and contracts for their continuation in 1909 were entered into with the result that the fairway now has a minimum depth of 26 feet at low water with a minimum width of about 492 feet, though at one part there is a depth of 28 feet at low water or fully 33 feet at high water and a width of only 328 feet.

The south pier was lengthened by upwards of 765 yards towards the south-west to a height of 11 feet below low water, and in the course of the year 1910 this will be increased for a length of 437 yards to about 15 inches above high-water mark.

Dredging operations during the year 1909 were duly carried on at the entrance of the waterway, the total soil removed from July 1, 1908, to December 31, 1909, amounting to 3,269,885 cubic yards.

At the close of the year the depth at the entrance was 31 feet at low and 36 feet at high water, whilst the fairway at the lowest depth of 28 feet showed a breadth of 383 yards, gradually narrowing to 235 yards towards the land end of the piers and to 142 yards at the Hook.

The favourable results of all the operations thus far carried out is shown by the fact that the fairway has been considerably widened, that the flood tide enters the new waterway more easily whilst the ground swells which formerly prevailed at the entrance have entirely disappeared. In proof of these improved conditions it may be stated that the number of vessels drawing between 24 and 26 feet increased from 73 in 1900 to 350 in 1909, while that of those drawing 26 feet and more rose from 7 in 1900 to 89 in 1909.

Bulb trade. The figures available for the past and preceding year (1909 and 1908) refer to the export of actual bulbs, and from the following statement it will be observed that the shipments for 1909 show a large increase, aggregating upwards of 20 per cent. compared with those for 1908, with the exception of exports to Other countries,' which shows a diminution :

Iron ore. A contract was concluded in 1909 for the delivery to Westphalian foundries of Swedish ore from Lulea, Narvik and Oxelosund to the extent of from 10,000,000 to 12,000,000 tons, the delivery to extend over a period of several years; this is the largest contract of its kind on record.

Tobacco trade. The course of the market during the year 1909 was characterised by uncertainty and irregularity, mainly due to the

raising of the duties in Germany and the United Kingdom by 40 per cent. and 9d. per lb. respectively, in Manila by a rise in the duty rate on foreign tobacco equivalent to that in the United States of America (the countervailing concession in this respect being the free entry into the United States of 150,000,000 cigars, 300,000 lbs. of outer and 1,000,000 lbs. of inner leaf tobacco per annum), whilst an additional cause of uncertainty was the report of a contemplated Government monopoly in Switzerland and the fact that such a monopoly had been established in Peru.

Furthermore, the altered conditions attending the purchase of Java and Sumatra tobaccos by the Austro-Hungarian Government, which came into force in the past year to the great detriment of many large dealers in this country whose field of operations was thus greatly curtailed, resulted in greater competition in other markets, and consequently the Dutch tobacco trade experienced greater difficulties than in former years.

The rise in duties in Germany and the United Kingdom has led to reduced consumption in those countries, and the expectation is prevalent amongst Dutch dealers that no further rise in duties will be contemplated in the immediate future, and that therefore business will be feasible under more stable conditions in the present and future,

The imports into the Netherlands consist mainly of Sumatra. Java and Borneo tobaccos, and are sold by public tender at Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The course of prices has favoured importers, the Sumatra tobacco selling about 4d. above the average obtained in 1908, whilst the Javas realised about the same as last year. Imports into the Netherlands in 1909 were :

All of which found buyers excepting 9,691 packages of Java.

Including the stock of Java tobacco on January 1, 1909, the total sales of this description amounted to 505,549 packages and they realised as follows:

Oleomargarine, lard and cotton-seed oil. -Amongst the leading industries in the Netherlands is the manufacture of margarine, and Rotterdam is the principal Continental market for the import and sale of the products which form the component parts of the edible article. Throughout the year 1909 the course of prices has not favoured manufacturers, the cost of those products in the United States having been unprecedentedly high. Several causes contributed towards this condition, the first to be mentioned being the very high prices ruling for maize, resulting as regards cattle in a decline in the amount and quality of their fatty properties, and although slaughtering was on a bigger scale the production of oleomargarine was below that of 1908.

Pigs were similarly affected through the high prices of maize, and moreover upwards of 4,500,000 less were slaughtered than in 1908, causing a largely decreased production of lard with a corresponding advance in its value.

