Silk is a product liable to great fluctuations, and, in spite of good crops in France, Hungary, and the Levant, the imports into India receded; on the other hand, average prices were higher than in 1904. The imports of cotton declined from 192,554 to 161,476 cwts., but two years ago the quantity was only 18,279 cwts., so this need not surprise any one. Foreign cottons are used mainly for spinning counts higher than the Indian staple lends itself to, and the strong demand all through India and the East for coarse yarns enables Indian manufacturers to dispense with the imported article at the relatively high prices asked. Precious stones and pearls, unset, as recorded in the trade accounts, bear no very close relation to the true imports, for it is known that large quantities of pearls are both imported and exported by post so as to escape record. There was a rise of nearly 53 per cent. in 1905-6, nearly half in pearls from Muscat and the Persian Gulf. There was also a large increase of jewels from the United Kingdom. The trade in timber has risen 40 per cent. ing a rise of 37 per cent. in being due to Siamese teak, of Burma teak. during the year, follow1904-5, the greater part which is taking the place The very important group of cotton goods was on an unprecedented scale, and reflected the general activity of the world's textile industry, except in Russia. The aggregate value of the imports of cotton yarn and of woven and other cotton goods, was 424 millions of rupees, an increase of 11.6 per cent. In yarns, the increase of value was 377 per cent., but the decline in specific value was 7.99 per cent. Yarns from the United Kingdom, which represent 93.5 per cent. of the whole, increased 52 per cent., and since the British exports of yarn in 1905, showed an advance of 25.7 per cent., it may be considered that India took her full share. The imports of dyed and undyed yarns continue to be of nearly equal value. A comparison of the imported yarn with the production of yarns from Indian mills, shows that in regard to low counts (1 to 25) the imports were quite insignificant, viz., 3 or 4 million lbs. as against 634 million produced in India; of the counts (26 to 40) there was comparative approximation, 33 million as against 45 million lbs., while of the counts above 40, the figures were 5.8 millions, and 11 million lbs. respectively. The imports of cotton fabrics increased in value from 3,555 to 3,901 lakhs of rupees, representing over 37 per cent. of the total imports of private merchandise. The increase is 9.7 per cent., bringing the total increase in two years to 35 per cent. Although, during the last sixteen years, the demand for grey goods has not kept pace with the development in white and coloured goods, the former contributed by far the greater part of the increase in 1905-6. Considering the large contributions now made by the Indian mills to the supply of grey goods, their unprecedented activity in that particular line in the year under review, and the revival in the hand loom industry (whose output is believed to be double that of the Indian cotton mills), the increase in the imports of these textiles most largely used by the poorer classes must be regarded as a mark of prosperity among the masses. It is noticeable that Bengal, where there are two cottonweaving mills, took 74 per cent. of the total of imported grey. goods in 1905-6. England's shares of the grey goods, bleached goods, and coloured goods are 99, 98, and 95 per cent. respectively. Besides these there are subsidiary goods, such as handkerchiefs and shawls, hosiery, sewing thread, and other manufactures imported. Of the first and third classes the United Kingdom supplies 88 and 85 per cent. respectively. But the considerable item of hosiery is monopolised by Japan, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium and Spain. Silk manufactures, after three years of continuous progress, receded to 190 lakhs of rupees, though the average price improved slightly. In imports of woollen goods there was a reaction of some 21 per cent. in 1905-6, and the total value receded from 307 to 242 lakhs of rupees. In a long list of "other manufactured goods," including a variety of miscellaneous items, one of the most notable increases is under the head of "Carriages and Carts," which includes motor cars and motor cycles (34,99 lakhs) and cycles (15 lakhs). Arrangements have now been made, and will soon come into force, by which the true countries of origin will be more correctly ascertained, in the case of goods imported into India. We are nevertheless informed that for some years retrospective comparisons will have to be conducted on the basis of the old system. According to that system, the United Kingdom increased its predominance in imports from 65.2 to 66.7 per cent. The chief other countries rank as follows:-Belgium, Germany, AustriaHungary, Straits Settlements, and the United States. Imports of Government stores are not included in these figures. They are large, amounting to 902-7 lakhs in 1905-6, as against 773 lakhs in the previous year, and the share of the United Kingdom, though it is marked by an absolute increase in value, declined from 94 to 90 per cent. of the total. Material for State railways, forms a considerable part of this heading. INSANITY. The sixtieth Report of the Lunacy Commissioners shows that the total number of notified insane in England and Wales continues to increase. On the 1st of January, 1906, it stood to the