Vol. 9 (1892 and 1893).—Australian Sheep and Wool and Vagrancy and Public Charities in Foreign Countries. Vol. 10 (1894). --Lead and Zinc Mining in Foreign Countries and Extension of Markets for American Flour. (New edition, 1897.) Vol. 11 (1894).-American Lumber in Foreign Markets. (New edition, 1897.) Vol. 12 (1805).-Highways of Commerce. (New edition, 1899.) Vol. 13 (1806 and 1897).—Money and Prices in Foreign Countries, Vol. 14 (1898).-The Drug Trade in Foreign Countries. Vol. 15 (1898).-Part I. Soap Trade in Foreign Countries; Screws, Nuts, and Bolts in Foreign Countries; Argols in Europe, Rabbits and Rabbit Furs in Europe, and Cultivation of Ramie in Foreign Countries. Part II. Sericulture and Silk Reeling and Cultivation of the English Walnut. Vol: 16 (1899).-Tariffs of Foreign Countries. Part I. Europe. Part II. America. Part III. Asia, Africa, Australasia, and Polynesia. Supplement (1900). Tariffs of Chile and Nicaragua. Vol. 17 (1899).-Disposal of Sewage and Garbage in Foreign Countries; Foreign Trade in Coal Tar and By-Products. Vol. 18 (1900).-Merchant Marine of Foreign Countries. Vol. 19 (1900).-Paper in Foreign Countries; Uses of Wood Pulp. Vol. 20 (1900).-Part I. Book Cloth in Foreign Countries, Market for Ready-Made Clothing in Latin America, Foreign Imports of American Tobacco, and Cigar and Cigarette Industry in Latin America. Part II. School Gardens in Europe. Part III. The Stave Trade in Foreign Countries. Vol. 21 (1900).—Part I. Foreign Markets for American Coal. Part II. Vehicle Industry in Europe. Part III. Trusts and Trade Combinations in Europe. Vol. 22 (1900 and 1901).—Part I. Acetic Acid in Foreign Countries. Part II. Mineral-Water Industry. Part III. Foreign Trade in Heating and Cooking Stoves. Vol. 23 (1001).—Part I. Gas and Oil Engines in Foreign Countries. Part II. Silver and Plated Ware in Foreign Countries. Vol. 24 (1902).—Creameries in Foreign Countries. Vol. 25 (1902).-Stored Goods as Collateral for Loans. Of these SPECIAL CONSULAR REPORTS, Australian Sheep and Wool, Carpet Manufacture, Cotton Textiles in Foreign Countries, Files in Spanish America, Fire and Building Regulations, Fruit Culture, Gas in Foreign Countries, Heating and Cooking Stoves, India Rubber, Lead and Zinc Mining, Malt and Beer in Spanish America, Money and Prices, Paper in Foreign Countries, Port Regulations, Refrigerators and Food Preservation; Sericulture, etc.; Silver and Plated Ware; Vagrancy, etc., are exhausted, and no copies can be supplied by the Department. There was also published, in 1899, Proclamations and Decrees during the War with Spain, comprising neutrality circulars issued by foreign countries, proclamations by the President, orders of the War and Navy Departments, and war decrees of Spain. Of the monthly CONSULAR REPORTS, many numbers are exhausted or so reduced that the Department is unable to accede to requests for copies. Of the publications of the Bureau available for distribution, copies are mailed to applicants without charge. In view of the scarcity of certain numbers, the Bureau will be grateful for the return of any copies of the monthly or special reports which recipients do not care to retain. Upon notification of willingness to return such copies, the Department will forward franking labels to be used in lieu of postage in the United States, Canada, the Hawaiian Islands, Porto Rico, and Mexico. Persons receiving CONSULAR REPORTS regularly, who change their addresses, should give the old as well as the new address in notifying the Bureau of the fact. In order to prevent confusion with other Department bureaus, all communications relating to consular reports should be carefully addressed, "Chief, Bureau of Foreign Commerce, Department of State, Washington, U. S. A." VALUES OF FOREIGN COINS AND CURRENCIES. The following statements show the valuation of foreign coins, as given by the Director of the United States Mint and published by the Secretary of the Treasury, in compliance with the first section of the act of March 3, 1873, viz: "That the value of foreign coins, as expressed in the money of account of the United States, shall be that of the pure metal of such coin of standard value," and that the value of the standard coins in circulation of the various nations of the world shall be estimated annually by the Director of the Mint, and be proclaimed on the 1st day of January by the Secretary of the Treasury." In compliance with the foregoing provisions of law, annual statements were issued by the Treasury Department, beginning with that issued on January 1, 1874, and ending with that issued on January 1, 1890. Since that date, in compliance with the act of October 1, 1890, these