The Washington herald., 1908-07-26

Consul General Henry ". Diederich, OF
Antwerp. makes the following review Of
the sugar trade Of the world, the extent
10 which Belgium participates. and the
acreage which Europe has devoted 10
sugar beets Tor this years crop:
An event Of great interest 70 the fu-
ture Of the sugar industry occurred IN
1907. viz, the renewal Of the convention
Fof Brussels for period Of i've years and
the conditional adhesion OF Russia 70
the new agreement.
The convention first took effect on Sep
tember l. 1893. snd is 10 remain in force
until August 81. 1903 It was to be re-
newed after that time from year 70 year,
II one OF the contracting parties did not
renounce II before September l. 1901 The
British government manifested the inten-
ton not to adhere 10 this renewal unless
It was to be exempted from the Oblga-
ton OF penalizing bounty sugar
At first it seemed as II this decision
would teoPardize the existence Of the
convention. However. under the pres
sure Of the interested governments. an
agreement vas signed on August p 1907,
prolonging the International union for
further period Of five years and conceding
70 the United Kingdom the free fnporra-
ito Of bounty sugar under certain guar
antics for the re-exportation Of the same.
However. this act had 10 be ratified by
the parIiaments OF the different govern
ments interested, and In addition Ger
many demanded as a condition that Rus
sia agree 10 the convention
The Russian Agreement
This result vas also reached al the
the night Of expectation being conceded
70 Russia. which country was in return
authorized 70 maintain its interior Iegts-
lation and its own system Of indirect
premiums. On December e. ls5-. sec
ond additional agreement was signed fl
Brussels. assuring the adhesion Of Russia
20 the convention and granting 10 that
country its quota OF expectations. fxed
for the respective seasons as follows
Three hundred thousand tons for 1915
and 1853 together and 10000 tons FOR
each succeeding season Up to and includ-
Ing lsl2-I3- However, the total figure for
authorized expectations during the six
years beginning September I. Is1s} must
not exceed 10000 tons
The right Of expectation thus provided
f0r and limited comprises all exports ex-
cepting those 20 Finland. 70 Persia fby
the Caspian Sea or over the fronr,erl.
and % the other Asiatic countries direct
y bordering on Russia by the frontier
Only Turkey was put in this class. be-
cause. while It borders on Russia. it Is
on the same footing as most other Coun-
I tries. These TWO additional agreements
Z have been ratified by the different coun-
[ Jries.
The Range Of Prices.
/
| within moderate limits. In the spring
{ prices rose little under the influence
/ Of the scarcity OF raw sugar on the pria-
T cipal European markets where IL serves
/ as a basis Of transactions for future de-
. liver'es. This scarcity was caused by
/ the heavy shipments made 70 the United
! States in October-Decem5er. 1906. and
T later by large purchases made by Ger
/ man refrers. IN view OF an eventual con-
I promise concerning which the negotia-
/ tions proved frultless
/ The sowing Of beet-root seed was about
+. the same as that Of the preceding year.
which was fortunate. as the crop Of the
season 1885, had been very large In
Z 1857. however. the weather conditions Tor
. tlle development Of the beets were very
I Uufavorahie during the entire summer.
A. the beginning OF September the crop
/ seemed 20 be backward. and both an agri-
. cultural AID Industrial 6efci- was ex-
7 pected- Under this apprehension The
. prices quoted on September s were the
highest reached during the year-vIz-.
S4s5 and S47S for Occober-December.
Amount of the Deficit.
I Later came a period OF fire weather.
during which tie beet root made great
/ progress. which resulted in The crops be-
Z ing scarcely less abundant than those of
. 1866 and 1866 Prices fell rapidly as the
results Of the harvest and Of the manu-
/ facture created the impression that the
. deficit Of the rroducti-a IN Europe would
ociy reach from 100.Go0 10 1900 tons.
The worlds production was as follows
rWs lE7- sos.