are authorised to have their own coaling 
depots, either on land or pontoons, in the ports where their 
vessels touch. It is expressly stipulated that the concessionary 
or the members of the company shall be considered Mexican and 
shall be subject to Mexican law's only. The term of this agree- 
ment is for three years. In addition to this, announcement is 
made that another agreement has recently been entered into by 
the Mexican Government with the Tabaseo-Cbiapas Trading 
and Transportation Company, of Frontera, Tabasco, for the 
establishment of steam navigation between Mexican Gulf ports 
and one or more American ports, Europe, and South America, 
and also in the coastwise trade between Mexican pons. 
Vessels must be owmed by the company, or, if chartered, the 
contract must be for not less than six months. The Mexican 
mail will be carried free of charge, in compensation for which 
the company will enjoy certain privileges, such as the entering 
