vehicles or foot passengers, excepting when a new bridge is constructed. Then, a toll of 10 pfennigs (equal to 2.38 cents) per horse is collected, until the construction is paid for. The roads and bridges are kept in repair by the county, which obtains revenue for this purpose from taxation of the realty adjoining the highway. BRESLAU, May 31, 1899. C. W. ERDMAN, Consul. SILESIAN WOOL. The wool market in the province of Silesia has not only decreased in quantity during the last five years, but the quality has deteriorated. Breslau, the capital of the province of Silesia, is the chief market of Germany for all kinds of wool. The amount of wool offered for sale in Breslau during the year 1898 was as follows: Old fine to extra fine Silesian wool: Fleece washed......... In the grease........... Wool of sheep more or less crossed with Rambouillets, fleece washed and in the grease.......... Better quality of Posen wools, fleece washed and in the grease.......... Pounds. 495,000 275,000 825,000 550, 000 In the year 1898, the prices for Silesian wools were as follows: In 1897, the amount of wool offered for sale was 10 per cent less than in 1898, and in 1894 the quantity of wool was at least 50 per cent greater than in 1898, and the quality was better. On account of the importation of Australian and Buenos Ayres wools into this market since 1894, the price of wool has been very low; in fact, it was lower in 1894 than ever known before. For that reason the farmers, who had been raising the pure Silesian wool, imported English and Scotch rams, and the cross produced larger sheep for meat purposes, but an inferior quality of wool in comparison to the pure old Silesian product, which is known for its soft, silky, and long fleece as one of the finest qualities of wool, and was sought after by the manufacturers of fine cloths, dress goods, and shawls. For the production of these goods, the manufacturers are now mixing the fine Silesian with wool imported from Sydney and Port Phillip, as the pure Silesian wool is too high and scarce. BRESLAU, May 3, 1899. C. W. ERDMAN, Consul. LOCOMOTIVES IN GERMANY. Germany has eighteen factories, turning out locomotives both for home and foreign use. Fifteen of these build both large and small engines, and three build nothing but small ones for light work. These factories can furnish annually, under normal conditions, 1,400 engines. They employ from 15,000 to 20,000 workmen the number depending upon the orders. Germany exports locomotives to Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Turkey, South America, South Africa, and Asia. A house here sent nineteen a year or two ago to the Dutch East Indies. Up to date, as far as can be found out, no United States engine has entered this Empire, although England has ordered a number. A writer, whom I quote freely, says that work can be more effectively done in the United States, because only a few well-tried forms of engines are made. "In consequence of this," he continues, "the parts are put up and kept in supplies by all parties acting as agents of such engine builders. This enables those buying American engines to replace broken or injured parts almost instantly." German writers say the firms in Europe could do the same in the time put down for delivery, etc., were it not for the fact that every railroad company-every engineer-wants a particular type. They go so far as to express preferences for different kinds of different parts, and every change of officials or engineers having charge of the purchase of locomotives or their parts brings change in the articles used. Consequently, Germany has found it impossible to keep a supply of parts. "This," says the writer referred to, "may keep Germans from overproduction, etc., but it has the disadvantage of delaying deliveries. An understanding among the builders of locomotives. might lead to a system not only advantageous to the Empire, but useful to the exporters of locomotives. It would help to keep terri tory already captured in far-off lands and fit Germany to meet. America's rapidly rising influence." It is hardly necessary to say that American locomotive builders will do well to look these lines over. They have never had such a chance as now. All Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South America, many states of Europe, particularly Russia, offer markets which we are the only people fully equipped to supply. CHEMNITZ, April 28, 1899. J. C. MONAGHAN, Consul. TRAMWAYS IN MILAN.* The transit service in Milan is electrical. All the tram lines excepting three start from the Piazza del Duomo (the Cathedral square) and run either to the various railroad stations or through the gates to points beyond the city limits. The lines above excepted are one from the Central Railroad Station that runs past the Northern Railroad Station to the Porta Ticinese Station, another that encircles the city, and a third from Porta Volta to the Musocco Cemetery. The line that encircles the city is divided into five sections, and the fare on each section is 10 centesimi (2 cents), or 50 centesimi (10 cents) for the round trip. The line that runs from the Central Railroad Station past the Northern Railroad Station to the Porta Ticinese Station is divided into two sections, and the fare on each section is 10 centesimi (2 cents); 20 centesimi (4 cents) for the whole trip. The fare on the line from Porta Volta to the Musocco Cemetery is 15 centesimi (3 cents). The fare on each of the lines starting from the Piazza del Duomo is 10 centesimi (2 cents). But for the benefit of the working and the poorer classes, the fare is 5 centesimi (1 cent) on each line from the Piazza del Duomo and on each section of the other lines before 8 a. m. in the summer and 9 a. m. in the winter. The total development of track system owned by the commune is 66 miles. But, as some of the trams run over the same track for certain distances at various points, the actual length of track is 42 miles. The contract which the Società Generale Edison di Electtricità has with the municipality of Milan for the management of the city's tramways lasts for twenty years. The commune provided at its own expense the laying down of the tracks, which were transferred to the above society on the payment of 4,500 lire ($868.50) for each kilometer (0.62137 mile, or 3,280 feet 10 inches) of single track. The commune pays to the above society 251⁄2 centesimi (5. 1 cents) for each car per kilometer. From the total yearly receipts are de * This report was made in answer to inquiries by a Chicago company, to which Advance Sheets have been sent. ducted the amounts paid by the society to the commune and by the commune to the society, and the remainder is divided between the society and the commune in the proportion of 40 per cent to the former and 60 per cent to the latter. The regulations permit of cars carrying more passengers than there are seats, but, to prevent overcrowding, the gates are often closed. Only one gate is opened on each car-which will seat about eighteen passengers-and this is always on the opposite side of the car from the parallel track; so there is no danger of stepping off in front of an approaching tram. There were 44,559,888 passengers carried in 1898, against 39,736,091 in 1897. The tram service in Milan is excellent; the cars are run with care and skill, and, when it is possible, at a fair rate of speed. There are very few accidents, although there is a perfect network of tracks in the Piazza del Duomo, and many of the streets through which the trams run are very narrow. The conductors are polite and obliging. MILAN, May 29, 1899. W. JARVIS, Consul. TRADE OF BELGIUM, FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1899. I give below comparative tables of the imports and exports, customs duties, and navigation of this country for the first five months of the years 1899 and 1898. |