The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-27
WORLDWIDE INVESTMENTS.


The French government has made a comprehensive
survey Of the investment fields Of the world with the
pose of ascertanng property French subjects
in lands not under the flag of their country French
consuls have employed collect the information
desired their abors have resulted in the pubca-
ton of elaborate tables, all less based esti-
mates and altogether accurate which at least show
French capital gone far and wide in its search
for profitable employment and has been invested largely
in distant parts of the world.
1t has often been remarked that for very intelligent
people remarkably prosperous for many
generations and with travellers from
all civilized countries the French been singulary
Indifferent sightseeing in other lands and have
stayed within their boundaries far than the British
the Germans, of the smaller nations
their borders they swept the world for oppor
tunes to make their savings pay better interest than
they could get in France.
The official estimates and collected this year put
the of French money invested in foreign lands
billion dollars Some eminent statistical au
thorties in Paris think that serious mistakes
made the way overvaluing certain classes of secu
in which French money sunk but these pri
calculations by the consus so that
they to about the ultimate result 1t may be
taken the best possible computation of French
nents that they property worth
The interest that sum. at per cent would be
s24OOOOOOO a year and it is probable the average
return upon money placed other countries is
per cent than any lower rate If that is true
the stream of money which France might draw from the
rest of the world through investments alone must be
about s2OOOOO5O month enough to cancel large
French nation, and the real margin the side of i'm
ports is only about SlOO0oOO0o sl50O00000 year
Clearly French thrift the expansion of French
Investments in foreign countries, year after year
The distribution French money in various parts of
the world viii strange TO many Americans espe-
cally this country has little valued by
French capitalists field for the profitable
funds. The chances make good investments in the
United States have been attractive
Americans that it be surprise that the
billion dollars which Frenchmon have placed in other
countries. including. Of course foreign securities this
republic has received less than per The Official
estimate Of French investments IN the United States is
soOOOO.OOO francs. about s115,soOCoO
Mexico has attracted about half as much French
money the United States France invested p per
much in little Cuba in this immense country.
French capital has been employed in Brazil far more
lsrgely than it has been used the United II
the Argentine Republic fully 80 per French
money has been invested than the employed in the
United States or paid for American securities south
America taking the continent as Whole has somehow
attracted twice much money as has been
set at work in all North America though Canada and
Mexico have received very fair share OF the money
territory
Africa has lured French investors which
nust seem strange Americans. The British posses
sions in South Africa taken about s5ooeeoeea of
French capital chiefly for the development OF tie gold
fields Egypt has absorbed nearly much. mainly in
Egyptian government bonds and the suez canal Alto
sether Africa taken six times much money from