estimated population in the proportion of 1 to 283, or 35 31 per 10,000 of the population, an increase of 0.62 per cent. on the ratio for last year, contrasting with an actual numerical growth of 1.79 per cent. In 1897 the ratio was 31.89, so that in the decade it increased 10.72 per cent., the proportion of insane persons in the community rising from 1 to 314 to 1 to 283. The actual increase in the population during this period has been 10.8 per cent., and in the total number of insane under care 22.7 per cent. This does not necessarily imply, as the Report points cat, a corresponding increase in insanity, but only of persons detained under care. The population of England and Wales has increased from 22,223,299 in 1869, to 34,547,016, i.e., 55'4 per cent. in 1906; the total insane on the 1st January, 1869, was 53.177, on the same date in 1906 it had increased to 121,679. The admissions during the year 1869 were 10,472, during 1905 they were 21,622, an increase of 1064 per cent., but the ratios have not increased to a like extent, being less than the increase in population. If the relative distribution of the pauper insane at the present time is contrasted with that obtaining in 1859, the first year for which there are accurate statistics for the comparison, the contrast strikingly shows to how large an extent this class is now cared for in special institutions. In making this comparison, the asylums of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, which date from 1870, are ranked. On this basis it will be found that, whereas in 1859 the proportion detained in asylums, hospitals, and licensed bouses was 56.2 per cent., in 1906 it is 84.9 per cent. On the other hand, whilst in 1859 the proportion in workhouses was 25'4, it is now 100 per cent., or, if the metropolitan district asylums be classed with workhouses, 16 per cent. The increase in the numbers of the insane has taken place year by year although not with equal proportions. Taking the last decade, it will be found that as between the figures for 1896 and 1906 respectively there bas been a total increase of 26.5 per cent., whereas the annual increase has ranged from 103 in 1900-1 to 2-08 in 1903-4, receding to 1.08 in 1905 6. It is interesting to observe that the numbers annually admitted into institutions and in single care do not follow the general rates of increase, for whilst in the whole decade they increased 16.8 per cent., they had, up to 1902, increased as much as 23.4 per cent., there being during the following years an actual diminution in the proportion amounting in all to 6.6 per cent. A similar result follows a study of the gures for first admissions since 1898, for though up to 1902 the increase on the 1898 figures amounted to 22-4 per cent. (of which as much as 101 was in 1901-2) the total increase by 1905 had fallen to 14.7 cwing to the falling off of such admissions in the past three years. The Report touches upon the question how far the cause of an attack of insanity is related to the occupation of the patient. It is a subject worthy of care and detailed research but the data available only permit of an approach to the fringe of it. As a contribution the Commissioners have singled out for special analysis the returns from four asylums receiving patients from communities whose pursuits are mainly agricultural, namely, Cambridge, Dorset, Wilts, and Hereford. The period dealt with is the three years 1900-2 inclusive, during which there were admitted into these asylums on an average annually 220 males and 256 females. The original causes of insanity in these cases were then compared with the average in all asylums for the five years 1899-1903 inclusive. The general result was to show that in these counties the causes which were above the mean were religious excitement, sexual decay, sunstroke, privation, old age, hereditary influence, and congenital defect, whilst those below the mean were domestic trouble, adverse circumstances, mental anxiety, fright and shock, intemperance in drink, and a few others. The statistical result bears out what may have been assumed, à priori, in the case of rural communities, where the lack of brain activity may conduce to the dementia that accompanies old age, intermarriage favours transmission of feeble brains and congenital deficiencies, avocations expose to risk of sunstroke, low wage earning may be responsible for privation, and revivalism in religion may be more potent in disturbing mental balance than grief or anxiety. The returns on the type of insanity exhibited by the patients admitted into institutions other than idiot establishments show that during the five years 1900-1904 inclusive, there were annually in every 100 admissions 5'4 who were subjects of congenital insanity, 407 cases of mania (all forms), 30.5 of melancholia (all forms), 40'1 of delusional insanity, 6.6 of general paralysis, and 127 of dementia (all forms). The Commissioners say they have frequently had occasion to complain that persons of distinctly unsound mind were detained, or allowed to remain, in workhouses without the requisite legal authority; and of the inadequacy of the means of escape for imbeciles in many of the houses in the event of an outbreak of fire. The Commissioners are able generally to report favourably on the ordinary workhouses visited by them during the year. BUCHAREST EXHIBITION AND ROU MANIAN ASSOCIATION. In commemoration of the forty years' reign of Charles I., an Exhibition is now being