400 THE BOARD OF TRADE JOURNAL.

[May 22, 1913

British Trade Abroad.

commercial expansion) be deducted, the decrease actually amounts to

over £600,000, which is fairly proportioned over all the principal
articles imported.
The proportionately large decrease in the value of imports from the
United Kingdom during the year is mostly accounted for by the
practical cessation of all coal imports, due to the substitution of oil
as fuel, this item accounting for nearly 50 per cent. of the whole
decrease. Other items, such as machinery and metals and metalware,
show a large decrease, easily accounted for by the disturbed and
unsettled conditions entailing the frequent suspension of factories and
shutting down of mines.
General conditions.—The commercial and industrial conditions pre
vailing during the year 1912 in the Vera Cruz consular district have
been very unsatisfactory, although the effects of the disturbed condi
tions were not so severely felt there as in the interior and northern
States.
Apart from the condition produced by the continued revolutionary
disturbances, the labour difficulties have been many and great. The
cotton mills have been hampered during the whole year by a succes
sion of strikes, many of them on the most unreasonable and frivolous
grounds; a change, however, for the better in this industry, and an
elimination of these constant strikes, is hoped for as the result of the
majority of the mills having conceded the employees’ demand for
the establishment of the British scale of wages and piece-work
payments, which came into force at the beginning of 1913. In
the port of Vera Cruz there has also been constant trouble with the
stevedores and pier labourers, which greatly hampered the business
of the port.
The British Vice-Consul at Jalapa (Mr. D. B. Van der Goot) reports
that the conditions during the past year in that district were better
than might have been expected from the generally disturbed condition
of the Republic. Crops have been fair and prices good, but planters
have had greater difficulties in obtaining loans than formerly.
X. × × > x
Colombia.-H.M. Legation at Bogotá reports that the country is
in a somewhat unsettled state, partly due to the forthcoming elections
to the Lower Chamber. It is reported that both American and
German firms have considered it advisable to withdraw credit for
-
the time being. (10,322.)
x x- x: * >K

Brazil.—The Acting British Consul-General at Rio de Janeiro

(Mr. E. Hambloch) reports that the import trade of Brazil as a whole,
and especially of Rio de Janeiro, is likely to undergo considerable
modification in the near future. The purchasing power of the
country is bound to be affected by the adverse conditions of the
rubber and coffee industries. Whatever the future may have in store
for Brazil as a producing country, the present purchasing power
is created almost entirely by coffee and rubber. The financial
all

situation, which is rightly regarded with considerable alarm by

by

thinking people Brazil, the gloomy prospects

in

accentuated
is

of these industries. (C. 4,118.)

× * cº x
º