New-York tribune., 1900-02-23
TRADE AND FINANCE ABROAD.

At meetings recently held in Madrid by the prin-
cipal shipowners OF Spain, with view to forming
a formal and regular association, statistics have
been furnished showing the considerable increase
of the shipping interests of the Peninsula. Not
withstandng the calamties through which Spain
had to pass. the steam mercantile marine of the
country is still occupying the sixth rank among
all the nations of the word This brarch of
commerce in the last two years has increased from
10000 to 1900 tons. despite the loss during the
period of eighteen steamers, of 81 900 tons.
This shows that the Spanish mercantile marine
has not only recuperated it's losses, but it
actually grown The official statistics indicate
that the number Of vessels amounted to +6i, with
gross tonnage of 567. 1872 tons. This more
remarkable. the increase for the last two years
was only per cent for the British marine, while
the increase n Of the Spanish mercantile shipping
for spanish bottoms larger share of transPorta-
year 1897 the last the official statistics of
which could be procured, foreign vessels trans
to and from Spanish ports. Supposng that the
o 80 dns d OF ede9 @ ton an @ 10 hFge
traffic should have been secured by shipowners OF
fitted by the 100000 pesetas which passed into for
eign hands Considering the present fourishng
sshipQwners in the meetings at Madrid expressed
rass then by unreasonable and too stringent regu-
ations, and therefore this industry would come to
formerly.
Tarde." writes about strange industrial project.
1t says that, as is well known the summit of the
Popocatepetl is covered with large accumulations
of ice. and that English company has offered
$4,000 for the property It intends to liquefy the
ice by of electricity; the water could be
ceved in reservoir, whence a canal would
duct the liquid, which would be used a motive
power for the factories at Tlamacas and those to
be established in the neighborng villages far as
Zempoala Considering the great altitude where
the liquefaction would be produced, 1t is believed
that the artificial water could furnish easily a
thousand he ks
necessary for melting the ice and the canal would
cost about 100000.
The commercial statistics of the Italian colony
of Erythrea, on. the border of Abyssinia, which is
always looking for the annexation of that province
show that Italy might not lose much in selling
the port of Massowah and it's environs to the
Negus at least from a mercantile point of view.
The entries of last December compared to those
of the same month in 1893 showed a decrease of
1+Al42 lire. The custom house revenues during the
hrst half-year, 1S99-1900, have diminished also by
1"S94SS IRE, ana the tax upon land during the
PERIOD mas decreased by 3705n lire. compared
with the receipts or the same period preceding.
The Ministers of Agriculture and Commerce. in
France, have just caused the publication In lie
Journal Official OF three DEGREES upon the sugges-
ton Of the Commissioner-Genernlo of the Paris
Exposition. These DEGREES, interesting 10 breeders
in the United States. give the rules which will
govern the competition "concours" between breed
Ing animals at the Universal Exposition These
,conc"urs viii be held in the annex of the Bois
the suburbs. between June and IS. The Minis
terial DEGREES fix the conditions required as TO
horses especially. An exhibition Of mules will be
added to the horse show. Numerous prizes will be
given,