422 
Brimstone  in  Sicily. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
t      August,  1897. 
After  a  careful  study  of  the  above  figures,  I  think  the  readers  of 
this  report  will  recognize  the  truth  of  the  following  deductions : 
(1)  The  exports  of  sulphur  from  Sicily  in  1896  were  44,000  tons 
in  excess  of  1895,  °f  which  31,000  tons  were  exported  from  January 
to  July.  This  increase  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  exceedingly  low 
prices  which  prevailed  toward  the  close  of  1895  anc*  the  beginning 
of  1896,  at  which  figures  the  working  of  a  majority  of  the  mines  was 
unprofitable.  The  increase  of  13,000  tons  in  the  last  six  months  of 
1896  is  undoubtedly  due  to  the  sudden  advance  in  prices,  which  in- 
duced consumers  to  lay  in  heavy  stocks  in  anticipation  of  a  further 
rise.    These  stocks,  however,  cost  them  relatively  low  prices. 
(2)  By  reference  to  the  table  of  exports,  stocks  and  prices  for 
1 891- 1 896,  it  will  be  observed  that,  although  prices  steadily  declined 
during  those  years,  the  production,  as  estimated  by  the  mining  bu- 
reau, frequently  increased  and  never  decreased.  Stocks  show  a  con- 
stant increase.  These  facts  unquestionably  prove  that  the  cost  of 
production  has  diminished,  cheaper  transportation  has  been  gained 
by  the  construction  of  roads  and  railways,  and  improvements  have 
been  made  in  mining  and  smelting.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  pro- 
duction at  the  lower  prices  has  continued  steadily,  because  it  was 
found  profitable. 
(3)  The  increase  of  exports  during  these  years  is  natural,  because 
the  large  production  had  to  be  sold,  and  this  was  made  possible  by 
the  fall  in  prices. 
(4)  The  Italian  Parliament  abolished  the  export  duty  of  8.y.  6d. 
($2.06)  per  ton  with  the  object  of  favoring  exports,  since  this  duty 
increased  the  cost  to  the  foreign  consumer.  The  artificial  advance 
which  the  Anglo-Sicilian  sulphur  trust  wishes  to  establish  is,  there- 
fore, in  opposition  to  all  the  above  facts,  although  the  latter  are  re- 
sponsible both  for  the  decline  in  price  for  several  years  and  the  abo- 
lition of  the  export  duty. 
(5)  It  is  stated  that  the  production  in  1896  shows  an  increase,  and 
although  the  statistics  are  not  yet  published,  there  is  the  best  au- 
thority for  estimating  it  at  about  385,000  tons.  That  there  really 
was  an  increase  is  confirmed  by  the  following  facts  :  There  were 
shipped,  in  1 896,  44,000  tons  more  than  in  1895,  but  nevertheless  the 
visible  stock  in  the  ports  of  Sicily  on  the  31st  of  December,  1896, 
was  only  18,000  tons  less  than  on  the  same  date  in  1895.  The  dif- 
ference of  26,000  tons  must,  therefore,  come  from  an  increase  of  pro- 