held at Bucharest, where the fifth Congress of the Roumanian Association of Science has also assembled during the month of October. The number of members who joined the congress amounted to 4,000, almost double the number who attended the last meeting of the British Association. Judging from the importance of the papers read and the discussions following, there is noticeable a distinct advance in the appreciation of the value of education on the part of the Roumanians. The Congress was divided into ten sections, the best attended being the one dealing with Educational Science, comprising over 3,000 members, including university professors, and teachers of all classes. Great attention was given in this section to the question of extending the number of hours at schools prescribed for physical training and military drill. The Economic Science Section was also well attended, and great interest was attached to the papers read dealing with the improvement of the state of the peasantry, a subject which engages the attention of all political parties of the country. The outcome of this meeting has been the inauguration of a special society, starting with over 200 members, and having as its object the thorough investigation and discussion of the social and economical problems of Roumania. One of the characteristic features of the Congress was the fact that, for the first time the clergy as a body, participated by forming a separate section, and among other questions discussed, the scientific aspects of religious teaching received considerable attention. Among the other sections in which good work was done, mention may be made of the Medical, Physical, and Chemical Sections. On the whole, over 160 papers were read. The next Congress will take place September, 1907, at Focsani. GERMAN COAL SUPPLY IN 1906. According to a recent report by the American Consul at Munich, the coal supply from German mines, for the large industrial cities of Germany, in the first half of 1906, was not equal to the demand. The supply increased 8 per cent. from 1905 to 1906, and 12 per cent. from 1904 to 1905, although in the last-named year the trade was retarded for two months by a strike. The causes given for the short supply this year are lack of labour in mining and an insufficiency of cars for transporting the coal. This lessened increase in the supply is certainly not caused by a lessened demand, as all branches of industry have shown great progress in the first half of the current year. The twenty largest industrial cities in Germany used 8,100,827 tons of hard coal in the first half of 1906, 7,429,778 tons in the same period of 1905, and 6,618.984 tons in the first six months of 1904, showing an increase of 671,049 tons, or 8 per cent. in the current year, and of 810,794 tons, or 12 per cent., last year. The supply in the first quarter of the present year was even smaller in quantity than in the same period of last year, which may, however, be explained by the fact that most consumers and speculators laid in large stocks last year to provide against the threatened strike. The supply to the largest industrial cities in Germany for the first six months of the present year was as follows:-Berlin, 2,541,704 tons; Leipzic, 900, 190; Cologne, 770,763; Dresden, 530,668; Frankfort, 424,774; Magdeburg, 345,404; Munich, 340,606; Altona, 276,746, Barmen, 266,391; Nuremburg, 202,135; and Halle, 177,068 tons. ARTS AND CRAFTS. Writing and Illumination.-When once the printing press was firmly established the art of beautiful writing began to die out. It is true that in the sixteenth century some beautiful writing books were produced, but after that, although books about writing did from time to time appear, they were by people who looked upon the art from the point of view of the writing master, not of the scribe. They taught the would-be learner how to cultivate perhaps a delicate Italian hand, or to make flourishes worthy to adorn an address, or to ornament the beginning of a legal document; but their authors would have been astonished-not to say shocked-at the suggestion that this writing of theirs should be used in the same way as that of the professional scribes who spent their lives in writing in the days when printing was not. When, in comparatively recent years, the typewriter (with its usually quite unnecessarily ugly type) had gained a firm footing on the market, it seemed that the last hope of getting people to write even good, legible, every-day hands was gone. The illuminated addresses, too, of a period within the memory of most of us were so ostentatiously ugly that they seemed past praying for. And yet, even when things were apparently at their worst, something was being done. Opposing schools are very much inclined to overestimate, or to underestimate, as the case may be, the artistic work of William Morris, but there can be little doubt that he was interested in writing long before the art was receiving any public attention, and that the exhibition, a few years ago, of some of the books which this most impatient of men had so patiently written and illuminated was really the starting point of the popularity which writing now enjoys with a certain section of the community. And, though Morris's writing is not the model of that which is being so largely taught and so diligently practiced at the present day, this is not by any means unallied to it. Script.