During the years from 1832 to 1880, the following numbers of emigrants left Germany, via Bremerhaven: In September last the imperial statistical office republished the result of the tobacco crop of the year 1880–281 (July 1, 1880, to June 30, 1881). This report deserves considerable attention on our part, because the Germans import raw tobacco principally from the United States. Every German planter now has to pay a duty of 45 marks per 100 kilograms dried tobacco, a law which has been in force since July 16, 1879. The total area on which tobacco was planted in 1880 amounted to 2,417,594 ar* (59,842.3 acres), or 690,298 ar (17,058.2 acres) more than in the preceding year. The reason of this increase is supposed to be the high prices the planters realized for their crop in 1879, viz, 75.40 marks for 100 kilograms dried leaves; in 1880 they realized 71.04 marks for the same quantity. This price does not include, however, the internal revenue. The tobacco crop in the year 1880 was, as far as quantity is concerned, a very good one, for not less than 51,531,594 kilograms dried leaves were produced within the German Tariff Union in that year. In the past year an average of 2,132 kilograms were raised on one hektar of land against 1,640 kilograms in 1879. Of the mentioned total crop of 1880, the Grand Duchy of Baden produced 15,289,684; Prussia, 13,524,830; Bavaria, 11,028,757; Alsace-Lorraine, 8,085,135 kilograms. The total tobacco crop of 1880 of the German Empire was estimated at 36,500,000 marks, or 15,000,000 more than in 1879. The Germans are inveterate smokers, and did they not raise so much of their own tobacco our planters and dealers would do a still larger business in this product than they do now, although it is enormous in spite of the German home crops. Prince Bismarck intends to make the tobacco business a state monopoly, as it is in Austria and France. It is, however, very doubtful whether he will succeed in this project, for, as I have already remarked, the large majority of Germans are free-traders and are especially opposed to putting a trade into the hands of the government, which is already sufficiently paternal. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, THEODORE CANISIUS, Geestemunde-Bremerhaven, October 26, 1881. Consul. * 1 ar 100 square meters; 10,000 square meters = 1 hektar; 1 acre = 40.467 ar. HOLLAND. AMSTERDAM AND ALL HOLLAND. REPORT BY CONSUL ECKSTEIN. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, I have the honor herewith to transmit tabular statements of the imports and exports of the port of Amsterdam and of the Netherlands during the year ending December 31, 1881; also statements showing the navigation of the port of Amsterdam during the same period of time, and a statement showing the declared value of the exports from this consular district to the United States during the year ending July 30, 1882. The statistical tables of the imports and exports herewith are compiled from the only official publication on the subject accessible to me, and I regret that the peculiar manner in which these statistics are prepared and published in this country precludes the possibility of arriv ing at the actual total value of either the imports or exports, and renders it next to impossible to state whether the same have increased or decreased as compared with those of the preceding year or years. The tabular statements herewith of the navigation of this port are also prepared in the form in which they are published in the official statistics, and are neither as full nor comprehensive as I should like to make them, but it is impossible to procure the information and material required in order to improve on them. The statement herewith of the declared value of the exports from this consular district to the United States for the year ended June 30, 1882, shows the same to amount to $2,200,171.90. For the year ended June 30, 1881, they were covered by the sum of $617,567.49; for the like period of 1880, by the sum of $1,007,410.85; for 1879, by the sum of $331,080.99, and for 1878 they amounted to only $228,667.12. This will show how steadily and largely the exports from this consular district to the United States have been increasing during the past five years, excepting the year 1880-'81. When I take into consideration that increased facilities for transportation have recently been established, exist, and are likely to continue to do so, by the regular running of two lines of steamers from Amsterdam to New York, and further, that the discriminating duty of 10 per cent. on the products of the East India Colonies has been abolished, I arrive at the conclusion that the exports from this consular district, and from the Netherlands generally, to our country are almost certain to increase still further and largely in the near future. On examination of the invoice book for the purpose of agcounting for the increase in the exports of 1882 over those of 1881; Tfind this to be chiefly owing to an increase in the exports of the articles as shown by the following statement, and by the exports of others which in the pre vious year did not enter into the exports from this consular district to the United States at all, viz: The number of invoices certified during the year ended June 30, 1882, was 855, and for the year ended June 30, 1881, only 512; showing an increase of 343 invoices in 1882. Debenture and landing certificates for goods brought here from the United States under export bonds, or with benefit of drawback, are now also frequently required and issued at the consulate, whereas in former years, or before there existed any direct steam communication between this port and New York, this was hardly ever the case. In this connection I would also report that there have been no changes in the tariff on imports into the Netherlands during the past year, and that the canal lock and harbor dues, as well as the charges for pilotage and steam-towage, remain the same as last year. As to American shipping at this port, there is as yet no sign of any revival; I regret to say only three American vessels visited this port since July 1, 1881, to the present time. The transfer of the North Sea canal by its present proprietors, the North Sea Canal Company, to the government, concerning which I reported at length in my last annual report, has not yet taken place, but negotiations to this end are still pending and may soon be concluded. D. ECKSTEIN, UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Amsterdam, September 30, 1882. Consul. A.-Table specifying imports for consumption at Amsterdam and the Netherlands during the year ending December 31, 1881. |