the English and Russian. Up to date, France has furnished this article (beet sugar). England is engaged in an effort to obtain better roads. The English consul in Ispahan demanded, in his last report, the intervention of his Government to get the Persian Government to do something in the line of roads, and his efforts were successful. South and West Persia have no roads; North Persia, only two. these, the one from Ispahan to Rescht was built by Russians. road is being built between the capital and Ahwaz. This will run down to the Persian Gulf and cheapen freight rates to the interior. In spite of every obstacle and difficulty, England's exports to the Persian Empire are increasing. Of United States exporters may perhaps profit by these suggestions. We might send cheap cottons, sugar, candles, iron, ironware, stoneware, copper, leather, and fancy articles. CHEMNITZ, June 23, 1899. J. C. MONAGHAN, Consul CONGRESS OF CHARITY AT PARIS. The Department has received a note from Ambassador Cambon, dated Washington, July 15, 1899, to the effect that an international congress of public assistance and private beneficence is to meet in Paris from July 30 to August 5, 1900. The French Government is to be officially represented, and foreign governments are requested to send delegates to the congress. A circular issued by the promoters has the following extracts from the general regulations of the congress: The questions discussed during the sessions of the congress will be the subject of printed reports, which will be distributed to members at least fifteen days before the opening meeting. So far as possible, each question will be treated by French writers, foreign writers, and general writers. These writers will be chosen by the commission of organization. Other questions relating to public assistance and private beneficence may be submitted for discussion. Authors are requested to send papers to the general secretary three months before the opening of the congress. The congress comprises four sections: (1) childhood; (2) the sick, the infirm, the incurables, the aged; (3) the able-bodied poor, other relief than that of assistance by furnishing work, general questions; (4) works of assistance by furnishing work. Other subjects to be considered are: The working and efficacy of relief at the home; compromise between public and private assistance; treatment and education of children in reform schools, schools of correction, etc.; character of works of relief by furnishing work; should these not be considered works of private beneficence? assistance to indigent consumptives (measures of relief, whatever the medical treatment may be). The language of the congress will be French. Only members are permitted to submit communications, to be present at the sessions, or take part in the discussions. The fee for membership is 20 francs ($3.86).* It is to be devoted to payment of the publication of the lectures, etc., delivered in the congress. The adhesion of all persons interested in relief work, public or private, is requested. REPORT OF FRENCH STEAMSHIP LINE. Consul Thackara, of Havre, under date of July 13, 1899, sends an analysis of the report of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (French line) for 1898. It appears that the net value of steamers, real estate, etc., on December 31, was $22,438,377, as compared with $23,872,686 on December 31, 1897; a decrease of $1,434,309. The total receipts for 1898, including the bounties and subsidies received from the Government, were $9,149,662; the total expenses for 1898, $7,915,646. The receipts for 1897 were $8,883,398, and the expenses $7,647,784. From the net earnings, a dividend of 15 francs ($2.895) per share-par value 500 francs ($96. 50)-was declared. There was a diminution in the receipts of the line to New York of $318,483, due to the comparatively small number of American. tourists going abroad, to the increased competition of rival lines, and to the Bourgogne disaster. The number of passengers carried in 1898 was 201,297, against 163,049 in 1897. The amount of merchandise in 1898 was 665,468 tons; in 1897, 776, 286 tons. In 1898 11,191,061 parcels were carried; in 1897, 10,764,884. The number of postal parcels in the two years was 759,191 and 602,239, respectively. The value of bonds and. specie carried in 1898 was $31,904,973; in 1897, $28,913,757. The number of voyages in 1898 was 1,052, against 1,015 in the preceding year. The increase in the number of passengers in 1898 was chiefly owing to the larger number of emigrants carried. This is the result of the efforts of the company to build up this branch of its trade by establishing new agencies in the different parts of Europe. Great difficulty is being experienced by the company in obtaining the necessary metal work for the construction of the two new steamers, owing to the congested condition of the steel-manufacturing plants in France. It is expected, however, that the Lorraine will be ready for launching in September, and the Savoie at the commencement of 1900. A copy of the form of membership, transmitted with the note from M. Cambon, is filed for reference in the Department of State. The company has recently purchased the twin-screw auxiliary cruiser Patriota from the Spanish Government. This vessel, which was formerly the Normannia of the Hamburg-American Line, will be named the Aquitaine, and will run between Havre and New York to replace the Bourgogne. LIFE-INSURANCE COMPANIES IN GERMANY. The twenty-seventh annual report on the condition of German life-insurance companies shows how steadily these institutions have been gaining ground. I give the following information and statistics for the year 1898: Of the 42 German life-insurance companies, 20 are joint-stock companies and 22 have the mutual-benefit plan. During the year 1898, 188,873 applications, representing a capital of $179,003,010.38, were made to the companies as a whole. From this number, the 20 joint-stock companies received 108,033 applications, representing $95,482,304.65. The 22 other companies received 80,840 applications, covering a capital of $83,520,705.73. Of this number of new applications, the following were accepted: The 20 joint-stock companies accepted 83,616 applications, representing a capital of $72,011,771.38; the 22 mutual-benefit companies accepted 64,611 applications, covering a capital of $65,687,537.09. The aggregate number was thus 148,227, representing a capital of $137,699,308.47. The joint-stock companies, therefore, rejected 24,417 applications and the mutual-benefit companies 16, 229, being a total of 40,646, or 21 per cent of the entire number of applications. During the year 1898, the joint-stock companies transacted business of $6,324,234.29 more than the mutual-benefit companies. During the last five years, namely, 1894–98, the 42 companies did a combined business as follows: This shows a gradual increase of 8.1 per cent in the number of applications, and an increase of 8 per cent in the actual business done during the five years above mentioned. The mortality for 1898 of those carrying life-insurance policies was very favorable to the companies. The outlay for deaths and other expenditures fell $4,593,400 short of the amount allowed for such matters. At the close of the year 1898, the 42 companies had 1,625,299 policies in force. The assets of all the companies represented a capital at the close of the year of $1,482,449,042. EIBENSTOCK, July 18, 1899. ERNEST L. HARRIS, Consular Agent. BUSINESS FIRMS IN BERGEN. In trying to work up an extensive or even a partial export trade from the United States to Norway, our American manufacturers must remember the following facts: At the present time, American goods are very little known in this part of Europe. Our competitors-the English and German merchants, especially the German-either have regular lines of samples here, or send salesmen who understand the Scandinavian language. Of course, it is very difficult to introduce new customs into such a conservative country as this, but I think (and I have personally investigated the matter during the last year) that if our manufacturers would establish a sample room in two or three of the larger cities in the Scandinavian Peninsula, a large trade could in time be worked up between the two countries. Merchants and dealers here show a preference for our goods, but they naturally like to see samples of the goods to know what they are buying. Several negotiations that I have had on hand have fallen through, because the exporters in the United States not only refused to send samples, but refused to allow the goods to leave the factory before they received the money. Dealers here will not pay for goods when they do not know what they are buying. It is safe to ship goods when the consignee gives bank references. Another very important point to remember is that we have to compete with English and German merchants, who give from sixty. to ninety days' credit. If United States merchants expect to do business here, they must be willing to give the same length of time. I give below a list of the principal business houses in this city, arranged according to their respective lines: |