Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-07
Observation-Disclosures Z. 1888.
The Consular Reports.


are some ofthem highly interesting. They
furnish vast amount OF information from
abroad on all sorts of subjects. The anu-
ary No, for instance, which is just to
hand contains letters on the sugar in-
dustry in the Argentine Republic; on.
emigration from and exports to the
United States TO and from Austria on
the tariff act OF Bermuda on the sugar
industry of Ceara, Brazil ; on the inun-
dation of the Nile Valley on forest
culture in Hesse on the cultivation OF
cotton in Asiatic Russia and on other
subjects from other countries.
Russia is trying to raise cotton enough
TO supply all her own wants. Consul
General WAY reports from st. Peters
burg that cit is the dream Of their
[Russian1 statesmen to make the empire
sell-sustaining, and they ardently hope
and believe that the day is not far dis
tent when they can confidently assert
that everything natural and artificial ne
cessary to the sustenance and comfort OF
the people is produced within the bounds
OF that vast empire"
So Russia intends TO ascertain by ex-
pertinent whether protection will pro-
tect. 1t is asserted by patriotic Rus
SLAMS that the cotton products of Asia
will in few years supersede all foreign
varieties and render the home spinner
independent OF America, and the Gov
eminent Is fostering this idea by strenu-
Gus efforts to increase the area devoted
TO the planting OF cotton.
On the subject of the production OF
iron and steel Acting Consul HORNsTEDr,
OF Moscow, under date of October 10,
1887, sends the following:
81 submit TO your notice very i'm
portant invention, recently patented by
a Russian subject and successfully
worked in this country.
"The invention consists OF method
10 produce iron and steel direct from the
ore. The whole secret of the process is
the construction of the furnace, which is
simple and inexpensive. 1t will be diff
cult for our iron-masters to believe that
under the new process iron ore, after
submitting il to the ordinary smelling
process, Is taken direct from the furnace
to the rolling-mill and turned into sheet
iron yet such is the case, there being
to my certain knowledge three furnaces
in this country now in full operation and
working with great success. There can
be but little doubt that this new inven-
ton will create a perfect revolution in
the manufacture of charcoal iron.
Whether the process can be used with
equal advantage where coke is the fuel l
cannot positively assert, as the furnaces
| refer to are worked with charcoal. L
am. however, assured that an experiment
made with coke was crowned with equal
success"
These consular reports include some
times newspaper articles forwarded, We
suppose, by the consuls An interesting
article in the volume of reports now be-
fore us is on "the cultivation of chin
coma in Java" 1t is taken from the
London and China Telegraph. 1t is
interesting as showing that in Java the
exDerimenters have not succeeded we'll
We were rather surprised to learn, as
we did from a letter of Consul-General
ALDES's, that Indian corn is grown in
Italy. He says:
From kilograms to the ministry OF
agriculture, commerce, and industry it
appears that the Indian corn crop OF this
wear in Italy has been about 89.45 per
cent. OF the average crop. OF this four
fifths are good, one tenth excellent,
and one tenth middling. In Northern
and Central Italy the crop was OF ave-
rage quality, but the crop in Southern
Italy and Sicily was short. "
That is, of course, for 1887.
The tobacco monopoly in Spain is a
subject that concerns to some extent Vir-
GINA readers. Consul-Geneal HoRATTo
J. SrRAaUE, of Gibraltar. writes as fol-
lows:
1.-THE Spanish Government has re-
Gently farmed out the tobacco monopoly
in Spain to its national bank, under
heavy cash advances, and IT is supposed
foreign capitalists are also interested in
this important financial operation.
"As its favorable issue must naturally
depend much upon the manner in which
the whole enterprise is conducted, it is
supposed that there will be many I'M
portant changes regarding the measures
20 be taken with the view OF diminish
ing the ccntraband trade in tobacco,
which has existed from time immemo-
nal, and which traffic is 50 closely identi-
fed with the Spanish populations in
proximity TO this fortress.
81 am Inclined TO believe that this
farming out OF the tobacco monopoly in
Spain will ultimately have very preju-
cal influence over the general trade of
Gibraltar so soon as the Bank Of Spain
commences operations.
Increased destitution among the
needy and working classes must follow
in Andaiusis and other provinces on the
seacoast before they become accustomed
10 this new regime of affairs 1t may,
however, ultimately have some salutary
effect upon the morals OF certain class
OF people, by discouraging numerous
abuses that are supposed 10 be constant
ly occurring through the many tempta-
tons which the contraband trade offers
10 those upon whom the duty deyolves
OF protecting the Spanish exchequer
from frauds and peculations, which ara
supposed to have even entered the
ranks of certain portion OF the Span
ish army, which cannot but prove de-
moraiizing TO whatever appertains to
military discipline"
30 Spain has moonshiners,' SIN
ternalrsyenue spies and iniormers, &C..
&c.