-The writing which is so much in vogue to-day is of rather too laborious a kind for the purposes of every-day life. Indeed, it is rather surprising that in this bustling, hurrying, commercial twentieth century it should ever have come into fashion at all; but it has done so, and with a truly amazing rapidity. Ten years ago it wonld not have occurred to anyone to show a page of manuscript at any exhibition; to-day pages or books of "script," as it is usually called, form a feature of every show which takes to itself the name of Arts and Crafts. Some of the work is in Roman capitals, but the form of letter usually adopted is the uncial or half uncial. Apparently all the writers have founded themselves on these models, and very few of them have the individual character which would make it easy to distinguish readily the work of one writer from that of another. This explains itself when we realise that, though the subject is taught in many schools to-day, the teachers are practically all of one school-trained at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where the study was apparently introduced, not more than seven years ago. Within these last few years not only has the art attracted a good deal of attention, but it has really become quite the rage, and it creates no more surprise now to learn that an amateur is taking lessons in script than it would have done some years back to be told that he (or she) had taken to poker work. One feels, indeed, that the ample space devoted to writing in Mr. Edward Johnston's recent book is no more than the exigencies of the moment demand, and it is satisfactory that his most practical and useful information has appeared at a time when so many people are likely to profit by it. So far as the fashion has produced a class of scribes who can on occasion write legibly and prettily, and with a due appreciation of the proportions of the page, it has really done good service. Moreover, the re-introduction of a good standard of writing has made those responsible for addresses, testimonials, &c., take more care to get a fairly well executed piece of work -or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that since they have not had so far to go in search of good work, they manage to get a better type of writing than that which would have contented them say twenty years ago. Still one rather wonders why the art is so popular. Fine writing is, without doubt a most fascinating accomplishment-but there is a formity, even a want of individuality about much of the modern script strangely at variance with the acute desire for self-expression at all costs, which E so characteristic of the modern artist-craftsman. Again, though script is neither so slow nor so laborious as it looks, it is slow compared with ordinary writing, so that few people adopt it for ordinary purposes, and at the same time it does not by any means always infcence the ordinary handwriting of those who practice it. This being the case, it is natural to enquire what will become of all the scribes? There is, after all, a very limited demand for testimonials and addresses, and the market for written books in these days of cheaper and ever cheaper printing, is bound to be a small one, and confined to the few who bave long purses. Everyone must be glad that writg as an art has made the advances which it has done these last few years. If there is any cause for regret, is only that it has gone so entirely in one direction, and that one which, though admirable in itself, does not touch very closely the everyday life of the twentieth century. llumination.-From one point of view it is difficult ty where writing ends and illumination begins though in the recent revival the two arts have aturally gone hand in hand, the scribe and the Laminator are not necessarily one and the same person; and whilst the modern writers have founded themselves almost exclusively on one model, the Luminators of the present day have taken their inspiration from widely different places and have occasionally also struck out new lines for themselves. The more modest of them have contented themselves with renderings of Celtic ornament and interlacing, or with flowing scrollwork of the Gothic type, and have left figure work severely alone. There are artists, however, who aim at something a good deal more original than this, and amongst them Miss Kingsford, at least, has produced most elaborate and minute figure decoration, so delicate in colouring and so refined in treatment that it chalenges comparison with the best of old work, whilst two or three other illuminators are doing work which, though far from simple, is very satisfactory. Illumination, naturally, is generally associated with writing but there is at least one worker (Mr. Vigers) who has tried with some measure of success the promising experiment of adding his hand illumination to printed books. Of course, the books thus adorned are, specially and very carefully printed, and the ornament is added to the pages before they are bound. Lettering.