British Trade Abroad.

boots and shoes, buttons, toys, hats and caps, boats and vessels, soap, rice (transit), alcoholic beverages, beer, tea, tinned fish, &c. "In some cases, of course, the shrinkage is the consequence of competition by native protected manufacturers and is inevitable. A great deal of the advantage of protective duties has, however, been neutralised by the rise of 50 per cent. in exchange.'

H.M. Consul adds that the population of the State of São Paulo is reckoned to be about 3,000,000. Imports at the port of Santos represented in 1904 17.2 per cent. of the total for all Brazil, whilst exports represented 33 per cent. (Foreign Office, Annual Series, 3,521.)

*Note.-This has now been partly counterbalanced by an increase of the percentage of duty payable in gold--see p. 122.

COTTON INDUSTRY OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.

The following particulars of the cotton industry of the Leeward Islands are extracted from the report recently issued by the Colonial Office:

This industry has made considerable progress in many of the islands. In 1903-4 cotton was grown in a tentative manner over a considerable area, while in St. Kitts and Montserrat the cultivation was carried on on a somewhat large scale. The results were somewhat variable, but were such as to lead to a considerable extension of the industry, so that in the latter part of 1904 it was estimated that the following acreage was under cultivation in Sea Island cotton-Antigua and Barbuda, 500 acres; St. Kitts, 1,000 acres; Nevis, 1,050 acres; Anguilla, 300 acres; Montserrat, 500 acres. Future developments will largely depend upon the prices realised.

In Antigua there is a ginnery with three gins, the necessary baling presses, and a disintegrator for crushing the cotton seed. The motive-power is a 9 h.p. oil engine. This has been largely provided by the British Cotton Growing Association, and has been run by the Imperial Department of Agriculture. In St. Kitts there are three ginneries, two of which are due to private enterprise; the third has been furnished by the British Cotton Growing Association. In Nevis there is one ginnery, having three gins, driven by an oil engine, and a small ginnery worked by horse power. The former is partly assisted by the British Cotton Growing Association. In Montserrat there are three ginneries, two due to private enterprise,

Cotton Industry of the Leeward Islands.

and one assisted by the British Cotton Growing Association. In Anguilla there is a ginnery with two gins, driven by an oil engine; this is provided by the British Cotton Growing Association under agreement, with a private individual. In Tortola there is a gin driven by an aermotor; these were placed in the hands of the Imperial Department of Agriculture by the British Cotton Growing Association.

The Imperial Department of Agriculture has been at great pains to afford assistance in every branch of the industry, promising seeds, assisting to combat pests and diseases, affording information and advice at every stage. This, coupled with the enterprise of cotton growers, has enabled a real and business-like attempt to be made to produce cotton of the first quality.

In the Virgin Islands the cotton industry has chiefly been taken up in Virgin Gorda and Anegada. In Antigua, the cultivation of cotton is being steadily increased. The export of raw. cotton in 1903 was 4 bales and 7 bags, valued at 287.; in 1904, 155 bales of the value of 1,3581. were exported; while up to the 30th September, 1905, 277 bales have been exported, valued at 2,7701. There are some 5,000 acres of land admirably adapted for the cultivation of cotton which are obtainable on easy terms.

During 1904 cotton loans to the amount of 7401. (St. Kitts, 2601.; Nevis, 3801.; Anguilla, 100l.) were advanced from the sum of 5,000l. placed at the disposal of the Colony by the Imperial Government and the British Cotton Growing Association, the advances being regulated by the Leeward Islands Cotton Industry Aid Act. The opening of the old main road near the sea from Charlestown to Whitehall in Nevis is having the effect of bringing many acres of excellent land into cotton cultivation.

The new industry is also in a flourishing condition in Anguilla. 55,625 lbs. of Sea Island Cotton were shipped from the Presidency to the United Kingdom and realised an average price of 1s. 2d. per lb.

In Montserrat during the past year the cultivation of cotton was considerably extended, but, in consequence of severe drought and the appearance of the black boll disease, the value of lint was only 1,380l. as against 1,486l. in 1903.

In spite of discouragements inevitable at the introduction of a new industry cotton seems to have taken a permanent place in the chief exports of the Island. (Colonial Office, Annual Series, 478.)

FOREIGN TRADE OF ARGENTINA.

According to official statistics of the foreign trade of Argentina for the first six months of 1905, the imports during that period amounted in value to 97,574,975 dols. as compared with 91,668,807 dols. and 61,902,153 dols. respectively during the corresponding periods of 1904 and 1903 respectively. The total exports amounted to 175,773,681 dols. as against 144,359,138 dols. and 128,820,138 dols. respectively.

