Foreign Commerce. The following are the estimates of the imports for home consumption and the exports of home produce for six years: The following table shows the values of the imports and exports of the great classes of products in thousands of guilders: The leading articles of import and export are shown as follows, in thousands of guilders: The imports for home consumption, and exports from and to the leading countries, are shown Year. 1893.. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897 COMMERCE WITH THE UNITED STATES. (See Index, under “Commerce of United States.") IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF GOLD AND SILVER COIN AND BULLION. Shipping, Railroads, Post-Office, and Telegraphs. (See Index.) Money and Circulation. The standard coin is the 10-florin piece, weighing 6.720 grammes .900 fine, and thus containing 6.048 grammes of fine gold. The unit of the silver coinage is the florin, weighing 10 grammes .945 fine, and containing 9.45 grammes of fine silver. Gold is legal tender, and the silver coins issued before 1875. For gold and silver coins, see Index. The total circulation was valued as follows, in thousands of guilders: The Bank of the Netherlands, a private institution, is the only bank authorized to issue banknotes. Its condition is shown as follows, in thousands of guilders: A more detailed statement of its affairs on December 30, 1897, follows: The bank keeps the State treasury and the cash of the State Postal Savings-Bank. It receives 5 per cent. of the clear gains; the remainder is divided between the State and the bank. There are 282 savings-banks, all private, having 19,186,000 guilders of deposits. Besides these, there is a State postal savings-bank, established in 1881, with 23,220,000 guilders of deposits. SWITZERLAND. Area and Population. In 1894, the population of Switzerland was 2,986,848, and in 1888, 2,917,754. The area of the Repub lic is 15,976 square miles. POPULATION BY EMPLOYMENT. (See "Commercial Year Book," Volume IV, page 51.) Fiscal Affairs. The chief source of revenue is from customs duties, the confederate Government having no power to levy direct taxes. The following table gives the total revenue and expenditure of the Confederation: The cantons have their own local administrations and their own budgets of revenue and expenditure. In 1890, their combined revenge was 79,152,000 francs, and expenditure 80,178,000 francs. The cantonal revenues are derived partly from direct taxes on income and property, and partly from indirect duties, stamps, etc. Several cantons have only indirect taxation; and over the whole about 58 per cent. of the revenue is raised in this form. The public debt of the Confederation amounted on January 1, 1897, to 80,870,763 francs, mostly at 3 per cent. At the same date the "Federal Fortune," or State property, was Real property, 38,476,500 francs; stock, etc.. 42,849,550 francs; works producing interest, 19,616,215 francs; stores not producing interest, 19,765,709 francs; various debts, 533,673 francs; inventory, 30,855,665 francs; alcohol administration, 232,130 francs; cash, 1,760,820 francs; total, 144,800,184 francs, the net Fortune being thus 60,910,745 francs. Industries. Out of a population of about 2,000,000 engaged in agriculture, there are about 300,000 peasant proprietors. Of the total area 28.4 per cent. is unproductive; of the productive area 35.8 per cent. is under grass and meadows, 29 per cent. under forest, 18.7 per cent. under fruit, 16.4 per cent. under crops and gardens. Rye, oats, and potatoes are the chief crops, but the bulk of food crops consumed in the country is imported. The chief agricultural industries are the manufacture of cheese and condensed milk. The export of cheese (1897) amounts to 232,002 quintals, and of condensed milk to 202,266 quintals. In 1896, there were 108,969 horses, 1,306,695 cattle, 271,901 sheep, 415,817 goats, 566,974 swine, of the total value of £17,936,880. The Federal alcohol régic in the year 1894-95 sold 58,268 metric quintals of spirits (38 degrees), and 31,869 metric quintals of medicated spirits. In Switzerland there are about 1,400 hotels, employing about 16,000 persons, the receipts of the hotels amounting annually to about £3,500,000. FACTORY STATISTICS. By the census taken on June 5, 1895, of the factories subject to the Federal factory law, the statistics thereof are shown as follows: Of the 200,199 operatives, there were 174,697 Swiss, 14,872 Germans, 5,124 Italians, 3,354 French, 1,896 Austrians, and 256 from different other countries. The 152,718 horse-power was produced as follows: 87,885 by water, 53,410 by steam, 4,086 by gas and petroleum, and 7,357 by electricity.. Foreign Commerce. For the years 1890 to 1896, inclusive, the imports for home consumption and the exports of domestic produce, and also of the precious metals, were as follows: The following statement shows the value of principal articles of special commerce: 1895. Francs. 980,116,675 The following table shows the geographical distribution of the "special" trade of Switzerland (including bullion but not coin) : * Only the total shows the exact number of establishments. The addition of the figures would result in a higher number, because establishments engaged in several industries are counted in each group. Africa Asia.. Australia.. Not stated. Total Year. 1893. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897 (See Index, under "United States.") IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF GOLD AND SILVER COIN AND BULLION. Switzerland being a member of the Latin Union, its monetary system conforms to that organization. The franc is the equivalent of 10 batzen and 100 rappen or centimes. The 20-franc piece is 900 fine, the 5-franc silver piece is .900 fine, the silver 2-frane, franc, and half-franc are .835 fine. At the close of 1895, there was outstanding 190,000,000 francs of bank-notes, against which a reserve was held consisting of 83,400,000 gold and 11,600,000 silver. The estimated amount of money in circulation is placed as follows in 1896: Bank-notes, 175,000,000 francs; gold on hand and in circulation, 117,000,000; silver on hand and in circulation, 54,000,000; and nickel and copper, 5,000,000; total, 351,000,000 francs. On December 31, 1897, there were 34 banks, with a paid-up capital of 164,275,000 francs, and a note issue of 222,450,000 francs. Their average monthly condition for 1897 is shown below: For other banking information, consult previous volumes of The Commercial Year Book." |