-It is rather curious that the revival of writing has had so little effect upon lettering in general. Now and again we see the tickets in a shop window, or some other small announcement or advertisement, neatly set out in uncials or half-uncials instead of being adorned with the flourishes of the signwriter- but this is the exception rather than the rule. This is probably due partly to the fact that a quite considerable interest had been aroused in lettering in general some time before script be-came a subject of interest, and still more to the great variety of lettering demanded by different positionsand different uses. Forms essentially suitable to writing would not, naturally enough, be equally satisfactory cut in wood or carved in stone. Still, the fact remains that while during the last few years the lettering on posters, advertisements, showcards, calendars and the like has been getting steadily better, its progress has been upon lines which have had little or no connection. with script. Many eccentric and illegible alphabets have seen the light, letters have sometimes been distorted till they were all but unrecognisable; we have had a large variety of high-crossed A's, of H's sloping upward to a point, and of microscopic O's (these last, as some of the perpetrators were naive enough to admit, because big O's were so difficult to draw), and other absurdities. And it cannot be denied that commonplace, eccentric, and ugly lettering still abounds. One has only to look at the advertise-ments to see that there is plenty of room for improvement. For all that, lettering seems to be receiving much more serious consideration than it did. The average person has begun to be aware that lettering counts for something, and that it is possible to make or mar a design by it. And every now and again we do see posters and other advertisements, well lettered and carefully spaced, which show a desire to attract attention by their taste rather than by their vulgarity. GENERAL NOTES. BARCELONA INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION. -The Board of Education have been informed through the Foreign Office that the municipality of Barcelona propose to hold a fifth International Art Exhibition in that city from the 23rd April to the 15th July, 1907, which may again be opened in September and October. The Exhibition will comprise the fine arts and art crafts generally. The time for receiving exhibits will extend from the 15th to the 30th March. Copies of the regulations containing particulars of the conditions upon which exhibits will be received and awards made may be obtained from the Spanish Consul-General in London, Senor Joaquin M. Torroja, 40, Trinity-square, E.C. MANNHEIM HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION, 1907. -The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries are informed that a Horticultural Exhibition will be held at Mannheim in the Grand Duchy of Baden from May to October, 1907. Exhibits from this country will be admitted to the fruit, vegetable, orchid, and cactus shows. Applications for information should be addressed to the Office of the Exhibition, Friedrichsplatz, 14, Mannheim, Germany. A copy of the provisional programme can be seen at the Offices of the Board, 4, Whitehall-place, S.W. TRADE WITH PERSIA.-Some of the difficulties which handicap the trader who wishes to do business with Persia are indicated by His Majesty's Acting Consul General in Khorassan, Major Kennion, in his report (Cd. 2682) just issued. Law, as understood in the United Kingdom, is practically non-existent in Persia. All questions which cannot be settled by arbitration are settled in the Karguzar's Court, nominally according to the Shariat, or religious law. On claims recovered in this manner fees are charged by the Karguzar amounting to 5 per cent. of the net amount. As to trade usages, Persian merchants are in the habit of acknowledging them or denying them as their own interest may seem to indicate for the time being. The foreign trading community especially feel the lack of laws dealing with—(1) Fraudulent bankruptcy; (2) identification of debtors' seals and signatures; (3) the payment of acceptances; (4) the enforcement of contracts; (5) noting and protesting bills of exchange. It follows that great care has to be exercised in ascertaining the character of Persian merchants before dealing with them if loss is to be avoided. Major Kennion says the Manager of the Imperial Bank of Persia at Meshed would usually be able to give useful advice in such matters. Notwithstanding the war and internal dissensions, the Russian monopoly of the supply of everything which she can produce seems to be still practically unchallenged. Other things being equal, it is impossible for British and Indian goods to compete with those of Russian origin in Khorassan. Favourable geographical conditions are the main factor in favour of Russia, whose organisation and methods are also superior. Russian merchants, recognising that those of Persia have little money and less enterprise, have invented a system by which, on making a small deposit, a trader can order goods and defer payment until he has actually sold them, or at any rate has purchasers in view. MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. MONDAY, NOV. 26. SOCIETY OF ARTS, John-street, Adelphi, W.C., 8 p.m. (Cantor Lectures.) Mr. A. D. Hall, Artificial Fertilisers: their Nature and Functions." (Lecture II.) East India Association, Caxton-hall, Westminster. Actuaries, Staples-inn-hall, Holborn. 5 p.m. Civil Engineers, 25, Great George-street. S. W., 8 p.m. Zoological, 3, Hanover-square, W., 8 p.m. FRIDAY, NOV. 30...Civil Engineers, 25, Great George-street, 8 p.m. (Students' Meeting.) Mr. P. A. Spalding, 'Applications of Electricity in Printing Works." Art Workers' Guild, Clifford's-inn-hall, Fleetstreet, E.C., 8 p.m, Annual General Meeting. Royal, Burlington-house, W., 4 p.m. Annual Meeting. Mechanical Engineers, Storey's-gate, Westminster, as |