Imports.

The following table shows the countries participating in the import trade and the values of their respective shares:

The values of the exports to the various countries were as follows:

COMMERCIAL CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND BULGARIA.

A "Convention of Commerce, Customs Duties and Navigation between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria was signed at Sofia on the 9th of December last.

The Convention comprises 21 Articles, of which the first three relate to the treatment to be accorded to the subjects of the two contracting parties. Article 1 provides for complete national treatment in respect of the carrying on of commerce and navigation; Article 2 for exemption from military service or obligatory official functions; and Article 3 for the right of carrying on commerce and industry and of acquiring and possessing property. Articles 4 to 6 deal with the treatment to be accorded to merchandise. Article 4 provides for the mutual accord of most-favourednation treatment in respect of import or export duties, and prohibitions of importation or exportation, as well as for the enjoyment of national privileges in respect of warehousing, drawbacks, transit, and generally in all that relates to the exercise of commerce or industry. Article 5 provides that merchandise of British origin shall pay on entry into Bulgaria the duties specified in the Tariff annexed to the Convention (a translation of which was published in the "Board of Trade Journal" for the 21st of December, pp. 544-546); and Article 6 provides for the accord of most-favoured-nation treatment in respect of internal duties and for freedom of goods in transit. Article 7 provides for full most-favoured-nation treatment in regard to commercial travellers and their samples, and recognises the Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom as competent authorities for the granting of the legitimation certificates with which British commercial travellers require to be furnished.

Articles 7 to 13 deal with navigation, in respect of which national treatment is accorded except in regard to coasting trade. Article 14 relates to the treatment to be accorded to vessels wrecked, and to goods salved therefrom.

Article 15 accords mutual national treatment in respect of trade marks.

Article 16 accords most-favoured-nation treatment to produce of fisheries, and Article 17 contains provisions excepting local frontier traffic and obligations imposed by Custom Unions from the operation of the Convention. Article 18 provides for the settlement of tariff disputes by arbitration, while Article 20 deals with the adhesion of British Colonies to the Convention, and provides that any such Colony may adhere within a year from the exchange of ratifications and may subsequently withdraw on giving 12 months' notice. It also provides that goods produced or manufactured in any part of the British Empire, whether adhering to the Convention or not, shall receive full most-favoured-nation treatment in Bulgaria on condition of treating Bulgarian products as favourably as those of any other foreign country.

Commercial Convention between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria.

The Treaty came into force on the 14th January. It will remain in operation for five years, and thereafter from year to year unless twelve months' notice of denunciation shall have been given by either side. As above stated, the schedule of reductions from the general rates of the Bulgarian tariff in favour of British goods which is annexed to the Convention, was published in the "Board of Trade Journal" for the 21st December, but it may be of interest to mention here that those reductions affect the most important classes of British goods exported to Bulgaria-e.g., cotton yarns, cotton tissues, certain jute tissues and carpets, jute bags and sacks, various woollen and woollen mixed goods, tin plate, iron bedsteads, sewing and other machines, &c.

Appended to the Convention are schedules of the excise and octroi duties which may be levied in Bulgaria on various classes of goods in addition to import duties, a schedule of accessory dues to be levied in Bulgaria (for sealing goods, supplying copies of printed papers and receipts, warehousing dues, and statistical dues), and a schedule of dues to be levied on mercantile shipping calling at Bulgarian ports. The form of certificate with which British commercial travellers in Bulgaria require to be furnished is also specified in the Convention.

FORTHCOMING APPLICATION OF NEW GERMAN TARIFF.

Adverting to the notice which appeared at p. 441 of the "Board of Trade Journal" for the 7th December, on the subject of the application of the new German Customs Tariff on and after the 1st March next to goods stored in certain warehouses, the Board of Trade are now in receipt, through the Foreign Office, of information to the effect that all goods presented for clearance on the usual Declaration Form at the Custom-house of entry, or on the special form known as "Begleitschein II." in use for goods paying duties at a Custom-house other than that of entry, before midnight on the 28th February, will be dutiable under the present Customs Tariff, whether they are actually examined on that date or not. As regards goods which are to be examined at Custom-houses in the interior of Germany, it is suggested that it would be advisable to have such goods cleared at the frontier Custom-house in order to avoid the application of the enhanced rates of the new tariff, should there be any doubt as to the goods reaching the Customhouse in the interior in time to be presented for clearance on or before the 28th February.