The herald., 1898-11-10
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Told by Our ConsuIs

Consul Gibbs sends from Tamatave copy
of a concession for a railway from Ianana-
rivo to Tamatave granted the Colonial COM
pany of Madagascar. The company must
have capital of s., 1925 900; its officers must
be Frenchmen or French subjects; with the
exception of coal, wood and petroleum, all
materials, rolling stock, etc., must come
from France or its colonies; the concession
must be finally agreed to before Jan. 10, 1899,
and lasts for ninety-nine years. This is the
largest and most important enterprise ever
undertaken in Madagascar. The company
will be exempt from all rent or tax for ff-
teen years. Telegraph lines are to- be con-
structed along the route. One hundred and
fifteen thousand eight hundred dollars is to
be deposited as a guaranty of the proper
accomplishment of the work, one-third of
this amount to be returned when the work
is half done and another third when the
railroad is opened.
Consul General Stowe writes from Cape
Town that there is a decrease of trade in the
South African republic, the returns for July
| showing 25 per cent reduction. In 1897 the
value of goods entering the ports Of Cape
Colony for removal to the South African re-
public was $2l ,2O6, ,0O2, against SOS, $685. ,273 in
1896.
Commercial Agent Atwell of Roubaix says
that in Lille 6 per cent of the bakers are idle.
The working day in the linen factories has
been shortened. One-third of the weavers
of Haspres are without work, and the same
proportion of coopers at Dunkirk. Metal
workers and boiler makers are busy. Twelve
per cent of the masons at Dunkirk are idle
A l. eha1
one cent on six and one-half pounds.
Consul General Seeger sends report con-
cerning the steamship lines calling at RIO
Janeiro. There is not an American steamer
on the list. All of the shipping between Rio
and the United States is done by British
German and French steamers. These have
formed a combination and adopted uniform
scheduled freight for the transportation of
coffee. Until recently they charged 40 cents
per bag of l32 pounds. Now it is 10 cents.
Consul Ruffin of Asuncion. Paraguay,
makes some suggestions to immigrants. Or
anges are native to Paraguay Cultivated
trees bear five years after planting, 7year-
old tree producing about 1000 oranges. The or
ange is staple article OF food, particularly
in the country. Hogs are fattened on them
and orange-fed pork is very good. From June
till November an average of 100000 oranges
are exported, on which there is no duty. The
sale of the mandarin is ready and price re-
munerative. This fruit would probably -four
ish in Southern Florida, it having about the
same latitude north as has Paraguay south.
The government of Paraguay pays passage
of immigrants from Buenos Ayres to the
land on which they desire to settle. The land
is fertile, the best being along the rivers,
where it is also most accessible to market
The government also furnishes oxen and ag-
ricultural implements, to be paid for in
labor or produce.
Consul Morris of Ghent sends report on
the trade of the Philippines. Statictics show
great increase in the export trade, notwith-
standing the rebellion. The export of manila
hemp increased 43,Sl6,9O3 pounds. The guam
tity of dye woods, coffee, indigo, mother-of
pearl, gums tobacco, leather, ETC., is con-
siderably increased.
The public debt of Uruguay, according to
Consul Swain, amounts to $l40,00O,000 The
tax per capita is SlS24 The republic main
tains its credit and has not repudiated a
dollar of its debt. Taxes are levied on ex-
ports of animals and animal products, on
land, notes, checks, etc. Licenses must be
obtained for all kinds of business. Manu-
factured tobacco is taxed as in the United
States, save that each cigar has a 2-mill
stamp wrapped around it. The City of Mon
tevideo has bonds outstanding for Sc, 900, 600.
1t holds as an asset the electric light works,
which yield good revenue. Wax matches
nav mills on each box of fifty
Consul Bergh of Gothenburg sends re-
port of the street railways in that city.
The committee appointed by the council to
collect information on the subject has con-
cluded that electricity is the best motive
power and that the overhead Transmission
system is the best. The city is to build an
electric power station and four electric tram
way lines, these lines to be used by the pres
ent tramway company on payment to the
city of a certain sum and a certain percent
age of the profits, the company to provide
the rolling stock. At the end of twenty years
the city will purchase the rolling stock and
undertake the management of the tram
ways. This is in the nature of a compromise
between the city and the company, which
had been granted concession up to 1917.
The city has reserved rights to arrange
cheap trips for the working people before
o'clock in the morning, and has stipulated
that passengers who have paid fares on one
tramway may continue on another by paying
half regular fare. Two of the lines must be
finished before November, 1899, and the
Others ready by September, l900.-H. S.
Garfield in Chicago Times-Herald.
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