obtainable for the finished products. Most of the iron--and some machinery-works have contracts that will keep them busy until the middle of next year. These are now working overtime, and refuse to take any more contracts at fixed time and price. The great boom in iron and coal is principally due to the large contracts given out by the Government for its railroad stations and rolling stock, and by municipal and private corporations for narrow-gauge railroads and electric tramways; also, to the many machine works that have sprung up during the last two years.

The building trade in Germany, which has been booming for some time past, is also a large customer on account of the structural iron used; likewise the shipyards, which are busy executing orders for the home and other governments, and for the merchant marine. The wages of workmen in these branches have increased so that first-class hands doing piecework in the iron and machine trade now earn from $1.75 to $2.25 per day; in some cases, this scale is reached by the best stonecutters, sculptors, and masons, but these are employed only during the building season.

When the Government contracts are filled, a period of reaction will set in, the demand for labor will lessen, and wage reductions will be in order.

The great expansion of the iron and steel trade has favorably affected the mining of coal and production of coke; 80 per cent of the German output of coke is consumed by the iron and steel industry. In 1898, the single mining district of Dortmund increased. its coal product by 2,600,000 metric tons (of 2,204 pounds) over the previous year. The coal-mining districts of Saxony and Silesia pre

sent like returns.

The condition of the Rhenish Westphalian coal mines is flourishing; the output of coal would have been still greater were it not confined by the action of the trusts.

The wage scale of the coal miners, however, has not kept pace with the increased production and the high price of coal; they get to-day but 5 per cent more than was paid last year. The best hands earn $1 to $1.20 per day, but the large majority are paid considerably less.

CHEMICALS.

The workmen employed in chemical factories make good wages. This branch of industry is still in good condition, although the efforts of foreign countries to make themselves independent of German chemical supplies are beginning to be felt. The United States especially is striving in this direction; so much so that several large German establishments were compelled to establish branch factories in America, in order to retain their business. Those mak

It

ing aniline colors have less to fear, as it will be some time before Americans learn the secrets of their manufacture. The export of aniline colors forms an important item in German foreign trade. increased from 53,200,000 marks ($12,661,600) in value in 1894 to 72,000,000 marks ($17,136,000) in 1898. Of this amount, the United States took 15,600,000 marks' ($3,712,800) worth; England, 14,600,000 marks ($3,474,800); Austria-Hungary, 7,000,000 marks ($1,666,000); Italy, 4,500,000 marks ($1,071,000); and China, 5,400,000 marks ($1,285,200).

PAPER AND TEXTILES.

Paper and textiles are in an unsatisfactory condition. German paper manufacturers complain that Americans sell printing paper at 1834 pfennigs (4.45 cents) per pound, at which rate German paper can not be sold.

Loud are the wailings of German manufacturers and exporters of textile fabrics on account of the depressed condition of that branch of trade, which, they claim, is caused by greatly curtailed sales to the United States and by the growing competition of American textiles in foreign markets. Being crowded out of foreign countries, the German manufacturers overload their home market, which cuts the prices and lessens the profits on domestic sales.

Owing to the decline in the exports, the wage scale of textile operatives has of late suffered a reduction, though the cost of living is higher. Therefore, it can not be said that the standard of life of German laborers (excepting in a few isolated branches of industry) has been raised.

Through the reports of the chambers of commerce and of the trade papers runs, like a red thread, the bitter complaint of the United States tariff, which Germans admit to have boomed American manufactures and fostered America's capacity to compete successfully in the world's markets with the industrial nations of Europe. SIMON W. HANAUER,

FRANKFORT, August 10, 1899.

Vice-Consul-General.

AMERICAN COAL IN SOUTHERN GERMANY.

No American coal has, so far as known, been shipped to Germany, but English coal is largely used here; shipments to the port of Hamburg alone for July amounting to 229,019 metric tons (of 2,204.6 pounds). English steam coal is about to be introduced in Frankfort, negotiations for this purpose having been recently completed. Up to date, the coal used in this section has come from the Ruhr mining district in the province of Rhenish Prussia.

There is no import duty on coal in Germany. The water freight rate for coal on whole ship cargoes from Rotterdam to Frankfort varies from 21⁄2 to 3% marks (59 to 83 cents) per metric ton (2,204.6 pounds) to 4 to 5 marks (95 cents to $1.19) in autumn. When water is low or the demand for vessels heavy, the rates are considerably higher. For the transfer of coal from ocean vessels to river barges at Rotterdam, the lowest rate is 35 pfennigs (about 8 cents) per ton, but it becomes higher when there is a special demand for labor.