As a result of this enhanced value the local demand in the United States for compound lard, coupled with the increased consumption of stearine and cotton oil and the high prices of natural butter, caused the manufacture of margarine in that country to be largely extended, the United States consuming upwards of 60 per cent. of the total production of oleomargarine, leaving scarcely 40 per cent. for export.

Another factor seriously affecting manufacturers was a partial failure of the cotton crops and a resulting high range of values for cotton-seed oil, which forms a prominent ingredient in the manufacture of margarine.

Within the last few years vegetable-fat compounds have been used in this connection and the demand has increased enormously, whilst attention is now directed to South America, where the production of La Plata stock has assumed 'large proportions and the raising of cattle is making such large strides.

IMPORTS into the United Kingdom of Margarine and Natural Butter.

Coal.-Reference has already been made in a previous report on the subject of the two last mines opened up in the province of Limburg, but it may be of interest to recapitulate some of the salient points. Boring was first commenced about three years ago and at the commencement of 1908 a start was made with the sale of their product, and fairly satisfactory prices were obtained in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France. The net production of 1908 amounted to 78,693 tons, which, with the reserve of the preceding year, was disposed of as follows:

Realising 49,7481., which works out at about 12s. 5d. per ton. The coal produced is of medium quality, but inferior to the British and German, and the two mines give employment to 776 men.

In South Limburg seams of 6 feet have been met with, the total supply of mineral being estimated at 1,000,000,000 tons, and in the district of Peel (North Limburg) 100,000 tons are stated to exist equal in quality to Westphalian coal.

In the mines of Winterswijk large supplies of salt have been disclosed at a depth of about 1,300 feet, and at a depth of 3,000 feet below the salt strata rich veins of coal have been discovered.

Electrical power station in North Brabant.-A company under the style of the Peel Central has been formed with its headquarters at the Hague, with a view to providing the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg with electric light and power and for the erection of the necessary plant in connection therewith. It is proposed to instal the ordinary turbo-dynamos, and the fuel to be used in connection with the boilers will be turf to commence with and later gas refuse from a factory to be erected near the Central Station.

It has been calculated that electric light could be supplied to the small villages which have no gas at a price 40 per cent. lower than in the large towns of the Netherlands, so that these villages would benefit by the advantage of having electric light at a price which would not exceed the price of petroleum.

As regards the price of the driving power it is stated that the promoters of the scheme are prepared to quote such low rates that

both great and small industries would materially benefit in the long run. It has been estimated that 25,000 horse-power is at present applied for the purpose of the various industries of which it is proposed to make the electric power station the centre.

Grain elevators. In addition to the eight elevators which have been employed throughout the year with good financial results to the company, two new machines, each with a discharging capacity of 180 tons per hour, are now in course of construction by a firm in Germany and will be completed in September next.

A new feature in their construction will be an appliance, by way of trial, for discharging grain in bags as well as bulk, which it is hoped will prove a boon to merchants.

Population and health. The population of Rotterdam on December 31, 1909, amounted to 417,783 inhabitants, showing an increase of 6,148 during the past year. The mortality rate compares very favourably with that of the previous year, being 12 2 against 13.3 per 1,000, and is the lowest ever recorded in this city.

This very satisfactory condition is the more worthy of notice when it is borne in mind that an outbreak of Asiatic cholera occurred on August 20, resulting in 15 fatal cases, and it is due to the energetic measures adopted by the municipal authorities that the course of the epidemic was so soon arrested, the last fatal case occurring on September 4.

The outbreak was due to the drinking of impure water from the river, and this has led to the issue of orders by the Town Council instructing all owners and skippers of inland craft to provide themselves with supplies of filtered water from the municipal waterworks, a measure which will not only beneficially affect the large floating population, but will also tend to safeguard the health of this large city in general.

RETURN of Seamen Discharged and Engaged at the Consulate during the Years 1905-09.

British 3,015 1,728 3,581 2,042 3,829 2,056 3,440 1,875 3,403 2,084 Foreign 3,955 4,601 4,120 5,102 4,083 5,381 3,864 4,897 3,608 4,919 Total 6,970 6,329 7,701 7,144 7,912 7,437 7,304 6,772 7,011 7,003

During the year 7,011 seamen were discharged at this Consulate, receiving as balance of wages 61,415l. 3s. 3d., out of which 7,2741. was sent home in money orders and 16,1057. by means of the transmission system, making a total of 23,3791.

Engaged.

Discharged.

Engaged.