valuation statements have been issued quarterly, beginning with the statement issued on January 1, 1891. The fact that the market exchange value of foreign coins differs in many instances from that given by the United States Treasury has been repeatedly called to the attention of the Bureau of Foreign Commerce. An explanation of the basis of the quarterly valuations was asked from the United States Director of the Mint, and under date of February 7, 1898, Mr. R. E. Preston made the following state ment: "When a country has the single gold standard, the value of its standard coins is estimated to be that of the number of grains fine of gold in them, 480 grains being reckoned equivalent to $20.67 in United States gold, and a smaller number of grains in proportion. When a country has the double standard, but keeps its full legal-tender silver coins at par with gold, the coins of both gold and silver are calculated on the basis of the gold value. "The value of the standard coins of countries with the single silver standard is calculated to be that of the average market value of the pure metal they contained during the three months preceding the date of the proclamation of their value in United States gold by the Secretary of the Treasury. The value of the gold coins of silver-standard countries is calculated at that of the pure gold they contain, just as if they had the single gold standard. "These valuations are used in estimating the values of all foreign merchandise exported to the United States." The following statements, running from January 1, 1874, to April 1, 1903, have been prepared to assist in computing the values in American money of the trade, prices, values, wages, etc., of and in foreign countries, as given in consular and other reports. The series of years are given so that computations may be made for each year in the proper money values of such year. In hurried computations, the reductions of foreign currencies into American currency, no matter for how many years, are too often made on the bases of latest valuations. All computations of values, trade, wages, prices, etc., of and in the "fluctuating-currency countries" should be made in the values of their currencies in each year up to and including 1898, and in the quarterly valuations thereafter. To meet typographical requirements, the quotations for the years 1875-1877, 18791882, 1884-1887, 1895, 1897, and 1899 are omitted, these years being selected as showing the least fluctuations when compared with years immediately preceding and following. To save unnecessary repetition, the estimates of valuations are divided into three classes, viz: (A) countries with fixed currencies, (B) countries with fluctuating currencies, and (C) quarterly valuations of fluctuating currencies. A.-Countries with fixed currencies. The following official (United States Treasury) valuations of foreign coins do not include rates of exchange." Gold-escudo ($1.25), doubloon ($3.65), and condor ($7.30); silver- peso and divisions. Gold-2, 5, 10, and 20 colons; silver-5,10,25,and 50 centisimos. Gold-doubloon ($5.01.7); silver -peso (60 cents). Gold-10 and 20 crowns. Gold--10 sucres ($4.8665); silver-sucre and divisions. Gold -10, 20, 50, and 100 piasters; silver-1, 2, 10, and 20 piasters. Gold-10 and zo marks ($1.93 and $3.85,9). Gold-5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 francs; silver-5 francs. Gold-5, 10, and 20 marks. Gold-sovereign (pound sterling) and half sovereign. Gold-5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 drachmas; silver-5 drachmas. Silver-gourde. .do ...do 1.00 Gold Gold--sovereign ($4.8665); silver-rupee and divisions. Gold- 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 lire; silver--5 lire. Gold-1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 yen. Gold 10 and 20 crowns. Gold- 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 francs; silver 5 francs. Gold--25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 piasters. Gold-peso; silver- peso and divisions. 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 bolvars; silver 5 bolivars. *The gold standard went into effect January 1, 1900 (see Commercial Relations, 1899, Vol. II, p. 7). Values are still sometimes expressed in the florin, which is worth 2 crowns. + Gold standard adopted in November, 1900. (See CONSULAR REPORTS No. 225, June, 1899.) For an account of the adoption of the gold standard, see CONSULAR REPORTS NO. 238, p. 359. Gold standard adopted October 1, 1897. (See CONSULAR REPORTS NO. 201, p. 259.) Gold standard adopted October 13, 1900, For an account of the adoption of the gold standard, see Review of the World's Commerce, 1896-97. D. 254. |