A large Rhine steamship transportation company says, in answer to my inquiry on this subject:

America could do a large business here, if able to deliver first-class coal, suitable for boiler firing, like "Westphalian blaze coal," which to-day brings 12 marks ($2.86) per ton c. i. f. Rotterdam. To maintain this trade, when once fairly opened, the coal must continue to be of the same quality and must not come from different mines. The boats bringing it could be directed to our Rotterdam house (William Egan & Co.); we would help the trade with all means in our power. We ourselves want a quantity of coal for our large fleet of steamers. We have contracted for our supplies until April next with Rhenish syndicates and English mines. We are well informed respecting the coal trade, and are ready to give any information, as our interest is to encourage the importation of coal,

This firm has 18 steamers, each of about 5,000 horsepower and 9,000 register tons, for the carrying trade on the Rhine. Other large firms are also engaged in transportation on this great waterway, which has its freight termini at Mannheim and this city, the Main River being navigable for heavy freight craft from its confluence with the Rhine up to Frankfort.

FRANKFORT, August 9, 1899.

SIMON W. HANAUER,

Vice-Consul-General.

PETROLEUM IN HAMBURG IN 1898.

I have to report that Hamburg's importation of petroleum in 1898 increased extraordinarily. Imports by way of the ocean in the last ten years have amounted to—

From the United States the imports amounted to $6,900,000, against $3,900,000 in 1897. The imports from Russian ports on the Black Sea have also somewhat increased, viz: In 1897, they were $378,420; in 1898, $499,800.

The average prices for petroleum in the last ten years have been as follows, per double centner of 220 pounds:

The imports of American petroleum into Germany by way of the

Sir Charles Oppenheimer, the British consul-general in Frankfort, in his annual commercial report for 1898, just published, shows that the British exports to Germany are growing in a greater degree than German exports to Great Britain.

The increase of British exports to Germany is especially noticeable in cotton and cotton manufactures, and also in iron and its products.

In leather and leather goods, the year 1898 was the best for British trade in Germany since 1889, as also in manufactures of linen. With reference to preserves and sauces, the report says that in spite of their undeniable excellence, they are too strongly seasoned for the German palate. The sales of these latter goods could be increased, the consul-general says, if more attention were paid to the German taste; but on the whole, he is of the opinion that British exporters have reason to be satisfied with their position in the German market. British goods, he says, are constantly gaining in favor among German consumers, on account of their solidity and excellence of material and the attention paid to modern

taste.

England could take the position in the German market, with

reference to sporting goods, articles "de luxe," furniture, and many household supplies, which France used to occupy. He calls attention to the fact that German manufacturers are taking pains to place their goods on the market in the English style. German exports to England have decreased in preserves, drugs, flax, copper, wearing apparel, and paper and silk, and increased in cotton, wool, manufactures of iron, and instruments.

More than one-fifth of the total of German exports goes to Great Britain and her colonies. Germany's commerce with Canada in 1898 amounted to 20,900,000 marks ($4,974,000), 16,700,000 marks ($3,974,000) in exports and 4,200,000 marks ($1,000,000) in imports. The principal articles imported from Canada are asbestus, cobalt and nickel ores, and fruits. Germany sells to Canada mostly sugar and wearing apparel.

FRANKFORT, August 30, 1899.

RICHARD GUENTHER,

Consul-General.

WESTINGHOUSE WORKS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Contrary to the natural expectation that we would do all the "worrying" over the intention of the Westinghouse Electric Company to build works at Manchester, the proposition has not been received with favor in all quarters here, as is shown by the following comment of a correspondent of the Manchester Evening Chronicle:

The announcement has been made, and with the usual flourish of the Yankee trumpet, that electric works, such as were never yet seen, are to be erected in Trafford Park, Manchester. This statement may be true, but it is hardly fair that British electric-manufacturing concerns should have been so absurdly depreciated in this connection. As an instance, it is stated that the Westinghouse Company are now making four large electric generators for the Manchester corporation, which it is inferred no English maker could touch. As a matter of fact, Messrs. P. R. Jackson & Co., engineers, Salford, offered to make these very machines, and to comply with all the conditions set forth in the specification of the corporation. The order was given to the Yankee firm, notwithstanding the fact that the price of the Salford firm was only £800 higher in a £70,000 job. However, it may interest your readers to know that the Westinghouse Company have come rather late in the day, as events will, I think you will find, soon prove. I suppose the next boom will be new Yankee locomotive works, simply because all our "loco." shops are crowded out with work at much higher prices than obtain elsewhere.

It is stated that 100 acres of land have been secured, that the company's buildings will occupy 40 acres, that 5,000 men will be employed, that Lord Kelvin will be technical adviser, and that all the Westinghouse patents for England have been purchased. I am not certain but that the newspapers have said the purchase includes the