Coal freights. During the first half of the year coal freights were fairly steady, averaging as follows:

Sulphate of copper.-As the quality of the wine crop promised to be an excellent one, the vineyard owners did not spare the use of sulphate of copper to avoid, as far as possible, any risks of an outbreak of mildew or other cryptogamic diseases.

Thus the consumption of this article in France during the year 1914 compared very favourably with that of 1913, and is estimated. at between 60,000 and 70,000 tons.

According to the custom-house returns the total importation of sulphate of copper during 1913 and 1914 was as follows:

This increased importation was in no way due to an augmentation in consumption during 1914, but mainly to the following facts, viz. :—

(a) The uneasiness that prevailed among the growers, after the declaration of war, as to their chances of obtaining the necessary supply to meet their 1915 requirements. This gave rise to brisk transactions during the months of September, October, November and December for immediate deliveries, so as to have the necessary stocks in hand.

(b) That since the outbreak of hostilities all the French manufacturers of sulphate of copper have had to cease work. Thus the imports of sulphate of copper from the United Kingdom are bound to be greater during the war than before.

Since August the only works in France manufacturing this article are the Cornubia at Bordeaux, but owing to the difficulty in finding the necessary copper, fuel, labour, &c., their output was reduced by about 60 per cent. as compared with that between January and July. This again will naturally cause an increased importation during 1915.

As regards prices, these remained stationary between January and May, ranging from 21. 4s. to 21. 48. 10d. per ton. They gradually fell to 21. 1s. 3d. per ton by the end of July, after which a gradual rise took place up to the end of November, when 21. 2s. 5d. per ton

was reached. In December prices rose more rapidly, and by the end of the year 2l. 4s. 5d. to 21. 5s. 3d. per ton were current quotations.

Agricultural machinery and tool trade.-The trade in agricultural machinery in this consular district was very fair during the year 1914, the sale of haymaking machinery, such as mowers, tedders, horse rakes, &c., though not quite so important as during 1913, producing nevertheless an average amount of business.

The sale of harvesting machinery, such as mowers fitted with a reaping attachment and binders, proved as good as in 1913, owing greatly to the fact that the older kind of machines are rapidly being replaced by those fitted with the aforementioned improvements.

The trade in agricultural machinery was not much affected by the war, sales having terminated by the end of July. The question of payments, however, has had to be temporarily suspended in a large number of cases.

Steam threshing machinery.-The trade in this article has been about the average, a special demand having arisen for flower clover hullers and similar machinery for separating seeds from clover, lucerne grass and like crops.

Portable steam machinery and clover hullers.-These articles nearly all come from the United Kingdom and are of British make, The machinery is of good design and of strong construction, and they enjoy a very high reputation throughout the whole district.

Haymaking and harvesting machinery.-The trade in these articles is in the hands of important American syndicates, some of which have erected factories in France. It would be impossible under existing circumstances for British firms to compete in this line.

Small farm implements.—The trade in small farm implements such as milk separators and churns for dairy purposes, also chaff cutters and corn shellers, the sale of which takes place in the latter half of the year, was very seriously hampered by the war.

Sewing machines.-The trade in sewing machines was good, in spite of diminished sales in the latter part of 1914. Sales of special machines for making military clothing were recorded.

Timber for building construction.-The total imports of wood from Norway, Sweden and Russia amounted to 13,950 standards, representing a drop of over 47 per cent. on the import of 1913. This trade, up to the end of July, was normal, but immediately after the outbreak of hostilities the whole trade stopped, the owners of the vessels which were under charter finding it impossible to reach the loading ports. All the wood consequently, which had not been shipped, had to remain at these ports, the amount being estimated at about 50 per cent. of the total usual imports.

Pitch pine. The imports of pitch pine received from the United States totalled 3,130 standards, showing a decrease of 2,591 standards on 1913. This trade had to cease in the latter part of the year owing to the abnormal rise in freights, which increased to 91. and 101. per standard, say 47 per cent. as compared with those quoted before August.

Staves. The importation of staves, which is one of the principal industries in Bordeaux, was greatly restricted during 1914. Wood

coming from the Black Sea which cannot be brought forward to loading ports during the winter owing to transport difficulties had largely to remain in the country owing to the outbreak of hostilities; 2,000,000 staves of all sizes, representing about 7,000 tons, were imported from Russia and 2,800,000 staves (or 14,000 tons) from the United States.

The imports of this article have completely stopped since the war, and the construction of barrels was greatly hindered by the mobilising of a large number of the coopers.

Freights from America varied between 11. 3s. 8d. and 11. 78. 9d. per metric ton; those from the Black Sea were 16s. per ton.

