The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-02-01
HOLLAND TOO is
BUSV8C.OUNTR;I'Y|
Gold Has Been Flowing Into
Dutch Country Very
Rapidly.

AM sTERDAM, Netherlands, Jan. 10.
gsANot the least curious OF the many
arrange Incidental effects produced by
The war Is the fact that the small
country of the Netherlands probably
Fountains more gold today than ever
before in Its history. In the past year.
for instance, continual steady IN
+ dow OF gold from the European Con-
1 kinent and oversee has doubled the
y stocks OF the Netherlands bank, and
with Hollands foreign exchanges con-
kinuingS their ever-downward course
8theretis no saying to what figure they
NAV not reach IL the war lasts much
longer and lis still kept out Of her Dor
ders.
witt, long queues standing daily at
the banks doors, the government at
StbaS outbreak OF war had to reduce
me compulsory gold covering the
bank's callable liabilities from 40 to
20Fper cent: those liabilities Of $780,
s000. 600 forms or $25S, $4,000, are now
covered to the extent Of 50 per cent,
the gold stocks amounting to 430 ,000,-
\ 900 forms or SITS, 100000. On the 9TH
llnr5 hand; a review OF the year Just
closed shows that the banknote ctrcu-
iationS has been a record one. reaching
the figure of SIG, 700, 900 forms on No
vember 2slast, or $240.291. 900. 81
Other evidence OF the favorable fac.
tors which the war has brought with 1t
forSHolland is found In the new years
speech of the Chairman OF the Amster-
dam Chamber of Commerce, in which
he shows that a number Of. businesses
and industries have been able to make
considerable increased profits. al
Though the risks were abnormal. The
Dutch shipping companies have heen
making enormous profits, while the
Dutch shipbuilding yards are so crowd
y ed with work that orders can only be
placed for very distant deliveries.
1tSmay be noted incidentally that the
conside Table rise in the prices OF Am
Serican Industrial securities was one
offthe principal factors that aided IN
atTapid liquidation Of the mass OF stock
loan transactions that had to be COM
pulsorily suspended when the war
crisis broke out, as the Dutch public
took advantage of this rise to realize a
large quantity of their American hold
ings and obtain the ready money they
5needed.
There is, however, another side to
SIQ6sE 1l6uAlI lOL' JIG A0fS449tt EaSSttASS
inssome economic departments is more
than Offset for the nation as whole
by the big rise in the cost Of living
and n the burden of the mobilization
costs. The war loan of some $115,-
100000 has long since been eaten up,
8and at the end of the year the float
ing debt OF the Treasury had again
grown to $54, 100000, SO that another
Big loan seems inevitable In the COM
ing spring. while taxation increases
ares already before Parliament.
The export sof cut and rough dia-
smonds to the United States amounted
IN the first! three quarters Of the year
to- 13;;7S0,000' forms or $5.7 5000,
against q 2,7S1,0 900 forms or 25,400.
B3SThe demand for rough diamonds.
which was small in the beginning OF
Z the year, Increased considerably, as
igpecially in the third quarter Of the
year, while prices remained firm: Am
sterdam merchants have been estab'
lishing more representatives; In Amer
icab than formerly, SO that the increas.
ed stocks in their possession should
Sbe taken into account In connection
with the foregoing figures. 4