The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-09
NETHERLANDS RICH
IN GOLD HOLDINGS
Never Before in Its History Has the
Little Country Had So Much,
There Having Been Con-
tinual Inflow.

Amsterdam. Netherlands, Feb. 9.-Not
the least curious of the many strange
incidental effects produced by the wal
is the fact that the small country Of
The Netherlands probably contains NOR,
gold to-day than ever before in its his
tory. In the past year, for instance
a continual inflow of gold from the Eu'
ropean continent and overseas has dou,
bled the stocks of The Netherlands bank
and with Hollands foreign exchanges
continuing their ever downward course
there is no saying to what figure they
may not reach ii the war lasts much
longer and is still kept out OF her bor-
| ders.
| With long queues standing daily at
the banks doors, the government at the
outbreak OF war had to reduce the com
pulsory gold covering the banks ealla-
Bile liabilities from 40 TO 20 per cent /;
those liabilities OF 620,000,000 forms or
S25S .333, 900, are now covered to the ex-
tent Of 90 per cent, eie gold stocks
amounting to 430,000.000 forms or Sl79,-
10000. On the other hand review of
the year just closed shows that the
banknote circulation has been a record
one, reaching the figure of 5I6,700.000
forms on Nov. =, last, or $780, 900.
Other evidence of the favorable fac
tors which the war has brought with it
for Holland is found in the new years
speech Of the chairman of the Amster-
dam chamber of commerce, in which he
shows that number of businesses and
industries have been able to make con-
siderably increased profits, although the
risks were abnormal. The Dutch ship
ping companies have been making enor-
nous profits, while the Dutch shipbuild-
ing yards are so crowded with work
that orders can only be placed for very
distant deliveries.
Ii may be noted incidentally that the
rise in she prices of Amer
lean industrial securities was one of
the principal factors that aided in a
rapid 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 ad-
vantage OF this rise to realize large
quantity of their American holdings and
obtain the ready money they needed.
There is, however, another side to the
medal, for the feverish activity in some
department as more than off
set for the nation as whole by the |
big rise in the cost of living and the |
burden of the mobilization costs The |
war loan of some Sll5.000,000 has long |
since been eaten up, and at the end of |
he year the floating debt OF the treas /
iry was again S54,001000 so that an
,ther loan seems inevitable in the com.
ng spring, while large taxation increases
ire already before Parliament.
The export of cut and rough diamonds
o the United States amounted in the
irst three quarters Of last year to 49,
10000 forins or S5.745,s 500, against H.
81 900 forms or $685. 400. The demand
or rough diamonds, which was small in
he beginning of the year, increased con-
idersbly, especially in the third quar-
er of the year, while prices remained
rm. Amsterdam merchants have been
more representatives in
Imerica than formerly. so that the in
reased stock in their possession should
e taken into account in connection with
he foregoing figures.