Wine crop. The vintage for the whole of France in the year 1914, computed at 1,234,951,498 gallons, shows an increase of 331,667,194 gallons over that of 1913.

The following table gives the quantity of wine produced in the 18 Departments forming this consular district during the years 1913 and 1914, by which it will be seen that five of these Departments show a decreased production. Those, on the other hand, which showed the most substantial increase were the Gironde, Charente Inférieure, Charente, Vendée and Vienne, with 38,892,282, 24,117,060 10,224,192 4,820,772 and 4,412,210 gallons respectively :

During the first six months of 1914 the wine crop gave all signs of being an abundant one, but, unfortunately, the ravages committed in the vineyards by the cochylis and eudemis moths during the month of June diminished the output in a certain degree.

In July the weather was unfortunately cold and wet, which caused some anxiety among the growers as to the ultimate

quality of the crop if the climatic conditions did not speedily ameliorate.

Fortunately the months of August and September came in bright and warm, the average temperature being 20 40 Centigrade, or say 0 13 over the normal. At the beginning of September, under the influence of fine, warm weather, the grapes matured under most favourable conditions and continued so till the vintage, which commenced towards September 17 and was carried out under fairly warm weather.

I am informed on good authority that the harvest, which was an abundant one, will produce a very agreeable wine, at least as far as the first tastings have proved, which opinion was further endorsed by subsequent tastings carried out in December last and January,

1915.

The quantity harvested exceeded 110,000,000 gallons for the Department of the Gironde alone, a figure which has only been surpassed twice in the last 25 years, namely, in 1900 and 1907. With the vintages of the past three years it compared as follows:

Effect of war on wine market.-The moratorium, in addition to the dearth of labour-owing to the call to the colours-naturally affected all branches of trade, but more especially the wine industry.

The financial difficulties were only overcome thanks to the aid given by the various Sociétés de Crédit Agricole, the Banque de France and the warrant system, as, upon the declaration of war, the commerce of France had, so to speak, to suspend all payments, banking operations having practically ceased. No bills of exchange of any kind could be negotiated and no money could be raised on any property in the ordinary way. Those who had money on deposit were threatened by having to increase their securities to meet their depreciation; in fact, in some cases, the position of many must have been desperate.

Fortunately the month of August and part of September being relatively slack periods for the growers, the scarcity of labour having been partly overcome by the employment of workmen from the towns and the help of old men, women and children, and the moratorium having in the meantime been revised, a gradual resumption of business transactions became possible when vintage time arrived, matters by then having adjusted themselves to a certain degree.

Effect of the war on prices.-Owing to the slackness of trade, and to there being little or no outlet at the present time for the sale of classed wines, the cellars have become over-stocked and a slight depreciation in the prices of these articles is anticipated, more so as the expenses attending the shipment of same have augmented considerably. Freights have increased about 25 to 40 per cent., to which has to be added insurance against war risks. Then again, all side

expenses such as cases, straw wrappers, capsules, &c., have increased by some 10 per cent., and bottles which formerly were worth 16 fr. per 100 are now quoted at 19 fr., with a tendency to rise further; all factors which are liable to hamper shipments.

The demand for ordinary wines in France has never abated, indeed it has somewhat augmented to meet the requirements of the army, each soldier at the front being allowed 1 pint of wine per day, and prices may on the contrary increase.

Sales of 1911, 1912 and 1913 wines.-The 1911 wines are now chiefly in bottle, and justify the good opinion the public had formed of them. They sell well and fetch high prices, especially in France where they are very popular.

The 1912 wines are lighter, but nice and flavoury. These wines, which are very good value at their present price, are used for rapid consumption.

As regards the 1913 wines, these are quite nice, being full-bodied and agreeable. At the beginning of 1914 there was a good market for them, but since the war all transactions in these young wines have ceased.

Reason why classed wines could be sold cheap by German firmsThe German wine merchants, as a rule, bought chiefly young wines, so as to treat them according to German methods-at least, so they said.

But the real object appears to have been to make use of the protection of the German wine law, which authorised the German wine merchants to call by the name of the "Chateau," say Chateau Léoville, a wine which contained chiefly Léoville and had the character of such a wine. This meant that practically any wine containing 51 per cent. of Léoville and 49 per cent. of any other French, German or Italian wines could be called by them "Léoville," and shipped as such.

This method speaks for itself, and explains the moderate prices quoted by firms in Bremen, Hamburg, &c., for classed wines.

Export of Gironde wines.-The export of Gironde wines in wood and bottle from the port of Bordeaux during the years 1914 and 1913 was 9,490,140 and 12.839,164 gallons respectively.

The following table, compiled from official statistics, shows the countries to which the wines were shipped :