conditions lasted until the latter part of September, and since then many factories were working quarter time and others a little longer, but only a very limited number of machines could be worked owing to the lack of artisans and orders. During the last three months of the year some orders were secured from the United States for the cheaper makes of laces, and there was also a little demand for low grades of silk and application flounces to replace the productions of Caudry, a town which was already in the hands of the Germans, but this class of goods is not manufactured in any appreciable quantity at Calais, where the machinery in most cases is not suitable for it and where labour conditions are not so advantageous as at Caudry, the cost of production being consequently higher. Some of the Calais manufacturers, who own coarse gauge machines, are now endeavouring to some extent to manufacture goods which would replace the Caudry productions, but it is to be feared that during the war, and possibly for some considerable time after, the greater part of the machines at Calais will have to remain idle owing to the great shortage in skilled artisans, the general mourning and the reduced purchasing power on both continents. The total production of lace in the Calais factories for 1914 was of a value of 1,680,000l. against 3,520,000l. for the year 1913. Of this production about 75 per cent. was cotton lace and the rest silk lace. The exports to foreign countries, the United States of America being the chief market, amounted to 1,200,000l., the remaining 480,000l. represent the value of lace sold in France. Minor industries.-In the local minor industries a falling-off on the results, as compared with previous years, is also to be noticed. With the single exception of the French biscuit factory, which in addition to the 700 tons of fancy biscuits produced in 1914 manufactured about 3,000 tons of pain de guerre (army biscuits), all the other factories remained idle during the last five months of the year. In some cases no statistics could be obtained, as not only are the factories closed, but the manager and staff having joined the colours, no information is available. Timber.-15,000 tons of pine wood of a value of 49,000l. were imported by the firm of Pagniez, showing a decrease of not less than 35,000 tons on the imports in 1913. Fisheries. The fishing industry has been greatly hampered since the beginning of hostilities, and the results show a serious decrease on those obtained in 1913. The number of vessels engaged in the industry was practically the same, 72 against 79, but the fish caught fetched only 26,760l. as compared with 45,735l. in 1913. On the other hand, the persons engaged in shore fishing were more successful, the value of the fish thus caught being 2,7801., an increase of 8201. on the previous year. The following is the official table of the number of vessels, their tonnage and the value they represent : Imports and exports in 1914.-The conditions of trade and industry at Calais in the latter part of the year under review have been so upset by the war that it can serve no useful purpose to draw comparisons between the imports and exports in 1914 and the preceding years. Tables 1 and 2 give lists of the principal articles imported and exported, but it should be observed that Calais being essentially a port of transit, these returns can hardly be considered a proper guide, and the fluctuations in the quantities exported and imported are necessarily misleading, so far as the trade of this district is concerned. General. A suggestion was made by my predecessor in his report for the year 1913 that Calais might offer opportunities for British retail trading houses. I can heartily endorse this view, and I must add that, if the hint had been acted upon, and British firms had opened branch establishments, especially in the grocery and general stores lines, they could not but have shared in the extraordinary prosperity which prevailed and still prevails in all the retail trade in this town. Although the present prosperity is certainly due to the considerable increase in the population, which can only be temporary, and when the war is over Calais will resume its normal life, I am still of the opinion that there is ample room for British enterprise on the spot. Table 1.-PRINCIPAL Articles of Import at the Port of Calais during the Years 1913-14. |